10/26/2026
Every Monday, the Iowa County Sheriff's Office shares our weekly Calls for Service Snapshot. Many of you have probably seen these posts, but have you ever stopped to think about what those numbers really represent?
In recognition of National First Responders Day, I wanted to take a moment to show our community what your first responders have been up to and just how much goes on behind the scenes.
We went back and reviewed our records dating back to 2020, and the numbers tell quite a story!
📊 2020: 19,346 calls for service
📊 2021: 22,132 calls for service
📊 2022: 21,178 calls for service
📊 2023: 24,106 calls for service
📊 2024: 24,115 calls for service
📊 2025: 24,929 calls for service
🚨 2026: Already 23,622 calls for service as of early October 26!
That's 3,543 more recorded activities than this same time last year, an increase of nearly 18%!
But here's what we really want our community to understand.
These numbers aren't just crimes, arrests, or traffic stops.
🚑 They're the EMTs and paramedics responding when someone is having the worst medical emergency of their life.
🚒 They're the firefighters leaving their families, jobs, and dinner tables when the pager goes off.
🚓 They're the deputies responding to crashes, checking on loved ones, investigating crimes, and helping people who simply need someone.
🌙 They're also the deputies and police officers checking businesses, buildings, and properties while most of us are home sleeping. It's the proactive work that often goes unnoticed but plays an important role in keeping our communities safe.
🎧 They're the dispatchers answering 911 calls, coordinating emergency responses, monitoring the safety of responders, and keeping track of what's happening across Iowa County, 24 hours a day.
And here's something a weekly snapshot cannot show you:
One call might take five minutes. Another might take five hours. One incident might require a single deputy, while another requires law enforcement, multiple fire departments, ambulances, and additional resources working together.
Yet on that snapshot, each incident may only represent one number.
Behind those numbers are some incredible people.
Many of our firefighters and EMS providers are volunteers who leave their regular jobs, family gatherings, and warm beds to help someone they may have never met.
Our dispatchers are the first point of contact during emergencies, often handling multiple responsibilities at the same time.
Our deputies and fellow law enforcement officers cover hundreds of miles of roadways and communities, responding to everything from routine assistance to life-threatening emergencies. And even when there isn't an emergency, they're out patrolling neighborhoods, checking properties, and looking for problems before they become something more serious.
More calls for service do not necessarily mean more crime. But they do show how much work goes into serving and protecting our communities.
As the demand for services grows, the dedication of the people answering those calls continues to amaze me.
❤️ As we recognize National First Responders Day this Wednesday, I want to personally thank every firefighter, EMT, dispatcher, law enforcement officer, and emergency services volunteer serving Iowa County.
You don't always receive recognition. You don't always get a thank-you. And most people will never know about some of the things you've done to help others.
But your work matters, and our communities are better because of you.
The next time you see our Monday snapshot, don't just look at the number. Think about the people behind it.
These numbers represent thousands of moments when someone needed help, someone was looking out for their community, or someone was working behind the scenes to keep others safe.
National First Responders Day is about recognizing the people behind the uniform, the headset, and the pager. And here in Iowa County, we have a lot of people to be thankful for.
We are proud to serve Iowa County, and we are incredibly proud of the emergency services personnel who answer the call every single day.
Sheriff Michael Peterson
Iowa County Sheriff's Office
2026 figures are year-to-date through October 26 and include calls for service and other documented public safety activities.
