API Call - Alert & Escalation Chain Metrics

Would it be possible to provide an API call or calls that provide a 'hit count' (historical and current) against alert rules and escalation chains?  Ideally it would allow a filter to be assigned for alert levels of interest.  This would help in providing metrics around how many alerts are being generated, and to what areas of responsibility, and help drive additional questions around configuration and maintenance.  I know there is a report to extract thresholds and their destinations, but these metrics are not available currently, it seems.

Many Thanks

~Nick