Fire
35 Years of Professional Service
Strongsville Fire & Emergency Services (SFES) has a reputation as a premier provider of emergency medical services and is well established in the EMS community. Starting in 1971 with a modest staff of EMT’s providing basic life support services, our staff has grown to 60 paramedics who provide advanced life support services including but not limited to 12-lead cardiac monitoring, external cardiac pacing and cardio-version, drug administration, intra-osseous infusion, and chest decompression. Strongsville’s first paramedics utilized four cardiac drugs and a single page of standing medical orders. Today, the expanded drug administration list includes 25 different lifesaving medications, and medical standing orders are contained in a comprehensive 77 page document.

SFES serves as a clinical education site for EMT and paramedic students from Southwest General Health Center, Parma Community Hospital, Cuyahoga Community College, Medina, Polaris and Ehove Career Centers. Six Strongsville firemedics maintain state certification as paramedic instructors and are frequently called on to assist with classes throughout Northeastern Ohio.

Advanced Life Support services are provided with state-of-the-art equipment and vehicles.  SFES pioneered the dual role Trident paramedic squad combining initial fire attack capabilities with those of an advanced life support paramedic unit.  Four such units currently serve our community.  We are pleased to provide to our residents as high a level of paramedic services as is available anywhere in the United States.

SFES continues to concentrate on preparedness well remembering September 11, 2001 and the desire of some who want to destroy our society. Strongsville Fire maintains its leadership presence on the 19-community Southwest Emergency Response Team that was formed under the Southwest Council of Governments and which shares the cost of providing our area with highly skilled teams and the specialized equipment needed to affect lifesaving rescues in the most demanding circumstances. Fire officers from Strongsville are in charge of 4 of the 9 SERT team disciplines. NASA is now partnering with our Southwest Emergency Response Team creating a win-win situation for both organizations.  NASA expertise can be called upon to assist our SERT team when the need arises. Our fire investigation team has maintained a working relation with ATF. New ideas and equipment are being evaluated for use. Fire Department personnel have received training and reviewed small pox contingency plans due to terrorist possibly creating a smallpox epidemic to harm our nation. Additional needed Haz Mat equipment has been purchased as last year our department responded to 94 incidents involving hazardous materials. Quick and appropriate action by department members minimized the effects of these incidents without injuries to our residents, firefighters or community.