For the first time in 45 years, the Sterling Heights Fire Department’s Public Protection Classification has improved from a “4” rating to a “2” rating, which places the department among only two other departments in Michigan at this caliber, Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids.
“This is great news for us,” Sterling Heights Fire Chief Chris Martin said. “I have known for many years how great this fire department is, and it is time we are recognized properly for it. This new rating was the culmination of the hard work of many people within the department, the Department of Public Works, and the Macomb County Sheriff’s Communications and Technology Center. All of their hard work has paid off.”
According to Martin, the Sterling Heights Fire Department has been evaluated over the past several months by the Insurance Services Office, which rates fire departments on many dynamics related to their ability to respond to fires using the following matrix: