Annual-Report 2021

Rochester HillsFire Department

Annual Report 2021 Page 2 of 3 7Table of Contents I.Mission, Vision, and Values ……………………….....…………………….….. 3 II.Message from the Chief………..………….……….....… ……………………. 4III.OrganizationalChart…… ……………………………….…………………....5IV.Training .............................……………………………………………………. 7V.Budget ..........................................…………..……………….…………… .... .6VI.Community Risk Reduction .............………………………………………… 10VII.Fire and EMS Operations …………...……………………………………….. 21VIII .Operations Highlights …………………………………..………….…………. 28IX.Retirements, Promotions, and New Hires ………………...…… …….… ..... 35X.Frequently Asked Questions ……………………………… …. …………. .....3 6

Annual Report 2021 Annual Report 2021 Page 3 of 3 7Mission Statement The mission of the Rochester Hills Fire Department is to protect and preserve life, property, and the environment through a highly trained and dedicated team. Vision Organizational Values The Rochester Hills Fire Department will continue to provide the best emergency services and community risk reduction through innovative training, education, and equipment. We are committed to developing all of our resources, both internal and external, to their fullest potential, while empowering each member with the authority needed to effectively and efficiently perform the duties in which we are entrusted.Teamwork - Respect - Accountability - Integrity - Never Accept Status Quo - Unity - Safety

Annual Report 2021 Page of 53 7Message from the ChiefI am pleased to present theRochester Hills FireDepartment (RHFD) Annual Report for 2021.Perhapsmore than ever in ourhistory,we are forced to consider our changing environment and thenecessaryevolution of our service, enabling us to meet thecommunity’s needs effectively. As our city continues to evolve, our desire remains to provide the highest level of first-class service.In2021,RHFDresponded to7,696 calls for serviceThesecalls include fires, medicalemergencies, rescues,hazardous c emical responses, and ot er general calls for publichhservice. Of t eh7,696 calls for service,82% or6,330calls were for Emergency MedicalServices. Likewise, we responded to severalneighboringfire departments’calls for assistance.In turn, these neighbors provided us service w en we needed hthem.T e hRochester HillsFireDepartment continues recruiting and hiringt e best people to join hour team. We added several new members thisyear,and t ey are all doing well. hHiringcontinues to be a challenge for most of us in t e fire service.h2021has been a busy year around our fire stations. We Fire bays also . 30 years old. Please feel free to stop by any one of our five fire stations for a tour or to visit with some of thebest and brig test firefig ters hhanywherein America. It is my honorto serve t e men andhwomen of t e hRochester Hills Fire Department and its citizens.Sean M. CantoChief of Fire and Emergency Services

Annual Report 2021 Page of 63 7Organizational Chart Fire & Emergency Services Chief(1)COMMUNITY ISKRREDUCTIONDIVISIONAssistant Chief (1)Captain (1)Fire Inspector (4)Fire and Life Safety Educator (1)CAdministrative Associate II (PT)( ) 1Intern (PT) (1)EMERGENCYSERVICESDIVISIONDeputy Fire Chief(1)Emergency Medical Services Coordinator (1)Suppression Battalion Chief(3)Suppression Lieutenant(15)Part-Time Firefighter/EMT (10)Full-Time Firefighter / Paramedic (24)Full-Time Firefighter/EMT(5)COMMUNICATIONSDIVISIONCommunications System Specialist (1)Administrative Supervisor(1)Adminstrative Associate II (PT)( ) 2

