Royal Oak Fire Chief Jim Cook is excited about what’s happening in the Royal Oak Fire Department right now, and he’s not afraid to express it.

Whether it’s new equipment, new personnel or serving the community, he’s here for it.

Cook took over as fire chief after the previous chief, Dave Cummins, retired. He’s served his entire 36-year career with the ROFD, and his enthusiasm hasn’t waned a bit.

“I love coming in to work,” Cook said.


New equipment coming

In the coming months the ROFD will be receiving a new, 108-foot bucket ladder truck, which will replace a truck from 2004. It’s currently being built by an out-of-state company, and will be customized to the department’s needs.

The new truck, which was ordered in January 2023, will join a fleet that’s been significantly updated since 2020, ensuring that the department has what it needs for years to come.

He noted that with the high volume of calls the department receives each year – about 7,500 – it makes for a lot of wear and tear on the engines.

The cost for these trucks varies depending on the features. Cook said the city budgeted for this truck ahead of time, since it was clear it would need to be replaced.

Cook said he appreciates the support the department gets from the city.

“The city is really good about getting us the equipment we need when we need it,” he said.


Department openings

Cook said that despite the department recently hiring three firefighters, there are still three more positions that need to be filled. The ROFD requires that applicants have 60 college credit hours, and also have taken the Firefighter 1 course and be a licensed paramedic.

For those who may want to get this training so they can be considered, Cook recommended Oakland Community College’s firefighter program.

“I think it may be the best in the state,” Cook said.


Community engagement

Cook, an Allen Park native, loves Royal Oak and all the support the community gives the Fire Department. He said he likes to return the favor with lots of community interaction.

“I like putting trucks out in the community, at the Zoo, at events like Spooktacular, getting into the schools,” he said. “The support of the community is second to none.”

He also said he considers the Royal Oak Fire Department to be one of the more progressive departments in the state, citing that it was the first in Oakland County to start ALS transports in 1994.

Out of the 7,500 calls the department gets each year, the vast majority – around 5,300 – are medical. Cook cited accidents on the highways – I-75 and I-696 – as unique challenges to the department.

“You see a lot of big-city stuff in such a little city,” Cook said.