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Volunteer EMS and fire volunteers urge higher county support, warn of staffing and equipment shortfalls
Summary
Multiple residents and volunteer responders told the county the current pay and equipment levels for volunteer EMS and fire companies are unsustainable, citing billing shortfalls, aging apparatus and unstaffed units.
A succession of speakers at the District 7 budget town hall urged Baltimore County to increase financial support for volunteer emergency medical services and volunteer fire companies, saying current funding and equipment shortfalls threaten response capacity.
A speaker identified only as a volunteer EMS representative said volunteer EMS companies are expected to provide ambulance service for $35 an hour while the true cost is about $67 an hour, and that EMS transport billing has generated about $40 million in revenue for the county while still failing to cover "reasonable expenses." The commenter urged the county to increase funding so volunteer units can staff more ambulances and reduce response times.
Andrew, identified in the meeting as a volunteer firefighter at the Essex Volunteer Fire Company, described aging apparatus and unsafe station conditions and asked county officials to visit his company. "We need help," he said, recounting 30-year-old engines, failing roofs and pump leaks. Andrew told officials the county saves more than $120 million annually in payroll by using volunteers and asked officials to inspect conditions firsthand.
Other public remarks at the event referenced a decade-old contract that authorized Baltimore County to bill for transports in exchange for the county covering reasonable transport expenses. Speakers asked the county to honor that commitment more fully and to address equipment and staffing through the FY26 budget.
Why it matters: volunteer companies supply substantial emergency coverage across Baltimore County. Speakers said inadequate pay, aging vehicles and insufficient staffing compromise response times and public safety, and they asked county leaders to account for those needs as the budget is finalized.
County staff at the event directed individual speakers to department contacts to follow up on specific repair needs and contract questions.