Annual Report 2021 Page of 73 7Annual Report 2021 BudgetThe primary source of Fire Department funding was established with the adoption of the City Charter in FY 1984 as voters approved 2.5000 mill as a maximum Charter millage rate for the operation of the Fire Department. In 2014, a ballot initiative was approved by the voters to increase the fire charter millage to 3.0000 mill (limited to 2.8942 mill per Headlee Rollback). For FY 2015-2020, Fire millage was levied at 2.7000 mill. The millage rate is held constant at 2.7000 mill for the remainder of the forecast period (FY 2021-2025). Per the City’s adopted Governmental Fund Balance Policy, the City shall maintain the Fire Department Fund Balance at 20-25% of annual operating expenditures, any funding above this level shall be transferred out to the Fire Capital Fund to fund Fire Department capital improvement projects. $0$2$4$6$8$10$12$14$162015201620172018201920202021202220232026MFund BalanceRevenuesExpendituresTransfer-Out20242025Target Balance [25%]Fire Operating Fund

Annual Report 2021 Page of 83 7Annual Report 2021 For 2021, Rochester Hills Fire Department members completed over 6,700 hours of training, despite challenges with the COVID-19 Pandemic. Training hours are divided into ISO categories and are tracked accordingly. Department training is separated into four categories: Emergency Medical Services, Fire, Special Training, and Battalion drills. Members were able to attend outside training conferences in Illinois, North Carolina and throughout Michigan. The National Fire Academy and Eastern Michigan University Fire Staff and Command were destinations for Fire Service Officers. Training was continued with our mutual aid partners including Hazmat, Technician Rescue and Peer Support trainings. Many webinars and online conferences were presented for members as well. Click video to play

Annual Report 2021 Page of 93 7Annual Report 2021 The Rochester Hills Fire Department was able to host training with several instructors including trainers for ElkHart Brass - Know your Flow; Bullard for Thermal Imaging Camera training; and Max Fire Box for their Burn and Learn Train the Trainer program.Driven to Train the BestThe Training Division acquired new training props including the Dragon Elevator Door Simulator, the Lion ATTACK Digital Fire Training System, and Max Fire Box Phase 2 Fire Behavior Trainer.

Annual Report 2021 Annual Report 2021 Page 1 of 03 7The Training Division works with our mutual aid partner’s in OAKWAY and IAFF Local 3472 to bring City leaders to Fire Ops 101. FIRE OPS 101 is an all-day event designed to demonstrate to elected officials and city officials the perils that firefighters face every day. The event includes various scenarios in which the attendees participate. Scenarios can range from engine or ladder operations, search and rescue, extrication, Hazmat / WMD stations, and EMS incidents. The scenarios may be similar to the training experiences firefighters go through when learning to become a firefighter. Training is an integral part of our job and the Training Division strives to provide the “highly trained” component of our department Mission Statement. The Training Division will continue to meet the requirements of ISO, NFPA, State of Michigan and Oakland County Medical Control Authority requirements for training. Training DivisionCaptain Larry Gambotto

Annual Report 2021 Annual Report 2021 Page 1 of 13 7The Rochester Hills Community Risk Reduction Division efforts focus on identifying and prioritizing risks, selecting and implementing strategies, monitoring and evaluating activities, and involving community partners, all in an effort to better protect the residents, visitors and firefighters in our community. In order to properly reduce risks in our community, interventions are created and designed that are appropriate for the targeted risk and target audience. These interventions are commonly referred to as the “5 E’s” of Community Risk Reduction: Education, Engineering, Enforcement, Economic Incentives and Emergency Response. Throughout 2021, members of the Community Risk Reduction Division put forth their efforts to promote the importance of the 5’s while reducing the likelihood and economic impact of emergency events in our community. Their hard work continues to set the standard of Community Risk Reduction in southeast Michigan.Throughout2021, members of theCommunity Risk Reduction Division put forththeirefforts to promote theimportance of the 5’s while reducing the likelihood and economicimpact of emergency events in our community. Their hard work continues to set thestandard of Community Risk Reduction in southeasternMichigan.

