2022 ANNUAL REPORT-Final

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MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

On behalf of the men and women of the Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services (DFRS), it is my pleasure to present the Division’s annual report for Calendar Year 2022. Our annual report highlights the many activities and accomplishments of the Division over the last year and profiles the outstanding work of the men and women who provide your fire and rescue services. In 2022, our volunteer and career personnel answered 37,975 calls for emergency service, an average of 104 emergency responses per day. This level of operational tempo requires our organization to maintain a high state of readiness, which is accomplished through regular inspection and testing of our apparatus and equipment, as well as regular training to exercise the technical knowledge and skills of our personnel. These efforts ensure the provision of the high-quality emergency service response that our citizens deserve.

Thomas E. Coe

Chief

As in years past, 2022 was a very active year for our Fire/Rescue system. We were able to open the new Northgate Fire Station on June 21 st . The new 18,700 square

foot facility located at 37 Thomas Johnson Drive has vastly improved response times in the rapidly growing area of northern Frederick City and the surrounding communities. This facility also allowed for the consolidation of our technical rescue team. The Northgate Fire Station is staffed by 8 staff members 24 hours a day seven days a week and houses an engine, ambulance, ALS chase car, Battalion Chief, EMS Supervisor, technical rescue vehicles as wel l as the county’s new mobile command and communications unit. Following a structure fire which occurred on August 11, 2021, on Ball Road which resulted in the loss of Battalion Chief Josh Laird in the line of duty, an external review panel was assembled to conduct a thorough, transparent, and honest review of the incident. The panel was charged with gathering relevant facts and information to assess all factors that contributed to the outcome of the Ball Road Incident. The panel was asked to make recommendations on systemic changes and measures needed to prevent or minimize the impact of future similar events. On August 26 th the External Safety Review Panel Report was released and included 137 recommendations related to operational, procedural, and organizational processes within the Frederick County Fire Service. Since the release of the report, staff have been hard at work to directly address each recommendation made by the external safety review panel. In September, we received word that Frederick County was awarded a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant through the Department of Homeland Security. The $8.5 million dollar grant will pay 100% of the salary and benefits for 32 firefighters for three years. The 32 firefighters represent the first step of a multi-step plan to implement 4-person minimum staffing on fire engines, rescue squads and aerial apparatus. Four-person minimum staffing was a major recommendation that was made in the Ball Road report and the award of this grant helped move that recommendation forward. Also, in 2022 Frederick County completed its quinquennial Public Protection Classification (PPC) Survey completed by the Insurance Services Office (ISO). The PPC Program plays an important role in the underwriting process at insurance companies. The PPC survey evaluates several components of a jurisdiction’s response to fire re lated emergencies to include their 911 system, fire/recue staffing, training, response times and water supply. I am proud to say that Frederick County made major improvements to their PPC rating, and more information on this topic can be found within our annual report. The men and women of our Division remain focused on our mission of providing the best fire and emergency medical services possible to our community. I could not be more proud of the level of dedication and professionalism they display on a daily basis.

Chief Thomas E. Coe, Director