The call came on a Friday afternoon, the day before the Fourth of July. A Jeep had caught fire on Beach Road along the crowded Joseph Sylvia State Beach. By the time Oak Bluffs firefighters and emergency responders battled their way through gridlocked traffic, the car was a total loss. Barely six hours later Edgartown firefighters were called to South Beach where they doused a blaze in the dune grass caused by careless holiday revelers setting off fireworks.

And when Fourth of July dawned, there would be no rest for the volunteer firefighters. Saturday morning Edgartown and Oak Bluffs were called out again, this time to downtown Edgartown where an upper story fire at the Atlantic Restaurant was quickly contained. The cause was believed to be an exhaust hood that caught fire. Three days later firefighters in Oak Bluffs and Tisbury found themselves on the scene at a fully involved house fire on the Lagoon Pond in Vineyard Haven, working for hours in difficult conditions on a hot, humid night. The guest house was a total loss but thankfully no people were at home at the time — and even a dog and a cat were saved. Several firefighters were treated for heat and smoke exposure.

As July rushes in with all its glory for vacationers and beachgoers, so does the season that severely tests the mettle of emergency responders. When the Island is experiencing peak crowds, just getting to the scene of a fire or accident can be difficult and hazardous, as fire chief John Rose learned when his trucks struggled to make their way through heavy traffic to reach the Jeep that was burning on the Friday before the Fourth.

If the first big holiday weekend was any indication, this is shaping up to be a busy, crowded summer. For the first time in memory Norton Point Beach was closed to over-sand vehicle traffic for two days during the holiday weekend out of concern for overcrowding on the beach. Both up-Island and down, vehicle traffic was jammed solidly in all the places where crowds gather, including on beaches, in town centers and at art, music and culture events.

We’re full up, as the expression goes, and fire, ambulance and police who train all year long are busy around the clock with calls, many of them to out-of-the-way locations such as remote beaches or neighborhoods down long, unmarked dirt roads.

Efforts to improve emergency services are constant and ongoing; just this week the Aquinnah selectmen voted to put markers with GPS coordinates on remote beaches so callers can identify their location in the event of the need to dial 911. A smart move, especially as the dangerous rip tide season arrives along the Atlantic-facing shoreline.

In a word, be safe out there this summer. And please support your local volunteer fire department. Their tireless dedication to the job is worthy of our continued thanks and admiration.