|
In a continued effort to bolster emergency response capabilities and ensure the safety and well-being of the community, the Anne Arundel County Fire Department, in partnership with Anne Arundel County Volunteer Leadership and IAFF Local 1563, is proud to announce three additional Volunteer Fire Stations in Anne Arundel County will now be staffed 24/7, 365 days a year with career firefighters and paramedics. The improved resources have already been implemented in two of the three stations. Earleigh Heights Volunteer Company – 12, located in Severna Park, was upgraded in January, and Odenton Volunteer Fire Company – 28 was upgraded in April of this year. Arundel Volunteer Fire Department - 7, located in Davidsonville, is set to soon benefit from the same enhancement at the beginning of next month, bringing a new level of preparedness to the surrounding community.
All three volunteer stations were staffed with career firefighters prior to the upgrades. However, they relied on volunteer firefighters to meet minimum staffing standards recommended by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA). The increased career staffing will ensure a minimum of one large piece of fire apparatus, like a fire engine or a fire truck, and one medical unit is staffed 24 hours a day by career firefighters and paramedics. Additionally, each station will have the ability to increase staffing with trained volunteer firefighters to double the resources and reinforce the collaborative dedication to rapid and effective emergency response in the county.
This significant development marks a collaborative effort between the volunteer leadership and the Anne Arundel County Fire Department administration. Through a shared vision and unwavering commitment to public safety and community, both entities have worked tirelessly to bring this service upgrade to fruition. With the support of the County Executive and the County Council, the collaboration underscores the collective determination to provide the highest standard of emergency care to residents, regardless of the station's operational model.
Fire Chief Trisha Wolford of the Anne Arundel County Fire Department commented, "The roots of the Anne Arundel County Fire Department are rich in volunteer history formed around service and a commitment to the community. This tradition of service and community has not waivered, and we continue to elevate the services offered in Anne Arundel County. I am grateful for the partnerships with our volunteer leadership, most recently with Earleigh Heights, Odenton, and Arundel Volunteer Fire Companies. The partnerships with the leadership in these companies have welcomed the Fire Department to expand their staffing, bringing more first responders and fire and EMS resources to the community."
Joe Addivinola, President of Local 1563, said, "We are pleased to see this outcome of enhanced citizen safety. All county citizens deserve guaranteed fire and medic services—24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year."
Volunteer Chief Dave Crawford of the Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Company commented on the upgraded staffing at Station 12, "I believe in delivering the best emergency services to the residents of the Severna Park, Pasadena, and Millersville area. The combination of professional career and volunteer firefighters is just another positive step in the long tradition of responding to our citizen's emergencies in their time of distress." Volunteer Chief Chuck Tucker of the Odenton Volunteer Fire Company said, "The Odenton Volunteer Fire Company is excited to move forward with the integration of additional career staffing at Station 28 and [to] continue our strong operational partnership with the Anne Arundel County Fire Department to provide combined career/volunteer emergency services to our community."
The Anne Arundel County Fire Department's overall mission is to provide our communities with the highest level of emergency services through a whole-system approach. The dedication and commitment of a combination Fire Department, career, and volunteer will ensure the safety and well-being of all residents and visitors in Anne Arundel County.
| 
