Fire chief details staffing, sprinkler ordinance and cadet program at Annapolis public safety committee

Fire Chief Doug Vermally told the Annapolis Public Safety Committee on March 18 that the city’s fire department is grappling with staffing and equipment pressures while continuing efforts to protect historic downtown buildings and support major special events.

Vermally opened the department’s presentation by saying, "We are going to educate you on the Annapolis Fire Department today," and then described the department’s history, its ISO Class 1 rating and the operational constraints posed by narrow, historic streets and tall structures in the Historic District.

Why it matters: The department responds to about 13,000 emergency incidents a year and logs roughly 23,000 unit responses because many calls require multiple apparatus. Vermally said ambulance/EMS work constitutes roughly 75% of the department’s workload and that the combination of high call volume, cross‑staffing and long apparatus procurement timelines creates recurring pressure on staffing and the replacement budget.

Key details from the presentation: - Staffing and national standards: Vermally said the department does…