Residents in four Howard County areas face greater risk of loss in a fire, because the first trucks respond about half the time with so few firefighters that rescuers must wait for backup before entering the homes.
The Bethany station in northern Ellicott City is the most poorly staffed, sending out understaffed trucks on two-thirds of its emergencies, according to a yearlong study by the Howard County Professional Firefighters Association released to The Sun this week.
The Clarksville and Scaggsville stations and the Banneker station in Columbia's Town Center send understaffed fire trucks on about 50 percent of their runs.
The union report -- the first of its kind -- bolsters claims by officials at the county Department of Fire and Rescue that short staffing is a problem in Howard.
National fire standards -- and new rules by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration -- say four firefighters should be on hand before any burning building is entered.
But overall, fire engines in Howard County arrive 37 percent of the time with only one or two firefighters aboard -- fewer than the three firefighters that county officials say are recommended for that vehicle.
And ladder trucks respond 30 percent of the time with three or fewer firefighters aboard. Four firefighters are considered the minimum for that type truck.
Deputy Chief Edgar Shilling said the Department of Fire and Rescue is struggling to stretch the county's 206 career firefighters to cover the 40,000 fire and rescue calls each year.
The county's estimated 400 volunteer firefighters help to fill the department's needs, but Chief James Heller said about half of those don't respond to fires, instead focusing on support work.
When the first trucks arrive at a fire, firefighters usually assess the scene, make sure buildings are empty of people and communicate with other trucks on the way. But waiting for four firefighters to be on hand -- the federal standard for when buildings can be entered -- can be costly.
"A minute to us is a lot of time," said Sgt. Kevin Henry, president of the fire union at the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue. "A minute can be life or death for somebody in a fire. A civilian can't last a minute in a building with heavy smoke or fire conditions."
It took a firetruck just six minutes to respond to a fire at Ken Brown's North Laurel home Feb. 6 from the Scaggsville station. But Mr. Brown said he watched the two firefighters aboard wait about six minutes for assistance before attacking the fire.
