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Fire department credits code‑X policy for big drop in maydays; councilor flags rehabs without permits
Summary
Baltimore Fire Department reported large reductions in firefighter 'mayday' incidents at vacant properties since adopting a code‑X policy in February 2023; Councilwoman Ramos presented a committee analysis showing many rehabbed properties lacked permits or had data/address mismatches.
Baltimore City Fire Department leaders told the Public Safety Committee that policy changes and targeted inspection efforts have coincided with a marked drop in firefighter distress calls at vacant properties, while a councilor said return‑to‑use data show rehabs sometimes proceed without required permits.
Assistant Chief John Hyde (operations) and other department officials described policy updates on vacant and code‑X properties that emphasize exterior operations unless there is a credible report of people trapped. The department said it implemented a formal code‑X policy in February 2023 and that Mayday reports tied to vacant structures fell sharply: pre‑policy the department recorded 11 Maydays in vacant structures and two in occupied structures; since the policy took effect the department reported two Maydays in vacant structures and two in occupied structures, and none since February 2023.
Councilwoman Odette Ramos said she ran a cross‑check of fire department code‑X lists, permit records and other public data and identified roughly 188 properties for follow‑up. Ramos told the committee that 61 properties had use‑and‑occupancy certificates, while 15 of 52 properties the councilor reviewed had no permits despite appearing to have been rehabbed. Ramos urged better automation between the fire department’s code‑X list and the city’s vacant building notification (VBN) process to reduce classification and address errors.
The department said its CAD and inspection dashboards show 5,300 active code‑X records, 40 structures formally raised and 137 returned to normal use in the quarter presented. Officials described a new QR‑code reporting tool (03:11 notification) launched in September 2024 and a real‑time dashboard shared with housing, police and other agencies to coordinate wrap‑around services.
Ending: Council members asked the department to share addresses and supporting data behind the “40 raised and 137 returned to use” figures and to work with housing and permitting offices to reduce address mismatches and ensure rehabs have proper permits.
