Paid Firefighters

Two county fire stations lost paid firefighters this week, leaving the possibility of engines responding to fires with drivers -- but nobody to fight the fire.One of two 24-hour-a-day paid firefighters at the Earleigh Heights Fire Station has been transferred, leaving the station with one firefighter for the after-5 p.m. and weekend hours.The Galesville Fire Station, which had a paid 24-hour-a-day driver and a paid day-shift firefighter, also has lost a career firefighter."This is terrible," said Jack Simkins, 29, who lives in Earleigh Heights and works the night shift at the Sparrows Point shipyard.

In the 2 1/2 years since Baltimore County began requiring career firefighters to take random drug tests, at least a half-dozen have been dismissed for substance abuse - proof, union leaders say, that the policy works. But the county's estimated 2,000 volunteer firefighters and paramedics are not required to take the tests. And union leaders say that is a problem. "It's an inherently dangerous field," said Michael K. Day Sr., president of the Baltimore County Professional Fire Fighters Association.

Three of nine paid firefighters assigned to the Ferndale Volunteer Fire Co. will be transferred next month, but the company will not shutdown or relocate any time soon, county Fire Administrator Paul Haigley said yesterday.That is welcome news to Ferndale's volunteer fire crew, residents and elected leaders, who have been fearing a withdrawal of all paid help that could spell doom for the 50-year-old volunteer station.Ferndale has 55 volunteer firefighters, none of whom can work dayshifts.

A fire that killed five people last week has revived a debate over the need for paid, full-time firefighters in Harford County, the biggest jurisdiction in Maryland with an all-volunteer force. "The time was five years ago" to hire professional firefighters, said Patrick Longo, a Montgomery County career firefighter who lives in Abingdon and has long lobbied local officials to move to a paid force. "You have too much population for volunteers to get it done."

Baltimore County is moving to beef up its ambulance services as volunteer fire companies struggle to come to grips with the sudden loss of members who also work as paid county firefighters.Additional reserve medic units are being assigned to the Westview, Randallstown, Essex and Towson fire stations starting next week. The idea is to have more help on hand during peak periods if volunteers have trouble responding to calls, said Battalion Chief Mark Hubbard, the department's spokesman.The move comes amid a dispute between county officials and paid firefighters.

For county firefighters Richard Meise and Keith Hamilton, it's been a busy day at the red-brick firehouse on Broadview Boulevard.In the first five hours of their 24-hour shift at Ferndale Volunteer Fire Department, they have answered five ambulance calls -- a fractured ankle, an allergic reaction to medication, someone with dizziness, car accident victims.Because most of the volunteer firefighters work other jobs, many of the calls, especially during the day, are handled by paid county firefighters assigned to Engine Company 34. And Meise and Hamilton were the only ones on duty last Thursday.

A fire that killed five people last week has revived a debate over the need for paid, full-time firefighters in Harford County, the biggest jurisdiction in Maryland with an all-volunteer force. "The time was five years ago" to hire professional firefighters, said Patrick Longo, a Montgomery County career firefighter who lives in Abingdon and has long lobbied local officials to move to a paid force. "You have too much population for volunteers to get it done."

Told by County Executive Janet S. Owens to trim his budget request, Fire Chief Roger C. Simonds Sr. has proposed making the Ferndale Fire Station the county's first all-volunteer operation in decades, according to the area's County Council member. "He's cutting six paid firefighters out of my district," said an unhappy Councilwoman Pamela G. Beidle, a Linthicum Democrat. The station, mostly staffed by volunteers, would lose the two paid firefighters who are on duty for each of the three shifts.

25 years ago (week of Nov. 15-21, 1970)Howard County's paid firefighters received their union charter this week, forming the Howard County Professional Firefighters Local 2000. There are 26 paid firefighters at four county stations: Ellicott City, Elkridge, Clarksville and Savage.50 years ago (week of Nov. 18-24, 1945)In an effort to discourage county merchants from overcharging for their goods, an essay contest, "Price Control for Prosperity," was announced for all high school seniors. County Commissioners planned to send printed copies of the winning essay to every merchant in the county.

25 Years Ago (Week of July 26-August 1, 1970)* The Howard County Council passed a bill which would raise the salary of the county executive from $18,000 to $23,000 per year, effective Jan. 1, 1971. Charles Miller, the only councilman to vote against the increase, stated that he thought the increase was "too large" and would set "a bad example for the rest of the county employees."* The Savage Volunteer Fire Company proposed that their four paid firefighters be paid out of the general county tax, rather than out of the 6th District fire tax. At that time, all of the county's paid firefighters were paid from fire tax monies.

