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Annapolis fire chief asks for funds to replace aging apparatus, shore up staffing and technology
Summary
Fire Chief Doug Romali told the Finance Standing Committee on April 24 that the Annapolis Fire Department needs capital outlays for pumps and medic units, sustained staffing increases, an IT support position and station repairs to maintain response standards and its ISO rating.
Fire Chief Doug Romali told the Annapolis Finance Standing Committee on April 24 that the Fire Departmentis asking for capital outlays and staffing to sustain response standards, replace aging apparatus and cover rising operating costs.
Romali said the department will need to replace at least one pumper (a vehicle he said costs about $1 million) and a medic unit (about $450,000) and asked members to consider options such as leasing or staged replacement because of long manufacturer lead times. He also described planned purchases of cardiac monitors, ballistic vests on a five-year replacement cycle and radios, and warned of higher electric bills for stations.
The requests matter, Romali told the committee, because most of the departmentbudget is personnel costs and staffing shortfalls directly affect daily responses and overtime. He noted that Annapolis has not had a fatal fire since 2010 and credited that record to prevention and response standards;…
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