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Firefighters ask for four medic positions, IT support and equipment funding in FY26
Summary
Joe Pilate, president of the Annapolis Professional Firefighters, told the Finance Committee the union’s top priorities are staffing to support an additional ALS medic unit, a dedicated IT professional for the fire department, replacement cardiac monitors and to keep the logistics officer as a uniformed role.
Joe Pilate, president of the Annapolis Professional Firefighters (IAFF Local 1926), addressed the Finance Standing Committee on May 1, 2025, and said staffing is the union’s top priority.
Pilate said the department requested 10 positions in a budget enhancement package but that four of those hires should be funded even if only some come through a SAFER grant. “Those 4 would put in service another ALS paramedic unit, which we desperately need,” Pilate said, adding that on many days the department is short of medic units and routinely requests mutual‑aid from Anne Arundel County and the U.S. Naval Academy.
Pilate also requested a dedicated IT professional for the fire department, saying equipment and daily reporting increasingly depend on tablets and other networked devices. He described replacement of cardiac monitors and SCBA as cost‑of‑doing‑business items and told the committee the union opposes converting the proposed logistics officer role to a civilian position: “We think that should be a uniform position,” Pilate said, arguing the logistics officer’s duties are heavily fire‑specific and include real‑time operational decisions.
Why it matters: Pilate framed the requests as public‑safety priorities—additional medic capacity affects ambulance availability and response times—and argued certain equipment replacements are essential to carrying out EMS and fire operations.
Committee exchange and follow up
Committee members asked for position classifications, where new hires would appear in the staffing schedule (Pilate said hires would start as firefighter I positions and move to firefighter II after academy completion), and whether the logistics officer enhancement appears in the book (staff noted it was proposed but not funded in the presented budget). Budget staff said future budgets could include recurring capital or replacement schedules for equipment if departments provide lifecycle plans.
Ending: Committee members and budget staff said they would consider approaches to make equipment replacement recurring and asked staff to note the fire department’s priorities for future budget planning.