Annual Report 2021 Annual Report 2021 Page 1 of 23 7Community Risk Assessment Beginning in 2020, Community Risk Reduction staff members began the CommunityRisk Assessment (CRA) process whichinvolves gatheringdata to identify thevariousrisks in our community. Thisis accomplishedby acquiring information about whatisoccurring in RochesterHills. Thedata is used to identify bothcurrent risks andtrends based on historical information. There are many different data points included ina CRA including Fire Department incident response data, building stock, community service organizations, demographics,economics, geography,hazards,past loss &event history, public safety response agencies and critical infrastructure systems. Asyou could imagine, this amount of data is difficult to manage. Therefore with , the helpfrom the RochesterHills MIS department and in cooperation with theNational FireProtection Agency (NFPA), staff developed three different dashboards to help organizethis data.In July of 2021, NFPA announced theofficiallaunchof CRAIG1300,an innovativecommunity risk assessment (CRA) dashboardpoweredby mySidewalk,a leadingtechnology company. CRAIG 1300 helpsfiredepartments and safety officials collectcommunity data, enabling themto identify, assess and sharelocaldemographic, geographic, and economic needs.NFPA CRAIG 1300 Dashboard

Annual Report 2021 Page 1 of 33 7Annual Report 2021 In 2021, theRochester Hills MIS Staff developed anotheroutstandingtool to helpour organization gatherand analyze data specific to our community. TheFireIncident Dashboardis a GIS based mapping tool that showsour staff wheredifferenttypes of incidents are taking place throughoutour community. Thisallows thefiredepartment to assist in analyzing incident data and make risk reduction decisions based on data rather thanbasedon assumptions. Inaddition, thedata will allow theCRRDivision to determine whatpubliceducation services are best to improve the community.

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Annual Report 2021 Page 1 of 53 7Annual Report 2021 Community Risk Reduction TheCommunity Risk ReductionDivisioncategorizes activities into three (3)broadareas;enforcementactivities,engineeringactivities, and education activities. Overall, Community Risk Reduction activitieshave increased since last year. This increase was directlyrelated toCOVID precautions being relaxed by the Department and businesses alike. Community Risk Reduction Division Activities

Annual Report 2021 Annual Report 2021 Page 1 of 63 7Code Enforcement TheCRR Division is proud to say 2021 was thefirst year, since theadoption ofthe inspection frequency schedulein 2019, thatstaff successfully visited one thirdofthe businesses in our community. Fire Inspectors conducted 1,069 routine fire and lifesafety inspections and an additional 1,019 follow up, changeof occupancy, final site,special event, and complaint inspections totaling 2,088 inspections. This work helpskeep our community and firefighterssafe, as it provides opportunity for staff toeducate our business partners in the approach to fire and life safety. Minimizing thesize of a fire, reducing theamount of property damage and keeping businessesoperational is thenumber one goal of code enforcement. Thankyou to our CityOfficials and Fire Administration for their support in our efforts as we continue to workthroughthe city.Public Education and Community OutreachFire and life safety education continued to be critically important in the calendaryear 2021. TheCOVID-19 pandemic continued to prohibittheregular publiceducation programs and visits our staff have been accustomed to providing. Therefore,Fire and LifeSafety Educator JohnLymanhadtoadapt to the challengingtimes.Themany events, hours, and creativity employed in getting our message of Fire and LifeSafety out to the public are essential to reducing risk and creating more safety for ourresidents. All totaled, staff interacted with over 4,000 children and nearly 3,800 adults inour programs.

