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Firefighters and volunteers urge Baltimore County for more EMS and apparatus funding
Summary
Career and volunteer fire representatives told the District 3 town hall the county underfunds fire and EMS, citing rising call volume, aging apparatus and a need for regular replacement funding.
Representatives of Baltimore County’s career and volunteer fire services told the county executive and council members that current funding levels do not match rising emergency workloads and equipment costs.
Steve Redmer, president of the Baltimore County Professional Firefighters Association, said staffing has fallen while call volume has risen. “In 1990, we had about 1,206 full time employees… Today in 2023 we actually had less personnel, we had 1,128. And those employees ran over 264,000 calls,” Redmer said, arguing the department is operating with fewer staff and much higher demand.
Susan (introduced as president of the Baltimore County Volunteer Firefighters Association) told the meeting the combined volunteer and career fire and EMS budget is insufficient. “The current Baltimore County Fire Department budget is funded at approximately $152 per resident,” she said, and contrasted that with neighboring counties she cited (Howard County at $488 per resident and Montgomery County at $283 per resident). She said volunteer companies face rising apparatus costs, insurance and fuel increases and that several engines and trucks have exceeded extended lifespans.
Speakers requested increased capital funding and regular replacement schedules. Susan and other commenters said volunteer companies need the county to fund replacement medic units; one figure cited by multiple speakers was $2,200,000 to replace four EMS units in a year. Chuck Bollinger, former chief of the Hereford Volunteer Fire Company, described equipment and replacement cost increases — a fire engine that cost $400,000 in 2005 would cost more than $1,000,000 today — and warned volunteer companies may not be sustainable without more county assistance.
County officials acknowledged the remarks and said the county has invested in communications and other supports for fire and volunteer companies, but no funding decisions were made during the town hall.
Ending: Fire and EMS representatives urged the county to increase operating and capital funding to address aging equipment, higher call volumes and volunteer insurance and capital needs.
