City fire and emergency medical staff are concerned over the steadily increasing volume of fire and medical calls. The Beloit Fire Department responded to 5,431 total calls in 2016, compared to 5,036 in 2015. The most common types of calls fielded over the two years stemmed from difficulty breathing to reports of chest pains and fire alarm responses. Of the totals from 2015 and last year, 3,969 were medical calls in 2015. In 2016, the department responded to 4,428 medical emergencies. From January to Feb. 20 of this year, the department has responded to 813 total calls, compared to 675 in 2016 and 624 in 2015 during the same time period. The root of the increase is hard to quantify, but the department is monitoring the steadily rising call logs, according to Deputy Fire Chief Joe Murray. “We’re definitely pushed to handle everything, but I know first-hand how capable our department is,” Murray said. “We don’t want to develop a void of treatment for our residents.”