Annual Report 2021 Page 1 of 73 7Annual Report 2021 Staff had anothervery successful year installing smoke and carbon monoxide alarmsduring 2021. TheFire Department installed 351 smoke alarms and 154 carbonmonoxide alarms in residential units in our community. Staff also conducted 69 HomeSafety Surveys and gave out nearly 120 File of Life forms to our residents.We would like to thankour Firefighterswhoinstalled several smoke alarms, andnoticed that some were either missing or not working while on emergency calls. Theseefforts demonstrate how fire and life safety education does not stop at theCommunityRisk Reduction Division, but is the responsibility of the entire organization. The Department had a smoke alarm success story in 2021. Smoke alarms sounded in a homeat RochesterEstates for a fire thatstarted in thekitchen The.soundingalarms notified themother, whowas in herbedroom, and shewas able to safelyevacuate herselfand her three (3)special needs children. Not one of theoccupantsvisually discovered the fire, but they all were alerted of the fire by a smoke alarm insideher residence. After thefire, Community Risk Reduction staff discussed thisincidentand were able to discover some very important information. It is nearly impossible to measure theeffectiveness of whatwe do in the Community Risk Reduction Division.Fire Inspectors and Fire and Life Safety Educators have delivered the message over theyears of whyfire and life safety education and inspections are so critical in working toprovide a safe community for our residents and visitors of Rochester Hills. And,with thosemessages, it is nearly impossible to determine if our efforts have made adifference. However, this story had a different ending. Our records indicate thatourstaff installed a smoke alarm in thisresident’s home in September of 2015. Thesmoke alarm was akey factor in thesuccessful outcome of thisemergency. Thisevent is a reminder that our actions in our communityhaveapurpose. Even thoughwe may not be able to measure the performance in all we do, this does not meanthat our actions are not vitally important to the healthand safety in our community.Thank you to past and current Community Risk Reduction members who have, and willcontinue, to make fire and life safety their priority.

Annual Report 2021 Page 18 of 3 7Annual Report 2021 Our smoke and carbon monoxide alarm installations are made possible throughtheState Fire Marshal and the MI Prevention program. They haveprovided us withnearlyall of thesmoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms and thebed shakersystems. TheState Fire Marshalreceivestheirsmokealarms from a federal program and all localcommunities benefit as theStatepushes theirstockout to thelocalsfor distributionand installation.ThroughtheMI Prevention program, we electronically report totheState Fire Marshal howmany alarms were installed, what address theywereinstalled and where they were installed in thehome That.gives themtheability totrack smoke alarms for theentire state.This partnershiphasproven invaluable totheRochester HillsFire Department and the residents thatwe serve. We thank the State Fire Marshaland MI Prevention for all theyare doing in keeping not justRochester Hillsa safe place, but theentire State of Michigan.House. thistheme was “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety”. This year focused on sounds thatalarms make: the difference between the three (3) slow beeps that a smoke alarm makes and the four (4) quick beeps that a carbon monoxide alarm makes. 6thseeing handoutsCommunity Risk with carbon monoxide alarms, hands only CPR, displaying apparatus, and taking groups through the Fire Safety Smoke House. The Fire Safety Smoke Housewas a big hit and had a long line the entire time!

Annual Report 2021 Page 1 of 93 7Annual Report 2021 Fire Suppression personnel assisted with three (3) amazing live demonstrations; a room and contents fire, a vehicle extrication, and a rope rescue. We are so thankfulfor Icon Restoration, who donated supplies and labor to provide a “room” for burn demonstration. These live demonstrations show the public what conditions are like during our response to every day emergencies, but in a safe and educational environment.

Annual Report 2021 Page 20 of 3 7Annual Report 2021 Emergency Management One of therolesof theCommunityRisk Division is Emergency Management.Emergency Management is thecoordinationand management of resources andresponsibilities pertaining to themitigationof, preparedness for, response to, andrecovery from an emergency. EmergencyManagement goes hand and hand withCRR efforts, though thescopeis broader and involves a larger circle of resources.Thisyearwe updated and presented theSupportEmergency Operations Plan forOakland County to theRochester Hills City Council for adoption and implementation.TheSupportEmergency Operations Plan for Oakland County is a document thatdemonstrates a formal agreement between TheCity of Rochester HillsandOakland County during a large-scale emergency and is required to be re-adopted every four (4)years.Alarge-scale emergency like a tornado, mass regional flooding,or pandemic, can trigger an activation of thisagreement. Once theagreement isactivated and thescale of the event is defined, resources become available at the local,County, State, or even Federal level. Thisagreement was activated during theearly weeks of theCOVID-19pandemic in 2020 and is ongoing. TheCityis able torequest and receive resources like cleaning supplies and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) through the County Emergency Management Office, whichislocated withintheOakland County Department of HomelandSecurity. Because ofthisagreement, theFire Department and the City havebeen able to maintain asteady supply of PPE to protect personnel during theirdaily duties and emergencyresponse.

