ROCHESTER HILLS - In the past 10 years, the city Fire Department's emergency medical service response time has been reduced by three minutes.
"Our response time is under 5 minutes," said Rochester Hills Fire Chief Ronald Crowell. "We have a 60 second out-the-door time."
Ten years ago, the city Fire Department developed an in-house EMS department, due to the lack of quality private ambulances available and response times.
"I can remember back 12, 15 years ago, waiting for an ambulance, responding as a first responder, doing CPR, whatever the call may be," Crowell said. "We decided we needed to provide our own EMS service. We made the change, and that change has progressed over the last 10 years to what I would call an outstanding EMS service provided by the Fire Department."
"We've had 31, 000 calls in 10 years," Crowell said during a Nov. 12 presentation to the Rochester Hills City Council, delivering an overview of the last 10 years. "That is patients that we have transported. That does not include fires."
One satisfied resident is Steve Govern, whose baby was delivered by Rochester Hills EMS paramedics last January. Govern spoke about that day to Council members, accompanied by his wife, Jewel, and baby, Eliza Judith.
"There wasn't a lot of time to do much," Govern said. "I called 911 and a very capable operator led me through the whole process. Totally calmly, the first person came, and the whole thing was very calm. At a time like that, you want to be reassured everything will be OK. The result is right here."
"They were so gentle and knowledgeable," Govern said about paramedics Justin Boks and Andrew Matz. "They wrapped the baby so gently, took my wife out the door so gently. It was an amazing experience. We'll be friends for life for what they did for us."
Rochester Hills Council members and Mayor Bryan Barnett presented the Fire Department with a special proclamation for 10 years of outstanding EMS service.
"From a grateful community, we appreciate what you do on a daily basis," Barnett said. "It is something that makes our community a great place."
Call Staff Writer Linda Shepard at (586) 498-1065.
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