Cuts Leave Maryland Firehouses Without Staffing
LARGO, Md. -- A little more than a decade ago there were three operating firehouses in the approximately two-mile stretch between Boulevard Heights and Capitol Heights in Prince George's County, Maryland. During the weekday, daylight hours, those stations were staffed by 12 of the approximately 800 or so paid, career firefighters employed by the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department.
Today, the number of career firefighters in the county is hovering around the 700 mark and the two remaining firehouses in the area, Capitol Heights and Boulevard Heights (Hillside fire station closed after the volunteer corporation went bankrupt), are staffed with a career crew of six. Of that six, there will be times when only two will be able to respond to an emergency aboard the fire trucks inside these stations. After 3:00 PM, no career firefighters are scheduled to ride fire trucks on Wednesday at the Capitol Heights and Boulevard Heights stations.
A spokesman for PGFD confirmed this morning that this is the new reality the department is forced to live with after overtime spending was cut by more than 75-percent. Previously the department had been paying approximately $250,000 in overtime each two-week pay period. The current budget is around $60,000.
Acting Chief Eugene Jones and his bosses in Upper Marlboro have mandated that the department live within its budget.
Major Derrick Lea said from now until July there will be a rotating removal of career staffing from fire stations throughout the county.
Wednesday's shuffling of firefighters closes the fireboat operation at National Harbor and leaves the potential for firehouses in Riverdale, Bowie and Capitol Heights unable to respond to emergencies. Major Lea confirms the ability to answer emergency calls will depend on what volunteer staffing is available.
Sources confirm that many of the notifications to volunteer chiefs their station would not be staffed came as late as 11:30 PM Tuesday night. A previous overtime reduction plan provided a schedule with a long lead time to allow volunteers time to muster staffing for dates where career firefighters would not be available.
Major Lea says the department is paying close attention to staffing levels and deployment of firefighters in an effort to make sure the citizens of the county are adequately protected. He points out that neighboring fire stations will cover where staffing has been removed.
When asked about the delays this will cause in an emergency situation, where officials have long told the public every second counts, Major Lea responded that the department is "being forced to do more with less". He added that "serving the citizens is still the priority".
Major Lea also confirms that a new staffing plan is about to be released for the fiscal year starting July 1. While details have not been made public, Lea says it will involve the removal of career firefighters from a number of stations around the county. Those firefighters will be moved to other stations where staffing will be beefed up.
Besides handling emergencies on the water and the land at National Harbor, the fireboat is responsible for providing water to the standpipe system in the event of a fire on the Beltway at, or near, the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.
Republished with permission of WUSA-TV.