Annual Report 2021 Page 21 of 3 7Annual Report 2021 Conclusion TheRochester HillsFire Department Community Risk Reduction Division continues toprovide exceptional services for all citizenswhoreside, work, and visit theCity ofRochester Hills . Staff is committed to providingsafest communitythrough the incrediblepartners developed. We look forward to building newrealtionshipswithnew businesses and new City Staff in 2022.Congratulations toour division members as they continue to create and maintain a safe community!Community Risk Reduction DivisionAssistant Chief Bill Cooke

Annual Report 2021 Page 22 of 3 7Annual Report 2021 Fire and EMS, and Special Operations The Fire Department Operations Division has usually experienced a consistent yearly increasein the annual number of response calls, however in 2020there was a decrease, but in 2021 we experienced a 1 % increase in calls from 1the2020 and an almost 10% increase from 2019.Fire Department Total Call Volume 20202021 Total Fire Department Calls 6,8817,696For reporting purposes, incidents are divided into several categories, including fire incidents(of all types), medicals / rescue incidents, hazardous conditions, good intent, service calls (toinclude non-emergency public assistance , false calls/false alarms) , and other incidents.20197,485Operations DivisionDeputy Chief Todd GaryBattalion Chief Rogers ClaussenBattalion Chief Jason MurrayBattalion Chief Jerry Yurgo

Annual Report 2021 Annual Report 2021 Page 23 of 3 7Performing EMS patient care in 2021 was challenging for members of the Rochester HillsFire Department (RHFD). Upon arrival of the COVID-19 virus beginning in 2020, whichcontinued into 2021, the world of pre-hospital care experienced numerous changes thatRHFD members had to learn, adjust, and adapt. The department s 44 Paramedics and 11 'EMTs, working in the field on five (5) Advanced Life Support transport ambulances and two (2) non-transport units, encountered several interesting challenges. Our call volume increased from 5,701 EMS calls for service in 2020 to 6,330 in 2021, which broughtunique obstacles to overcome. Yet even with the increase of 629 EMS calls for service in the midst of a pandemic, the men and women of the Rochester Hills Fire Department continued delivering a high level of quality care that the citizens within our community expect and deserve.Challenges and PerseveranceSince the start of the pandemic, the EMS Service has had to deliver patient care in a very different manner with the increase in personal protective equipment (PPE) and diverse patient treatments. Each EMS call for service begins with the 9-1-1 Dispatcher informing whether the patient has been screened or is positive for COVID. We introduced enhanced procedures for proper donning, wearing of PPE, and taking it off correctly after care is complete so as not to spread more disease. Several treatments that EMS providers previously used suddenly became possible hazards for disease transmission and were either modified or discontinued.

Annual Report 2021 Page 24 of 3 7Annual Report 2021 Our local hospitals implemented procedural changes and enhanced cleaning and and expanded to help stop any spread from patient to patient. Abundant schedule and shift adjustments off work due to quarantine, illness, and healing. Just being able to put a smile on the face of times. Through Fire Department continued delivering and guests in the City of Rochester Hills. vaccinate allowed the City to once again schedule some of its special events including Festival of EMS coverage for all of these events, working with event sponsors and our partners including EMS. This year we continued to provide stand-by EMS coverage for all three of our local high night. RHFD personnel to have. Department EMS Training and ComplianceEMS training for department members continued through a mix of virtual, online, and when possible in-person learning once personnel could be safely socially distanced. Our department EMS Instructor/Coordinators provided lectures through various platforms to keep our personnel up to date. The department’s online training membership to Fire Rescue 1 allowed members to educate in a variety of training programs in which they were able to participate alone. When time and space allowed, personnel were brought together in small groups to help keep possible transmissions to a minimum. We also continued to work on developing hands-on skills in our EMS lab to keep patient care skills sharp and learn new techniques to improve care.In 2021, the departments Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) program carried on into its second year. The CQI team includes three Lieutenants, one per shift, who review all of the electronic Patient Care Reports (ePCR). In 2021, all three Lieutenants and the EMS Coordinator attended a Certified Ambulance Documentation Specialist (CADS) course from the national EMS law firm of Page, Wolfberg, and Wirth. This course covered some of the major difficulties in EMS documentation and report writing, required information that must be included in a patient care report, and the importance of proper spelling and complete documentation. The EMS Coordinator also completed several courses including Certified Ambulance Privacy Officer (CAPO) and Certified Ambulance Compliance Officer (CACO) to assist with CQI, Compliance, and HIPAA laws.

