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County hires Mission CIT to update Fire, Rescue and EMS master plan; draft report due in October
Summary
Calvert County's Department of Public Safety introduced Mission Critical Immersive Training to produce a 5—year master plan for fire rescue and EMS, with data collection and public/stakeholder surveys under way and a draft report expected in October and final report by December.
The Department of Public Safety and consultant Mission Critical Immersive Training (Mission CIT) presented the scope and schedule for an update to Calvert County's Fire, Rescue and EMS master plan on June 9.
Public Safety Deputy Director Crystal Dowd explained that the county's last comprehensive master plan dated to 2008 and that population growth and the addition of career EMS service prompted the update. Frank Edwards, project manager for Mission CIT, outlined the firm's experience, the plan's goals and the project schedule: data collection and surveys are in progress, station and department site visits are ongoing, focus groups (including planned citizen and chief sessions) are scheduled, and the team expects to present a draft report to the county in October and a final report by December.
Edwards described the proposed deliverables: a current assessment of the system, strategic themes to address, specific recommendations with phasing and cost estimates, and an appendix of survey and interview comments. He said the team had collected roughly 200 internal-survey responses as of the previous day, is conducting GIS analysis via a subcontractor, and is analyzing call and response data from county organizations.
Commissioners asked about comparable jurisdictions and cost drivers. Edwards said Mission CIT had completed projects in multiple states, with Onslow County and Warren County cited as somewhat comparable; he noted many clients were navigating transitions between volunteer and paid services. Commissioner Rance highlighted rapid increases in apparatus and ambulance costs, citing that some ambulances now cost about $650,000 and that a replacement ladder truck could approach $2.3 million, underscoring budgetary implications for recommended capital plans.
Mission CIT emphasized that the final plan would include phasing and estimated costs to help the county prioritize station siting, apparatus purchases and staffing models. The board did not take formal action on the plan's contract at the meeting; the presentation moved the assessment into its active data-collection phase.
