August 2019

City of Rochester Hills Fire and Emergency Services Monthly Report for August 2019

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 August 2019: 641 (Approximately 30% of these incidents occurred in Senior Congregate Housing / Skilled Nursing Facilities) Total number of mutual aid coverage / requests: 4 - No Rochester Hills Fire Department units were available during these times. Total Incidents Year-to-Date: 5,025 Year-to-Date comparison 2018 to 2019: 4,783 (2018) 5,025 (2019)

Operations Bureau Deputy Chief - Todd Gary Shift Commanders - Bat. Chief Tim Quaine, Bat. Chief Rogers Claussen, Bat. Chief Jerry Yurgo Fire Suppression Division 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 641 incidents that occurred in August, 336 times (52 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 133 calls for service. The Department responded to ten (10) incidents that resulted in $2,613,300 in damages. On August 12, 2019, the Rochester Hills Fire Department was dispatched to 2406 Frankson Avenue for a reported Residential Structure Fire with possible persons trapped. Rochester Hills Engine 4 was the first unit to arrive and reported a working fire on the Charlie Side of the home with fire showing through the roof. Battalion 1 arrived and assumed command and Battalion Chief Claussen was also receiving conflicting information to if the home was or was not occupied. Crews began an interior attack and were confronted with extreme storage conditions inside the home. Crews cautiously moved into the building conducting a primary search and extinguishing the fire. The fire was quickly contained and searches proved negative. Due to several chemical’s being inside the home along with several pounds of gunpowder, a representative from the Oakland County Hazardous Materials Team was contacted. The City of Rochester and City of Auburn Hills Fire Department assisted on-scene. No firefighter or civilian injuries occurred at this incident. The Oakland County Sheriff’s Department Fire Investigations Unit was called to the scene to investigate. Note* The following day (August 13 ) RHFD personnel were present with members from the Rochester Hills th Building Department to assess structural damage. During the incident the night before, a representative from DTE was present and advised that the power to the home was secured, however that was not the case. A RHFD member was pulling an area near the fire origin and was shocked by a line laying on the ground, which was the main power feed from the pole to the house. The member was transported to Crittenton Hospital for

evaluation. DTE was immediately notified and several DTE personnel arrived to deal with the downed line as well as perform a “Near Miss” investigation. On August 13, 2019, the Rochester Hills Fire Department was dispatched to Crooks Road in front of the Burger King for a motor vehicle accident. Rochester Hills Alpha 23 was the first unit to arrive and requested Rescue 1 to assist with vehicle stabilization. The vehicle, which had two (2) elderly occupants, hit the sign and was resting on the brick base and was very unstable. Rescue 1 crews utilized the Rescue 42 Stabilization Jacks to stabilize the vehicle so the occupants could be removed. Alpha 23 transported both occupants to the hospital to be evaluated for minor injuries.

On August 17, 2019, the Rochester Hills Fire Department was dispatched for an outdoor fire located at 8 North Plaza. Rochester Hills Engine 2 was the first unit to arrive and reported smoke in the area. An Oakland County Sheriff’s Deputy reported a fire on the side of one of the buildings. Rochester Hills Engine 2 investigated and found a fire in the electrical panel cabinet extending up the outside of the building. Rochester Hills Engine 2 requested a box assignment to their location. Since the electrical meters were involved, members utilized CO2 extinguishers and dry chemical extinguishers to extinguish most of the fire. Crews checked for extension in the two (2) apartments directly behind the cabinet location as well as the attic. Members remained on scene extinguishing flare-ups around the cabinet area until the power could be secured by DTE. Once secured, members overhauled the area checking for any hidden fire. Heavy fire was showing from the front and the rear of the home. The City of Rochester and City of Auburn Hills Fire Department assisted on-scene, but were quickly released. No firefighter or civilian injuries occurred at this incident. On August 18, 2019 the Rochester Hills Fire Department was dispatched to 2830 Lower Ridge Drive for a reported working fire in a multi-family apartment complex. Oakland County Sheriff’s Department Dispatch Center advised that they were receiving several calls from this location and surrounding apartment buildings. Rochester Hills Chief 1 was the first to arrive and found a two (2) story apartment unit with moderate smoke showing from the attic area. Rochester Hills Ladder 3 and Engine 1 were the first units to arrive and began fire suppression activites to include stretching a hoseline to the interior and roof ventilation. Interior crews reported heavy fire in the attic area and extending to the Bravo side exposures. With this information, a second Alarm was requested bringing additional units to the scene. Numerous crews advanced hoselines into additional second floor apartments to assist in extinguising the fire, while others performed vertical ventilation, overhaul and salvage operations. The fire, which is under investigation by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department Fire Investigations Unit, was most likely caused by a lightening strike. The City of Rochester, Auburn Hills, Troy, Bloomfield Township and Waterford Fire Departments assisted on-scene.