Annual Report 2021 Page 5 of 23 7Annual Report 2021 Programs and EquipmentDuring 2021, the department was approved to participate in a new program from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid called Emergency Triage, Treatment and Transport (ET3). ET3 is a pilot program that allows us to offer a trip to an Urgent Care facility instead of a hospital for low acuity patients with minor injuries or illnesses. The program went live in July, and our neighboring departments in Rochester and Auburn Hills were also approved. We are set-up and ready to respond. The department took delivery of two new ambulances and retired our two oldest ambulances. The new ambulances came with new technology to aid with patient care and transport. The addition of Biolights, which have a low level UV light, helps with disease transmission in the patient care areas. An updated version of the Power Load Cot system from Stryker assist’s with lifting the patient and stretcher into the ambulances. Additionally, the inside of these ambulances are made of all aluminum, which will last much longer and eases cleaning within the patient compartment. The Fire Department is appreciative of staff members from Purchasing, Fiscal, and the DPS Garage for all their assistance in helping us to acquire these vehicles.EMS DivisionCaptain Tim Matz

Annual Report 2021 Page 2 of 63 7Annual Report 2021 Special Operations DivisionSwift Water Rescue TeamThe departments Swift Water Rescue Team consists of 17 members of the Rochester Hills Fire Department. This highly trained team is responsible for the safety of all residents and visitors that use the Clinton River within our city limits. Members are certified and trained to enter any swift water situation and have a working knowledge of the low head dam near Yates Cider Mill. In conjunction with our neighboring departments, this team is able to mitigate any rescue or recovery on our portion of the Clinton River. Due to the sophistication of this type of rescue situation, members are trained with the use of specialized ropes and specific knots. Members are trained to use the low dam boat and motorized boat, along with the long Spain Highline systems. Our team is available all year round and is equipped for swift water rescue in all weather conditions.Rochester Hills Ice Rescue TeamThe RHFD Ice Rescue Team consists of all suppression members of the Rochester Hills Fire Department. Members are trained to perform rescue on standing water situations. Multiple units throughout the city have the equipment to initiate a rescue and properly treat alongside the EMS unit. This team is able and well equipped to handle rescue situations in extreme freezing conditions.

Annual Report 2021 Annual Report 2021 Page 27 of 3 7This year, the department trained on Carter Lake. The training included cutting a hole in the ice and crews performed rescue scenarios in the elements. Once the victim was removed from the water, the victim was treated in accordance with the “Cold Weather Emergency” protocol outlined by the Oakland County Medical Control Authority. Continuing Education credits were issued for medical license renewal. A demonstration was given to the public to educate on the dangers of ice and the proper way to self- rescue. OAKWAY Technical Rescue TeamThe RHFD Technical Rescue team consists of 13 members from the Rochester Hills Fire Department suppression division. This team is part of the OAKLWAY Technical Rescue Team with 11 other Departments throughout Oakland County. This highly trained team specializes in six additional disciplines. Along with Swift Water Rescue training, Rochester Hills members are trained in High Angle Rescue, Confined Space, Trench Rescue, Structural Collapse, Wide Area Search and Machine Rescue. Depending on the situation, an incident can be mitigated in two ways. First, is by using only RHFD members of the TRT Team and Heavy Rescue 1. However, ff the situation is too complex and additional resource or equipment is needed, our members are able to initiate the rescue process until additional equipment and responders from the OAKWAY team arrives.

