City Reworks 911 for EMS Surge
As EMS call volume surges, the city of Sterling Heights, MI, is reprioritizing 911 calls to manage the load. The move highlights a national trend of fire departments adapting their response models to handle the increasing demand for medical services.
The Sterling Heights Fire Department saw its EMS call volume jump by 31% over a decade, from 10,559 calls in 2015 to 13,862 in 2025. This increase reflects a national trend where fire departments are increasingly handling medical emergencies, with some data showing over 70% of a department's calls being for EMS. To manage the surge, the department, in collaboration with the Macomb County Communications and Technology Center (COMTEC), launched a new medical priority dispatching system on October 1, 2025. This system categorizes 911 medical calls using a five-color scale (blue, red, orange, yellow, green) to ensure the most appropriate resources are sent based on urgency. Under the new model, high-priority "Red/Blue" calls receive a fire engine and the nearest Advanced Life Support (ALS) unit. Lower-acuity "Yellow/Green" calls are now handled by a new EMS Peak Demand Unit, preserving the city's five paramedic ambulances for the most critical emergencies. This Peak Demand Unit is described by Fire Chief Kevin Edmond as the only one of its kind in the Metro Detroit area. It is staffed by four newly hired EMTs operating two Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances during the busiest hours of the week: Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The strategic shift aims to reduce the strain on paramedics and prevent staff fatigue. An initial review of the program's effectiveness showed promising results, with each of the five primary paramedic ambulances conducting fewer hospital transports in the last quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham noted that these initiatives could serve as a model for other communities facing similar challenges with rising EMS demand. The changes are a response to a broader shift where, nationally, fire departments are seeing a significant increase in medical calls due to factors like an aging population and expanded care facilities.
