Fire Department
Contact Information
E-Mail: shfd@sevenhillsfire.com
Non-Emergency Number: 216-524-3321
Seven Hills Fire Department has an ISO Rating of 4.
About the Department
The first equipment of the Seven Hills Fire Department was a horse-drawn cart. It was a wide wagon with a hose wrapped around it in a barn on a farm. When the mayor, council, and citizens realized more adequate fire protection was needed, the mayor appointed a committee in April 1928 to enter into contracts with neighboring villages for assistance.
In 1928, the council recommended the purchase of a light chassis Ford Truck that would have room for the hose and large chemical tanks. The Fire Department of Seven Hills was established in August of 1943. The department consisted of fifteen men under the leadership of Chief Lewis Doering. When Chief Doering moved from the area several months later, Carl Detzel was named Chief. The equipment was a 1929 Model A Ford with a box on the back to hold a hose, broom, and a couple of extinguishers.
In 1945, A bond issue for $6,000 was approved by the voters to purchase a more modern fire truck. In September of that year, a Ford truck equipped with a 500-gallon per minute pumper was delivered to the station.
In 1953, the Seven Hills Fireman's Association presented a Cadillac ambulance to the Village. In 1956, a new Dodge Power Wagon was purchased and the 1946 Chevrolet was retired. The voters approved the bond issue in 1960 to build a new fire station for the further expansion of the department at its present location 7195 Broadview Road in Seven Hills.
Chief Ray Spies, Chief Buck Tesar and Chief Joe Kish would each lead the Seven Hills Fire Department as Fire Chief as the department and the city continued to grow.
In 1964 a new Seagrave Fire Engine was purchased, and in 1968 a new Sutphen Fire Engine was purchased providing for two modern Fire Engines to protect the residence of the city.
In January 1975 Larry Masek was sworn in as the new Fire Chief. He led the Department for the next several years.
Stanley Chalmers was appointed to Fire Chief after Chief Masek stepped down.
In May of 1980 A. Charles Hosta was appointed Fire Chief. He would go on to lead the department for almost the next 30 years. Over the next three decades Chief Hosta continued to work with the city in providing the department and the residence of the city with the latest state of the art equipment.
In 1985 one of the biggest advancements in the history of the Seven Hills Fire Department occurred when its Emergency Medical Service expanded to include Paramedic Service. Captain Scott Zamiska was the very first functioning Paramedic in the Seven Hills Fire Department.
In 1998 the Seven Hills Fire Station with the approval of the residence went through a one million dollar expansion/renovation. This provided for a new state of the art facility that would allow for a larger apparatus area, better training facility, more office space, a dormitory and other NFPA complaint requirements.
With the emergency calls on the rise in a predominately residential community, there was a need to improve emergency response services to the residence of Seven Hills. Some type of station coverage was looked into while exploring a cost/benefit analyses.
August 1, 1998 was the first time in history of the Fire Department that members were on duty for station staffing; Firefighter Thozeski & Firefighter McConville worked the first 10 hours shifts.
Over the next eight years the Fire Department's staffing hours grew and eventually had around the clock coverage every day of the year. As the emergency runs continued to increase, there was a need to increase the manning at the Fire Department.
On May 2, 2006, only one day after a deadly house fire in Seven Hills, the residents of the city approved Issue #36 which provided funding for the manning of five men on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
On January 1, 2007 the Seven Hills Fire Department under the leadership of Chief Charles Hosta, began its current staffing levels of five men. This allows for the Seven Hills Fire Department to handle two simultaneous Rescue Squad Calls or One Fire Call with the appropriate staffing levels.
On March 31, 2009 Chief A. Charles Hosta retired nearly 30 years of service as Fire Chief. On April 1, 2009 Assistant Chief Robert Zaucha was named as Interim Fire Chief and ran the department for the next five months while the first ever Civil Service Test was being conducted for the position of Fire Chief. Lieutenant Michael McConville passed all aspects of the promotional exam and was sworn in as Fire Chief on September 14, 2009.
Fire Chief Michael McConville continues to lead the Seven Hills Fire Department located at 7195 Broadview Road. The Seven Hills Fire department operates two Advanced Life Support Rescue Squads, two Fully Equipped Fire Engines, and one Utility Vehicle. Chief McConville's staff includes 1 Assistant Chief, 2 Captains, 5 Lieutenants, and 26 Firefighters.
When to Call 911 for Police
Calling 911 is appropriate when:
- Someone is hurt and needs help
- Someone is hurting someone else
- There is smoke or fire
- Someone is taking something which is not theirs
What Happens When 911 is Called
- A central computer identifies the phone number and address the call is coming from, and sends it to the emergency agency serving the address
- The 911 operator answers "911 what is your Emergency: Police, Fire, or EMS?" and stays on the line until the department answers
- The operator asks questions- including verification of the location- to determine needs and prioritize the call, then sends the emergency service
- Calls from cell phones are routed to the Cuyahoga County Emergency Communication System which connects callers to appropriate agencies
Reporting Emergencies To Police
Callers should remain calm and give information slowly. All calls, emergency or not, are answered by the same operators. Callers are asked to report:
- Name, address and phone number
- Type of incident
- Whether the crime is in progress or has already happened and the time it happened, if known
- Details which may include: type of weapon, descriptions of suspects, license plate numbers, direction of travel or other details
Callers are asked to remain on the telephone to assist the dispatcher as much as possible. The more information given to the police, the better the emergency can be served. Safety is key and the caller and his/her family should stay out of harm's way. After the incident is reported, it is a good idea for the caller to write down everything that happened, as they may be contacted for additional information.
Before the Ambulance Arrives
- After you have called 911, there are several things you can do until Emergency Responders arrive. These simple procedures will greatly aid the Emergency Responders and the patient they will treat.
- If you determine that the patient is pulse-less and non-breathing, begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but only if you have been trained in this life saving technique.
- Stay calm; do not get excited. This will reassure the patient that help is on the way.
- Make the patient as comfortable as possible.
- Gather all the medication that the patient may be taking. This will help Emergency Responders better determine the medical history of the patient.
- Move all furniture or obstacles out of the way so Emergency Responders have easy access to the patient. Make sure all pets are secure in another part of the house.
- Remember the time, this is very important. When was the last time you talked to the patient? How long has this medical condition existed? How long has the person been unconscious?
The Seven Hills Fire Department Mission Statement
Our purpose is to save lives, protect property, and to educate the public.
Vision
Our vision is to advance the mission of the Seven Hills Fire Department through continuous improvement and dedication to our community, and to seek advances through training and education.
Values
Leadership
- We lead the fire service community in training, programs, and services.
Service
- We provide quick and efficient service to the public and citizens.
Integrity
- We earn the trust of the people we serve by treating all individuals with dignity and respect.
Quality
- We deliver service and programs that our city needs. We measure quality by the citizens' satisfaction.
Safety
- We recognize that safety is imperative and a fundamental element of all our functions and services.
WE LEAD BY EXAMPLE
Quad City Cert
quadcitycert.org
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