Oakland Township Fire Department and the City of Birmingham Fire Department provided city coverage. No firefighter or civilian injuries occurred at this incident.

On August 28, 2019, the Rochester Hills Fire Department was dispatched to the area of Avon and Dequindre Roads for a motor vehicle accident with entrapment. Rochester Hills Battalion 1 arrived to find a single vehicle accident in which the vehicle struck a tree and rolled over. Prior to RHFD arrival, by-standers extricated the injured occupant. Rochester Hills Engine 1 secured the vehicle and Alpha 22 transported the patient to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Emergency Medical Services Division Division Head - Captain Tim Matz Total number of EMS runs: 508 Total number of cardiac arrest: one (1) age of 82. This patient was transported to a hospital for continued care. Total number of Narcan Administrations: 3 EMS Training Training topic for the month of August was in preparation for the Brooksie Way Half Marathon event and to cover injuries and illness we could see at an athletic endurance event. The following topics covered included; • Heat emergencies including; heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke, • Cold related emergencies like hypothermia, we also spoke of • Specific issues including lighting strikes and animal attacks. Members also discussed the challenges of cardiac arrest with an endurance athlete and what treatments were needed with such an incident.

EMS News This month started another season of high school football standbys. Our department has scheduled personnel to be on stand-by for all home games at all three (3) high schools with an EMS crew to work in conjunction with the Athletic Trainers and Physician. As with our policy, we will continue to be engaged at the games and be located on the sidelines wearing our High-Visibility Vests for easy identification. This year is unique with regard to two (2) Friday evenings all three (3) high schools will have a home game, but with the use of our Reserve Ambulances, all three (3) games will have ambulances on site. On June 5, 2019, a guest to the city of Rochester Hills suffered a cardiac arrest. His son, who was with him, called 911 and started CPR. Oakland County Sheriff’s Department Dispatch continued to talk the son through the event and Oakland County Sheriff Deputy Jamie Kavalik arrived on scene with an AED and was able to shock the patient in to a livable rhythm. Rochester Hills Fire Department Paramedics arrived on scene and stabilized the patient and transported him to Troy Beaumont for continue post cardiac arrest care. The patient was able to walk out of the hospital several days later. On August 26, 2019, the City Council of Rochester Hills recognized the Dispatcher and Sheriff’s Deputy for their excellent job in the care of this person. Recently the department was notified by the Oakland County Medical Control Authority that the Hospital has put the Deputy and Firefighter/Paramedics Michael Loveless, Stephen Jelsch, and William Semioli in for an “Excellence in Care” award. They will be recognized in September. With the help of the Purchasing Department, the Rochester Hills Fire Department was able to get quotes and with the approval of the City Council was able to secure the purchase of three (3) new cardiac monitors and two (2) new chest compression devices. With the purchase of this equipment, all Rochester Hills Cardiac Monitors will now be equipped with in-truck charging capabilities. Additionally, with the purchase of the chest compression units, the department has been able to equip two (2) additional units. For those who are unfamiliar with the Lucus 2 system, a brief video is attached. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAs1IUpNIGo

