Firefighter Profiles

Peter Vlahos

In 2002 Peter’s family was extended somewhat when he helped deliver a baby girl to a Township family.

"To this day I still have contact with the family and see them on birthdays and holidays," Peter said. "There is a special relationship between all of us. It was an incredible experience and one that I will never forget.

Peter earned a bachelor’s degree in fire fighting technology from Sienna Heights University in 2003 and was promoted to lieutenant fire inspector in 2005. He was a member of the department’s extrication team, which earned third-place honors at last year’s Regional Alliance of Fire Training Extrication Learning Symposium.

To help himself and his colleagues stay healthy, he captured a $100,000 federal grant to create a wellness and fitness program for the department in 2004.

And while Peter says he enjoys all aspects of being a Bloomfield Township Fire Fighter, his favorite activities involve working with children through the department’s fire education/prevention program.

Over an eight-week span, Peter guides Bloomfield Hills School District second-graders through an informative study of a number of hazardous issues including: fire and burn prevention, pedestrian safety, poisoning and chocking hazards and bus safety. The course ends with a visit to the BTFD’s Smoke/Safety Trailer. The educational program was designed with the National Fire Protection Agency’s Risk Watch injury prevention program. Its aim is to give children and their families the skills and knowledge to create safer homes and communities.

"Going into the schools and meeting the students and teachers has been a great experience for me. Teaching this program has become one of my favorite job functions and I enjoy my visits with the schools each week," Peter said.