Annual Report 2021 Page 28 of 3 7Annual Report 2021 In 2021, training resuming with MUSAR and our OAKWAY departments, and more of our members are closer to becoming “Technicians” in every discipline. During these various levels of training, members are placed into situations dealing with extreme conditions and some of the most difficult scenarios of rescues.

Annual Report 2021 Page 2 9 of 3 7Annual Report 2021 Trench RescueThere are specific members trained to shore and stabilize trenches up to 20 feet deep along with unstable T-shaped trenches. This type of rescue requires extreme coordination due to the instability of the ground and the forces present. In 2021, five members were trained to Technician level and four members were trained to Operations level.Rope Rescue TechniciansWith training obtained in 2021 from OAKWAY Departments, our members trained on how to provide rescue from extreme heights as well as how to navigate a rescue in dangerous weather. Other skills learned with this type of rescue allows our members to attend to the victim during descent. All members have obtained Rope Operations level certifications and eight (8) members have reached the Technician level.

Annual Report 2021 Page 30 of 3 7Annual Report 2021 Structural CollapseIn 2021, members performed long training days with members of the Michigan Urban Search and Rescue Team at the Crane Operators Training site in Howell. Due to the complexity and vast types of situations and materials involved, team members spent multiple days learning and perfecting their skills when dealing with structural collapse. Crews were required to perform tasks in narrow spaces and required to cut concrete as thick as 12 inches. Other skills performed include shoring, tunneling, crane operations and use of different cutting tools. With assistance of the crane operators, members methodically calculated the weight of extremely heavy objects, verified proper rigging equipment and moved objects throughout the yard and off the rubble pile. By course end, crews were able to cut steel I beams from a suspended crane basket and breach thick concrete after navigating down a 40 foot pipe barely wide enough for a person to fit. As of 2021, four (4) members are Operations Level certified and eight (8) members are trained to the Technician Level.Recently the OAKWAY Team, along with the 3201 Technical Rescue Team, obtained certification from Michigan Urban Search and Rescue (MUSAR) to operate as members on the Michigan Strike Team. The countywide team could be called to respond on large-scale incidents anywhere within the State of Michigan. At this time, the Oakland County Strike Team is in conjunction with other county teams.

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Annual Report 2021 Page 3 5 of 3 7Annual Report 2021RETIREMENTS, PROMOTIONS, AND NEW HIRES 2 02 1 Re t i r e me n t ( s ) Firefighter / EMT Doug Quaine- 17 Years of Service Ne w Hi r e ( s ) Firefighter / EMT Alex Gutierrez

