Eastpointe Professional Firefighters Association

What's New at EPFFA 1561

Updated On: Mar 01, 2010 (21:08:00)
Congratulations Captain Don Schmidt on your retirement. We wish you a long, healthy, and safe retirement. Thank you for 28 years of dedicated service to the citizens of East Detroit and Eastpointe.

House Fire in Eastpointe

Posted On: Feb 09, 2010 (18:58:33)
Firefighters in Eastpointe battled a blaze Monday afternoon on Almond near Nine Mile and Kelly. Witnesses at the scene say no one was injured in the fire. Firefighters say a pet that was in the home hid in a couch, and was not injured.

Barking dogs rouse man from fire

Updated On: Feb 09, 2010 (18:52:00)
By Gordon Wilczynski, Macomb Daily Staff Writer Barking dogs may have saved the life of a man living on California Street in St. Clair Shores on Monday morning, fire officials said. The man was awakened by the barking dogs and managed to call the fire department when he noticed thick smoke coming from his basement, according to St. Clair Shores Fire Battalion Chief James Haddad. The homeowner managed to get out of the house, but his two dogs and four cats perished in the fire, Haddad said. The fire completely destroyed the inside of the house. "When we arrived there was heavy smoke coming from the house," Haddad said. "The whole house was full of smoke. There was no survivability." Haddad said if it weren't for the efforts of the barking dogs, the owner would not have gotten out. "The dogs roused him," Haddad said. "The homeowner said the dogs saved his life." Firefighter Daniel Geffert suffered a bruised knee and was treated at a local clinic, Haddad said. Fire officials said the man's wife was at work when the fire was noticed. Harper Woods firefighters also had their hands full over the weekend. Fire Chief Sean Gunnery said a blaze Sunday that heavily damaged three apartments on Edgefield, near Harper Avenue, may have started accidentally but remains under investigation. The fire was first noticed at 6:40 p.m. Sunday. When firefighters arrived the fire was breaching a window, Gunnery said. "The fire was going up an outside wall," Gunnery said. "Fortunately Eastpointe helped up through mutual aid and used their aerial device to knock down the fire from the outside." Gunnery said firefighters then went back into the apartment house and attacked the fire from inside. There are 10 units in the building. Three were badly damaged. "We believe a candle and possibly nail polish remover were involved in the fire," gunnery said. "But at this time it is unclear exactly how the fire started." Besides Eastpointe, firefighters from St. Clair Shores, Grosse Pointe Farms and Grosse Pointe Woods assisted Harper Woods firefighters.

Eastpointe Fire Fighters Bowling Fundraiser

Updated On: Jan 21, 2010 (09:00:00)

Warren to restore EMS

Posted On: Jan 06, 2010 (12:09:53)
By Norb Franz, Macomb Daily Staff Writer Nearly six years after the city of Warren pulled the plug on its EMS rigs, officials plan to have three vehicles back on the streets by the end of the month and again transporting patients to emergency rooms Read More...

2009 Run Totals

Posted On: Jan 01, 2010 (12:06:14)

Year End Run Totals 2009

As of December 31st, 2009

Fire - 440

Ambulance - 2721

Ambulance Assist - 1328

Total - 4489

Average Runs a Day - 8.8

Rapid Intervention Training 2009

Updated On: Dec 01, 2009 (16:35:00)

During the week of November 16th, 2009 the Eastpointe (MI) Fire Department conducted its annual Rapid Intervention Training. This is the 8th year that the Department has done this training; the goal was to provide a refresher to the members of the Department on procedures of RIT operations. Conducted over a three day period each shift was able to practice many procedures in locating and rescuing a trapped or injured firefighter.

Each shift was able to perform the following drills:
- Mayday
- Denver Drill
- Victim Extrication utilizing a single pulley
- Ladder Bailouts
- Self-extrication from a second floor window

Each year the Department studies new techniques for RIT and practices putting them into practical use, normally this training is done onsite at the Fire Station, however this year they were fortunate enough to secure a vacant dwelling scheduled for demolition to use for this year's training. With the use of the vacant dwelling, Department members were able to train in more "real world" conditions.

Please see Training section of the Photo Gallery to see more pictures.