CONCORD, N.C. -- The Concord Fire Department had a busy 2018 with crews responding to more than 12,000 calls.

• Fire officials say most calls weren't for fires
• Crews responding to 12,360 calls last year and 254 were for structure fires
• They responded to more than 6,000 medical calls in 2018 

Last year, crews responded to 12,360 calls and only two percent of those, which equates to 254 calls, were structure fires. 

Battalion Chief Joshua Simpson says firefighters respond to more emergencies than people realize. 

"We also respond to vehicle crashes, medical calls, hazardous materials incidents, urban search and rescue, and technical rescue," he said. 

Fire crews responded to more than 6,000 medical calls last year, which made up nearly half of the department's calls for service. 

"We can arrive before EMS, sometimes by several minutes," Simpson said. 

The fire department posts "Wednesday Words of Wisdom" on their Facebook page, to help teach the public about the types of calls crews respond to, as well as how they can help prevent emergencies in the community. 

"If we show the percentage of calls that were in this area, and then also show a way to prevent it, it will make that realization to people 'Yes it can happen to me," says Allyson Sigmon, the public information officer for the department.