Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fire Ems Staffing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fire chief outlines recruitment crisis, training needs and large FY27 ask with options to trim
Summary
Prince George’s fire chief described heavy turnover—eight full‑time firefighters lost recently—high replacement costs and training/facility needs; he proposed reclassifying staff, pursuing SAFER grant funding, and listed equipment and station renovation priorities with possible reductions to the overall ask.
The Fire & EMS chief told the board that retention and recruitment are critical problems that are increasing costs and risking operational readiness. "Last year, we lost 8 full time firefighters... Replacing those 8 firefighters will cost almost $922,000 plus," the chief said, citing an estimated cost per firefighter and outlining multiple drivers: overtime from dual‑staffing demands, volunteer shortfalls, and competitive pay in the region.
The chief proposed several priorities: adding administrative/EMS captain positions, reclassifying lieutenants to captains to create company officers at stations, investing in training (including a desired local training site), replacing worn gear on a 10‑year schedule, and pursuing a SAFER grant to offset costs. He listed equipment and operating items that could be deferred if necessary and outlined a pared‑down option that would reduce the FY27 ask substantially while preserving essential replacements (including 44 sets of gear required for safety).
Board members pressed for more detail on standards and response‑time modeling; the chief referenced NFPA professional standards (variously cited as 17‑10, 17‑20 and the updated 1750 series) and offered to provide maps and demand‑zone analyses to help align staffing and station siting. The chief also flagged operational fixes such as outsourcing EMS billing and piloting part‑time medic‑only shifts to relieve full‑time staff. He said volunteer and career uniform parity, station renovations (Station 8 cited for showers, ADA and kitchen upgrades) and better training infrastructure would support recruitment and retention.