When firefighters in Savage pull out of their box-shaped brick station on Lincoln Street, they must drive on narrow residential roads and over three trapezoid-shaped speed bumps to get to their area's main artery, U.S. 1. Installed over firefighters' opposition, the bumps have snapped springs on every one of the station's firetrucks, taking them out of service for days and costing thousands of dollars to repair. Howard County plans to move the Savage station and two others closer to main roadways and population centers - and away from speed bumps - during the next three years.

Anne Arundel County Executive Janet S. Owens and County Council members said yesterday that they would likely call for an evaluation and audit of the Fire Department's ever-increasing overtime spending. Council members said they were surprised to learn that Anne Arundel spent millions more in overtime last fiscal year than did neighboring fire departments, and that Chief Roger C. Simonds paid firefighters time and a half to renovate an old warehouse. Some council members said they want County Auditor Teresa Sutherland to investigate the policies and expenditures that led to eight firefighter supervisors cracking the top 10 list of highest-paid county workers.

Anne Arundel County Executive Janet S. Owens and County Council members said yesterday that they would likely call for an evaluation and audit of the Fire Department's ever-increasing overtime spending. Council members said they were surprised to learn that Anne Arundel spent millions more in overtime last fiscal year than did neighboring fire departments, and that Chief Roger C. Simonds paid firefighters time and a half to renovate an old warehouse. Some council members said they want County Auditor Teresa Sutherland to investigate the policies and expenditures that led to eight firefighter supervisors cracking the top 10 list of highest-paid county workers.

A committee of paid and volunteer firefighters is collecting information on how creeks, swimming pools, ponds and other alternative sources are used to battle fires in Baltimore County in hopes of improving the county's fire protection rating - and possibly lowering insurance rates. Compiling such information is a routine but critical exercise. The reason: Nearly half of the county has no access to fire hydrants. That fact was starkly illustrated June 23, when firefighters used fire engines, tankers and pump trucks to shuttle water from the Patapsco River and a water main to extinguish a four-alarm fire at the Simkins Industries paper recycling plant in Catonsville, a historic complex built in the early 19th century.

Carroll County's volunteer fire companies plan to use an influx of county money to more than double the number of stations equipped to handle emergency calls in the middle of the night. Concerned that the county's growing population and the significant number of elderly residents might be difficult to serve with only four of the county's 14 stations staffed around the clock, the firefighters say they want to man as many as six other stations 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They have received $775,000 in county money for that purpose.

Carroll County's volunteer fire companies plan to use an influx of county money to more than double the number of stations equipped to handle emergency calls in the middle of the night. Concerned that the county's growing population and the significant number of elderly residents might be difficult to serve with only four of the county's 14 stations staffed around the clock, the firefighters say they want to man as many as six other stations 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They have received $775,000 in county money for that purpose.

If anti-substance abuse campaigns started working and drug-related arrests made a deep, permanent decline, there wouldn't be much point in the police department continuing to devote resources to drug enforcement as it does now. It would have to shift focus to areas of greater need.Keep that hypothetical situation in mind when you realize that thanks to better building codes and enforcement, sprinkler systems, smoke detectors and education, the number of fires in Anne Arundel has been plummeting for years.

Fearing that the ranks of volunteer fire departments throughout Maryland could be depleted, representatives of those companies are protesting a newly enforced policy that requires paid firefighters to choose between a union card and their part-time volunteer work. The policy, long on the books of the International Association of Fire Fighters, prohibits union members from volunteering in counties with a paid fire department represented by the union. The rule has been enforced in recent months by union locals in Howard and Prince George's counties - a move that volunteer firefighters say runs counter to President Bush's call for citizens to give time to their communities.

Fearing that the ranks of volunteer fire departments throughout Maryland could be depleted, representatives of those companies are protesting a newly enforced policy that requires paid firefighters to choose between a union card and their part-time volunteer work. The policy, long on the books of the International Association of Fire Fighters, prohibits union members from volunteering in counties with a paid fire department represented by the union. The rule has been enforced in recent months by union locals in Howard and Prince George's counties - a move that volunteer firefighters say runs counter to President Bush's call for citizens to give time to their communities.

Fearing that the ranks of volunteer fire departments throughout Maryland could be depleted, representatives of those companies are protesting a newly enforced policy that requires paid firefighters to choose between a union card and their part-time volunteer work. The policy, long on the books of the International Association of Fire Fighters, prohibits union members from volunteering in counties with a paid fire department represented by the union. The rule has been enforced in recent months by union locals in Howard and Prince George's counties - a move that volunteer firefighters say runs counter to President Bush's call for citizens to give time to their communities.