Frequently Asked Questions Annual Report 2021 Page 3 6 of 3 7Are there different strategies firefighters use to extinguish a fire?Yes. The type of structure, the amount of fire present, and life safety risk all factor into the strategies -used on the fire ground.An offensive fire attack occurs when fire suppression personnel actively fight a fire within a structure utilizing water or another type of extinguishing agent. This strategy is used when the fire has not compromised the integrity of the structure and when there is a life safety risk of occupants within the -occupancy.A defensive fire attack is a fire ground strategy based on firefighter safety and the protection of surrounding properties (exposures). This strategy is employed when a fire has advanced to the point where interior attack operations are too dangerous and there is no life safety risk. The goal is to simply -confine the fire to the building/area of origin. All fire streams are operated onto the fire from the outside. What is a backdraft and a flashover?These terms describe specific, observable behaviors that occur when a fire grows unchecked.A backdraft is an explosion caused by the sudden inward rush of oxygen when all of the super heated -gases, (heated above the ignition temperature) in a room or structure, ignite at the same time. If the gases are pressurized in a relatively closed room, an explosion is likely to be the result. While the likelihood of such an occurrence is low, a backdraft is often fatal to anyone caught in it. A flashover is similar to a backdraft, with the exception that the room is not closed or pressurized to the point of explosion. All of the contents of the room have given off flammable gases that have been heated to their ignition point and a fire suddenly engulfs the room. From the outside you will often see the exiting smoke appear to instantly ignite. What is MABAS Division?a The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) is a group of fire service organizations that provide mutualaid response in the event of an emergency that exceeds the capabilities of the local fire department. The Rochester Hills Fire Department is part of OAKWAY MABAS Division, which is comprised of 0 1 firedepartments. I called 911 for a medical problem and a fire truck showed up at my house. Why?All Rochester Hills Fire Department firefighters are cross trained as paramedics- or EMT's. The additionalcrew members on a fire engine often assist ambulance crews in providing critical, life saving care. Other -times, these firefighter/paramedics assist in carrying equipment and moving non ambulatory patients. -When I call for an ambulance, why do I sometimes see an ambulance from another town?The Rochester Hills Fire Department has mutual aid agreements with our neighboring towns so that thecontinuous advanced life support (ALS) care is always available to our residents and guests. If all the Rochester Hills ambulances are busy on other calls, you may see a Auburn Hills or Rochester Cityambulance respond in place of a Rochester Hills vehicle. In these instances, a Rochester Hills firesuppression company may respond to the scene first and begin ALS care until the ambulance arrives.

Annual Report 2021 Page 3 7 of 3 7What is the difference between a fire engine and a fire truck?A fire engine (Pumper) is an apparatus designed for fire attack. It is the most common vehicle in firedepartments. This apparatus is equipped with a fire pump, carries hose, and has a minimum 750 galloncapacity water tank. Modern fire engines can pump over 1500 GPM (gallons per minute). A fire truck (Aerial)is also known as a ladder truck, aerial ladder, tower ladder, or truck. Fire trucks areequipped with a hydraulically powered ladder and articulating platform mounted on a vehicle; fire trucks -also carry several different length extension ladders, extrication gear, ventilation equipment, and lighting. Other types of fire apparatus common to our department are a heavy rescue vehicle, and incidentcommander vehicles (Battalion Chief). A heavy rescue company responds to fires, auto accidents withentrapment, and other technical rescue incidents. The shift commander (Battalion Chief) is , responsiblefor taking command of an incident scene, can usually be found in a SUV; a green, flashing light is a fire service standard designating a vehicle as the incident command post.Does the Rochester Hills Fire Department teach CPR classes for residents and othercommunity members?Yes.The Rochester Hills Fire Department offers American Heart Association HeartsaverCPR coursesseveral times each year. Course dates and related information can be found at https://www.eventbrite.com/o/rochester-hills-fire-department-31205742747 or by calling 248-656-4720Can a firefighter explain how to properly install a child safety seat in my vehicle?Yes. Members of the Community Risk Reduction Division are trained to teach residents how toinstall child safety seats in their vehicles. To schedule an appointment with a car seat technician, please contact the fire department at 248-656-4720.What do firefighters do when they are not responding to fire or emergency medical calls?Firefighters train daily in the various aspects of their jobs. Firefighters also perform building walk-throughs and pre planning- of commercial builidings. Firefighters spend considerable time cleaning andmaintaining equipment and the fire stations. Occasionally, during non emergency periods, firefighters conduct driver training throughout the -City tomaintain familiarity of streets, neighborhoods, and business districts. This saves valuable time when actually responding to emergencies. The remainder of their time is spent working administratively on fire department programs, preparing meals, reading, studying and physical fitness training. Firefightersremain on duty for a 24 hour period. Regardless of what they are doing, they are ready to respond at -any moment to a call for service or emergency.Frequently Asked Questions

Rochester Hills Fire Department Department Headquarters 1111 Horizon Court Rochester Hills, Michigan 48309Main: 248-656-4720Fax: 248-656-4726Website: https://www.rochesterhills.org/departments/fire/index.phpAnnual Report 2021