2022 ANNUAL REPORT-Final

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COUNTY EXECUTIVE JESSICA FITZWATER

The dedicated men and women of the Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services (DFRS) are committed and courageous public servants who put themselves in harm’s way to keep our community safe. They provide excellent service every day to the people who live and work in Frederick County. 2022 was a year of growth for the division. We expanded our capabilities with a record-setting three new classes of firefighter recruits, a paramedic class, and our Mobile Community Healthcare Program added staff. We secured a federal SAFER grant totaling $8.5 million, which will allow us to hire an additional 32 firefighters so we can begin to transition to four-person staffing on fire apparatus.

Jessica Fitzwater

County Executive

The long-awaited Northgate Fire Station opened in June 2022 near the intersection of Monocacy Boulevard and US 15. This station provides greatly needed access to the northwest side of the City of Frederick and the surrounding area. Open for a little more than six months in 2022, the station handled over 2,000 calls. In August 2022, DFRS started the difficult task of implementing recommendations made by an external safety review board following the Ball Road fire that took the life of Battalion Chief Joshua Laird. The review board’s report included 137 recommendations to improve our fire service and make incidents as safe as possible for our career and volunteer firefighters. A significant portion of Frederick County’s American Rescue Plan allocation was invested in the division to address nearly three dozen of the review panel’s recommendations. The funds were used to secure additional training, improve markings on equipment and apparatus, purchase 55 additional thermal cameras and antidote kits, which can reverse the effects of smoke inhalation, improve communications, and create a more robust Health and Safety Office within the Division. Operational policies continue to be updated, and an intensive training program is underway to ensure everyone understands the new policies. We are committed to reducing our risk of future tragic events. Recognizing the sacrifices that our emergency responders made throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we dedicated a COVID-19 memorial at Utica District Park that honors our health care heroes and essential workers. Keeping our community safe is a fundamental role of county government. The firefighters/EMTs and paramedics in Frederick County are among the best in the State of Maryland. They deliver a high level of care, saving lives and protecting property.

As County Executive, I am proud of the work DFRS does every day. The people of Frederick County are grateful to the dedicated men and women who keep our community safe.

Jessica Fitzwater County Executive