Firefighters urge phased staff increases and a peak-hour unit to reduce response gaps

Craig Olershaw, vice president of Local 1926 Professional Firefighters, asked the council during public comment on June 16 to fund incremental increases in fire-department staffing and to support a proposed peak-hour unit to reduce response gaps caused by mutual-aid calls to Anne Arundel County.

Why it matters: Fire department staffing affects response times for emergencies, coverage for medical calls and the city’s reliance on neighboring jurisdictions for mutual aid. Union officials said a staffing increase could be paced over multiple fiscal cycles and that a peak-hour unit could both improve service and create revenue through billing.

What the firefighter said Olershaw told the council the department sees a steady increase in call volume and that daily mutual aid frequently draws ladder and engine companies into county responses, leaving the city understaffed for emergencies within Annapolis. He endorsed a phased hiring plan — adding roughly one new position per fiscal cycle — and said the proposed peak-hour EMS unit would both help response and generate billing revenue to offset costs.

Council and staff context Olershaw acknowledged the city’s budget constraints and told the council he was not seeking an immediate, full staffing increase but a steady, predictable add-on of positions. The council did not take action at the meeting; the request was recorded during the public-comment period for future budget deliberations.

Ending: The council received the testimony; budget and staffing decisions will be considered in the upcoming fiscal process.