Community Risk Reduction Division Division Head - Assistant Chief Bill Cooke The Community Risk Reduction Division highlights for the month of August 2019 included the following: Fire Safety Inspections: 70 Follow-up Inspections: 22 Plan Reviews: 9 FOIA Requests: 2 Professional Development (Training Hours): 112 hours Infant Car Seat Installation and Checks: 10 Burn Permits: 7 Public Education Activities Day Care: 4 presentations totaling 144 individuals Senior Program: 1 presentation totaling 60 individuals Community Business Program: 2 presentations totaling 15 individuals Fire Extinguisher Program: 1 presentation totaling 15 individuals American Heart Association CPR: 1 presentation totaling 10 individuals This month, Community Risk Reduction members completed the annual fire and life safety inspections in our senior living complexes. In addition, fire and life safety inspections also continued within our multifamily apartment complexes throughout the community. Inspections are currently conducted in both types of these high risk occupancies on an annual basis. Also during the month of August, Community Risk Reduction Division members installed an additional 37 smoke alarms and 17 carbon monoxide detectors. This final installation completes the smoke alarm initiative the State Fire Marshal has implemented earlier this year, providing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to local fire departments for their distribution. In all, 648 smoke alarms along with 144 carbon monoxide alarms have been installed within our community during this four (4) month process. Congratulations to the Community Risk Reduction members for seeing this project through and for their efforts in providing a fire safe community. Finally during the month of August, the Community Risk Reduction Division attended multiple training opportunities throughout the country. Members studied topics related to Community Risk Reduction efforts through building community partners, Public Information Officer certifications, Juvenile Fire Setters Conference, Drone Pilot certifications and Leadership Strategies for Community Risk Reduction. Staff compiled 112 total training hours for the month, which totaled the highest amount of hours per month for this year. These trainings continue to provide our members the ability to attend the highest quality of educational opportunities provided within the fire service. Thank you to our Fire Department Administration and City Leadership for your support in staff’s professional development.

Training Bureau Division Head - Captain Larry Gambotto During the month of August 2019, members of the Rochester Hills Fire Department received 343 hours of Fire and EMS professional development. Year-to-date, members have completed over 4,750 hours of training. This month’s training topics included Nozzle Forward training, Fire Attack, and Consumption drills. Fire & Special Training During this month’s Fire and Special training, members were instructed in “The Nozzle Forward” hose evolutions. The Nozzle Forward website states, “The one thing that every fire department in the country has is fire hose. The one event that happens on every single fire is a hose-line is pulled and water gets flowed. The Nozzle Forward is a class for Engine Company crews. It is not a collection of technique; it is an adaptable system of hose line management and fire attack. The class answers the “whys,” not just the “what’s,” and quickly creates a system that can be adapted to fit any engine company from the urban to the rural. The goal of the “The Nozzle Forward” is to help craft more efficient Engine Companies by increasing the individuals’ competency with their tools and expanding on the conceptual aspects of the fire environment. Battalion Training This month crews completed air consumption drills. This training is created to test the limit of the SCBA cylinder capacity and the member’s physical fitness level. Members perform several fire ground related tasks to better understand how they perform within the supplied amount of air they have available in the SCBA cylinder. Administration Bureau This month Chief Canto, Lieutenant Jason Murray, and Lieutenant Sonny Lyon attended the International Association of Fire Chief’s Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) represents the leadership of firefighters and emergency responders worldwide; who’s members are the world's leading experts in firefighting, emergency medical services, terrorism response, hazardous materials spills, natural disasters, search and rescue, and public safety policy. This conference is the premier educational conference for Fire and Emergency Services. Speakers from around the world come under one (1) umbrella to discuss emerging topics, issues and concerns that are affecting or on the verge of affecting the fire service as a whole. Also during this conference is an opportunity to see new technology and equipment that is new to the fire service. On August 21, 2019, the Strategic Planning Committee met to continue the process of moving forward on the other areas identified in the Strategic Plan. Members met to discuss information and share finds within their area of responsibility. The Strategic Plan is a living document and as such needs to be reviewed and worked on regularly.