June 2020

City of Rochester Hills Fire and Emergency Services Monthly Report for June 2020

To: The Honorable Mayor Bryan Barnett and the esteemed members of the Rochester Hills City Council From: Sean M. Canto - Chief of Fire and Emergency Services Ladies and Gentlemen: The primary purpose of this report is to keep the officials of the City of Rochester Hills informed as to the activities and programs of the Rochester Hills Fire and Emergency Services Department. As a second purpose, this report will be shared with the Officers and all fire personnel in the organization to illustrate how their day-to-day activities benefit the citizens and the community of Rochester Hills. Call Data: Total Incidents June 2020: 540 (Approximately 24% of these incidents occurred in Senior Congregate Housing / Skilled Nursing Facilities) Total number of mutual aid coverage / requests: 1 - No Rochester Hills Fire Department units were available during these times. Total Incidents Year-to-Date: 3,370 Year-to-Date comparison 2019 to 2020: 3,736 (2019) 3,370 (2020)

Operations Bureau Deputy Chief - Todd Gary Shift Commanders - Bat. Chief Jason Murray, Bat. Chief Rogers Claussen, Bat. Chief Jerry Yurgo The Operations Division has begun to track on a more accurate basis the number of “Concurrent Incidents” that are happening. This graph details that out of the 540 incidents that occurred in June 269 times (49 percent) additional incidents were taking place at the same time. As this happens the department’s resources are stretched thin, if not depleted. The department will continue to monitor this information closely. The growing number of incidents continues to cause our concurrent incident totals to rise once again. We pay close attention to these totals to ensure we can respond to simultaneous emergencies quickly enough and with enough personnel. Call concurrency examines the frequency of multiple calls occurring during the same time that units are still committed to a previous call. This situation affects the ability of the organization to commit additional resources to respond to additional calls as they occur.

Members responded to 119 calls for service that resulted in $12,200 in damage. On June 4, 2020, the Rochester Hills Fire Department was dispatched to the 2800 block of W. Hamlin (Innovation Hills) for an individual the fell down over an embankment landing on rocks near the Clinton River. Rochester Hills Alpha 23 was the first to arrive and located the patient approximately 20 feet down the embankment. Battalion 1 provided on-scene management of the incident, as Rochester Hills Rescue 1 initiated a low angle rope rescue haul system to extricate the patient. Alpha 23 crew tended to the patient and provided patient packaging, while additional personnel hauled the patient up.



Emergency Medical Services Division Division Head - Captain Tim Matz Statistics Total number of EMS runs: 421. We have seen a decrease (we believe) due to the COVID pandemic. Many narratives in EMS have shown that people are more willing to call their primary care Physician and report their symptoms rather than call 911 and transport to a hospital where they could be exposed to the potential of COVID. We did respond to 15 incidents that were either determined as potential COVID-19 or the patient was positive with COVID-19. Total number of Cardiac Arrest: Seven (7), the age range for these patients is 46 to 87. Three (3) of these patients were transported to hospitals for further care. Total number of opioid calls: Two (2), the age range of these patient is 21 and 46. Both patients arrived at a local hospital breathing on their own.

For information as related to Coronavirus statistics for the State of Michigan, please go to: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/0,9753,7-406-98163_98173---,00.html

With the warmer weather and the lightening of Pandemic restrictions, more people are enjoying the weather and being outside. With this, we have seen an increase of emergency calls outdoors. This would include the number of bicycle versus motor vehicle incidents. Unfortunately none of the individuals involved in these incidents were wearing any protective gear such as a helmet. Due to not wearing a helmet, many of the patients had some type of head injury. We also saw that most were low speed collisions and usually in the action of turning. Only one was in the act of accelerating and the patient had serious injuries. This is a concern for our responders for several reasons. First, anytime a vehicle is involved that usually means the patient is in the road way. Additional traffic is always a concern for our responders as well as the potential for serious injuries to the patient. Speed of the vehicle is the biggest factor when it comes to injuries. Another factor, of course, is the use of safety gear. As reported none of our incidents last month had protection in place leading to head trauma. As stated earlier luckily only one of our patients had serious injuries.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration there were 857 bicyclists killed in traffic crashes in the United States in 2018. There are things you can do to decrease your risk of a crash. First, know some bicycle safety facts: 1. Regardless of the season, bicyclist deaths occurred most often between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. 2. Bicyclist deaths occur most often in urban areas (75%) compared to rural areas (25%) in 2017. 3. Bicyclist deaths were 8 times higher for males than females in 2017. 4. Alcohol was involved in 37% of all fatal bicyclist crashes in 2017. For additional information on bicycle helmet safety go to: https://www.cdc.gov/headsup/pdfs/helmets/headsup_helmetfactsheet_bike_508.pdf Vehicle vs Bicyclist Walton Blvd and Livernois Road

