Hills firefighters delivered this baby at a home in January.
The Rochester Hills Fire Department is celebrating 10 years of providing full-time emergency medical services transport. Prior to that, the department depended on private EMS agencies for ambulance service.
“Having responded to more than 31,000 patients, while maintaining a 98-percent customer service satisfaction rating, speaks to our team’s commitment to providing superior service to our residents,” says Fire Chief Ron Crowell.
During that time, the department has reduced response times by 48 percent. Ten years ago, the average was 7.67 minutes; today it’s 4.76 minutes.
One example: In January, firefighters delivered a baby at a home near the main fire station. They arrived so quickly that the baby’s father wondered, after it was all over, “Did you guys slide down a pole or something? How did you get there so fast?”
“We are very lucky to live in a community that has such dedicated men and women who put their lives on the line every day and continue to seek innovative ways to improve our service to residents,” says Mayor Bryan Barnett.
Through the years, the department has added Advanced Life Support ambulances staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week with full-time paramedics; one Basic Life Support ambulance staffed 24/7 with paid-on-call EMT’s; and one Basic Life Support ambulance staffed seven days a week with full-time and paid-on-call EMTs. Within the first quarter of 2013, the department expects to be staffing a second Basic Life Support ambulance.
“The achievements and enhanced services the Rochester Hills Fire Department provides would not be possible without the significant dedication of all members over the past 10 years,” Crowell says.
