By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• The Sterling Heights Fire Department in Michigan added weekday peak-demand EMS units to address rising medical calls and paramedic burnout.
• Two basic life support ambulances staffed by EMTs now handle low-acuity 911 calls during peak hours.
• The department also implemented a color-coded 911 dispatch system in partnership with Macomb County to better match resources to call severity.
• Fire officials said the measures are intended to free advanced paramedic units for high-acuity emergencies and improve morale.
• EMS call volume in the city has increased significantly over the past decade, officials reported.
STERLING HEIGHTS, MI — The Sterling Heights Fire Department has deployed new peak-demand EMS units to handle lower-acuity calls on weekdays in an effort to relieve paramedic workloads and better manage increasing emergency medical service demands, officials said.
The initiative, launched in October 2025, places two basic life support ambulances staffed by emergency medical technicians on the streets Tuesday through Friday during peak call hours, allowing more advanced paramedic-level units to remain available for high-acuity emergencies.
In conjunction with the peak-demand units, the fire department partnered with the Macomb County Communications and Technology Center to implement a color-coded 911 dispatch system that categorizes medical calls by severity and helps prioritize appropriate resource deployment.
Fire Chief Kevin Edmond said both efforts are aimed at addressing the “constantly increasing” volume of EMS calls in Michigan’s fourth-largest city and mitigating paramedic burnout by reducing the number of calls requiring advanced life support responses.
City data show EMS calls climbed about 31% from 2015 to 2025, officials noted, underscoring the need for alternative response strategies as departments face staffing challenges and workload pressures.