As we have seen for the past few months, our run volume has been lower than normal, as the Pandemic has changed a lot of our response issue with patients. Patients are continuing to ask if they should go to the hospital, mostly due to the fear of getting exposed. The Rochester Hills Fire Department always recommends going to the hospital to be evaluated since our diagnostic tools are limited. While the number of potential/positive COVID-19 have gone down, we continue to encourage the use of PPE, disinfection procedures and hand cleaning for all personnel. Community Risk Reduction Division Division Head - Assistant Chief Bill Cooke The Community Risk Reduction Division highlights for the month of June 2020 included the following: Fire Safety Inspections: 51 Follow-up Inspections: 29 Plan Reviews: 10 FOIA Requests: 2 Professional Development (Training Hours): 53 hours Burn Permits: 30 Public Education Activities Community Business Programs: one (1) presentations totaling 25 individuals Smoke Detector Programs/Installations: eight (8) Birthday Drive-by Celebrations: 30 (thirty) totaling 287 individuals During the COVID-19 pandemic fire and life safety inspections had been halted for nearly two and a half months. During the month of June, the Community Risk Reduction Division began conducting fire and life safety inspections in the high-risk facilities located throughout our community. These inspections were conducted in restaurants as well as critical infrastructure facilities. The critical infrastructure facilities that were inspected consisted of all of the City of Rochester Hills’ buildings. These inspections allowed for our staff to educate city staff in not only fire and life safety code requirements, but to provide information related to maintaining a safe work environment. This is a great process that helps to reiterate the goal of reducing risk within our community. Also during the month of June, work began related to reinstating educational services we provided to our community prior to the COVID-19 crisis. Staff has spent time discussing and developing a strategic plan related to CPR instruction and car seat installation programs with the goal of providing a safe environment for both our visitors of the fire station as well as our staff while delivering these services. Additionally Fire and Life Safety Educator John Lyman continued his work in evaluating risks in our community, which consisted of taking a deeper look at what specific data drives our mission. Information is currently being discussed and evaluated with Captain Tim Matz from the Rochester Hills Fire Department EMS Division related to calls for service. Once this data is compiled, our division will be given clear vision on where our efforts should be focused. Again, with the ultimate goal of reducing the level of risk within our community.

Finally, every member of the Rochester Hills Fire Department has a role in Community Risk Reduction. Community risk reduction involves identifying and prioritizing risks, selecting and implementing strategies, monitoring and evaluating activities, and involving community partners, all in an effort to better protect residents and firefighters. Community Risk Reduction improves quality of life and promotes a standard of care important to every elected official. This means fire departments exist not only to respond to emergencies after the fact, but to prevent or reduce the effects of their occurrence in the first place. It assumes the fire department will act proactively as a risk-reduction entity for their community and will partner with other community organizations as needed to accomplish their risk reduction objectives. In June, the department looked at the “rebranding” of the Community Risk Reduction Division. The department had recently received three (3) new Chevy Traverses that are being used by this division. These vehicles are seen throughout the community on a daily basis while performing Community Risk Reduction activities. The department has decaled these vehicles in a new manner hoping they will standout with in the community. Training Bureau Division Head - Captain Larry Gambotto During the month of June 2020, members of the Rochester Hills Fire Department received nearly 450 hours of Fire and EMS professional development. Year-to-date, members have completed over 5,750 hours of training. The Department returned to regular training schedule on June 15 after stand down for COVID-19 concerns. This month’s topics included Minimum Standards and Battalion drills.

Fire Training Annually, members for the department review and are tested on Department Minimum Standards including SCBA 2:00 Minute Drill (SCBA donning), Ropes and Knots, Ground Ladders and Hose Evolutions. SCBA 2-minute drill- members to go from duty uniform to completely turned out and on air within two minutes. This year’s fastest time was posted by Firefighter/Paramedic Derek Gardner at 1:06 and Brendan Garwood at 1:15. Ropes and knots- members to try several basic knots required for the fire service including the Figure-8 series of knots, Half and Clove hitches, handcuff knot, and a bowline. Members reviewed the application of each knot. Ground Ladders- members are required to carry the ladder from the apparatus 50 feet and raise the ladder to designated spot setup for a victim rescue. Evolutions are timed and crews are compared to standard times. This year’s fastest time belonged to C-Shift’s Ladder 3’s crew at 50 seconds. Hose Evolutions- members are required to pull a 200’ foot pre-connect line and then prepare to make entry, donning facemask and breathing air, into the fire building. Time stops when crew is on air and line is properly deployed and air has been bleed. This year’s fastest time was established by B-Shift’s Ladder 3’s crew at 52 seconds. Fire Academy #004 Recruits graduated to Probationary members on June 8, 2020 and began their regular scheduled shifts at Stations 1 and 3. Training will continue throughout their probationary year where they are required to complete a probationary firefighter packet that details all expectations and requirements of the job. Fire Academy #005 Four (4) new recruits started Fire Academy #005 on June 29, 2020. With input from previous academy graduates, a few changes have been implemented in Academy #005. Recruits will have an EMS day each week, spreading the learning on several weeks as opposed to a two-week cram, looking to increase the depth and breadth of the EMS learning for the Recruits. Battalion Training Battalion drills included Air Bags for lifting, Surface Water Rescue and Swift Water Rescue.

Administration Bureau On June 8, 2020, the Probationary Firefighters from Recruit Class #4 were assigned to their stations. Effective on that day additional staffing was placed on Engine #1 and Ladder #3. This was done to provide a higher level of service to our community. Both units have “Advanced Life Support” capabilities. The only difference between these units and an Advance Life Support Ambulance is that they do not have the capability to transport. These additional personnel were possible through the SAFER Grant that Rochester Hills received in September 2019. Finally, Fire Administration asked the IAFF Union Local # 3472 to convene their Safety Committee to review the department’s response and preparation to the Coronavirus Pandemic. Thank you to Captain Matz, Captain Gambotto, Lieutenant Echols, and Lieutenant Matz for completing the report. See attached link for the completed report. https://online.pubhtml5.com/mjjz/obkt/