STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. (WXYZ) — The Sterling Heights Fire Department has launched a new technology-driven emergency response program designed to save lives by ensuring the right resources reach emergencies faster.
Watch Peter Maxwell's video report:
The EMS Peak Demand program is the first of its kind in metro Detroit and comes in response to a sharp increase in 911 calls throughout the area.
The new system has already shown promising results since launching eight days ago.
"This program has been up and running for 8 days. They took about 39 calls in those 8 days, and that equates to 8 percent of the call volume," said Kevin Edmond, Sterling Heights Fire Department chief.
The EMS Peak Demand units are staffed with four newly hired EMT firefighters and are designed to take pressure off Sterling Heights Advanced Life Support units.
"By sending these people out on the low basic calls, we keep our paramedics available for the heart attacks, strokes, trauma, and breathing difficulties," Edmond said.
The system determines which EMS unit responds based on information provided to dispatchers, with the goal of alleviating strain on critical resources.
"It's helping our call takers determine what response unit to deploy to that call," said Angela Elsey, Macomb County dispatch director.
Dispatchers assess calls through a color-coded priority scale using red, blue, yellow, and green classifications. Red and blue calls are reserved for the most critical emergencies and Advanced Life Support units, while yellow and green calls are handled by Peak Demand EMS units.
Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel called the new program a game-changer.
"It cuts down in deficiency and the unnecessary nature of some vehicles going that don't need to be there by making sure it's the right vehicle that's going," Hackel said.
Sterling Heights resident Bashar Metti supports the new program and believes it will benefit the entire community.
"That's going to help in any big accident," Metti said. "This will help with the community and help everybody around here."
———————————————
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
