Paid Firefighters

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.

County fire chief Stephen D. Halford acknowledged yesterday that there are "risks" inherent in a 2-week-old policy that takes paid firefighters off their fire engines and puts them into ambulances.The new policy recognizes that for more than a decade most of the calls received by the department have been for emergency medical services. In 1994, the percentage of medical calls was 71 percent.Chief Halford told the Anne Arundel County Council during a briefing on the new policy that it will guarantee 24-hour ambulance coverage throughout the county and free up the county's 13 specialized paramedic units to respond to more life-threatening emergencies, including heart attacks.

The County Council last night rejected a resolution that would have placed a charter amendment on the November ballot that would have mandated changes in the Fire Department, including greater control over volunteer fire companies.Council members who voted against the proposed amendment -- which would have adopted many of the recommendations of a 10-member advisory group appointed by County Executive Robert R. Neall -- said they did so to avoid putting a divisive issue on the ballot that would pit paid firefighters against their volunteer counterparts.

A week ago Wednesday, county Fire Administrator Paul C. Haigley received barely polite applause from volunteer firefighters receiving training awards during a banquet in Odenton."

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.

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.

Anne Arundel would be a slightly less beautiful place if the County Council adopts a package of budget cuts that also takes special aim at the few initiatives sought by County Executive Robert R. Neall.County Auditor Joseph Novotny recommended yesterday that the council cut almost $6.1 million (less than 1 percent) from Neall's proposed $616.6 million fiscal 1992 budget.Novotny, who advises the council on the county budget, recommended that lawmakers all but eliminate beautification programs.