University Hospitals Parma Medical Center Sleep Medicine Staff Designs Sleeping Quarters for Newly Renovated Seven Hills Fire Department

CLEVELAND- Firefighters in Seven Hills will sleep easier thanks to a redesign of their sleeping quarters with help from the sleep medicine staff at University Hospitals Parma Medical Center. The new facility will provide the first responders with an appropriate place for restful sleep.

Previously, all five on-duty firefighters slept in the same shared room - originally intended as a storage closet. Staff with the UH Parma sleep team visited the fire station, observed the current accommodations, and talked with firefighters about their needs.

"Improving sleep environments for public servants who sleep at work goes a long way to improving their quality of life, because shift work sleep disorder is a real thing and it can really impact people," said Dr. John Andrefsky, a specialist in sleep medicine and leader of the UH Parma Sleep Team "These people sleep in these environments away from home for years, sometimes decades. They deserve to get the best rest possible."

With help from the sleep team at UH, the fire station made drastic changes, including renovating an existing meeting room into five small individually furnished dorm-style rooms. Each area includes neutral wall color, blackout curtains, sound machines, and its own temperature control.

"These renovations ensure that our firefighters have a quality, healthy environment where they can recharge and regroup after responding to calls," said Mayor Anthony D. Biasiotta. "Having an updated facility helps support their well-being, strengthens the service they provide to our community every day, and aids in ensuring we retain the hardworking individuals who protect Seven Hills."

The mayor noted that providing individual sleeping areas will make the department more accommodating for a co-ed department, hopefully in the near future.

"At our sleep lab we help patients sleep better by fitting CPAP masks, and facilitating in-lab sleep studies, as well as at-home sleep tests," said Dr. Andrefsky. "We were honored this time to travel out into the community to help in this unique way."

The sleeping quarters are just one aspect of a total overhaul of the building funded using $500,000 awarded by the State of Ohio's One Time Strategic Community Investment program.

The UH Parma Sleep Medicine team began conversations with Seven Hills in October of 2024 and provided its consultation services at no cost as a benefit to the community.