Citizens of 2nd & 9th Districts: potential changes to your local Fire/EMS Station

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POSTED ON BEHALF OF Concerned Citizens of 2nd and 9th Districts...

In early June, we sent a letter concerning the potential for a Co 6 Fire/EMS station supported by a maximum tax increase request. Here is some additional information we would like to share with you.

The Co 6 webpage has a donation request to fund a new Fire/EMS station with restricted funds donated by the community. Unfortunately, they do not state what the monetary goal of this public solicitation is to provide. It is unknown if they are trying to collect enough money for the entire new Fire/EMS station or for a certain percentage of the estimated construction cost? Donation activity provided for that restricted account, could be interpreted as to giving them a vote of confidence on the need for a maximum tax rate increase.

Based on the FY2018 budget submittal to the county, Co 6 collected $555,112 from fire and rescue taxes at the current rates for fiscal year 2016. Their estimation for the cost of the new building as submitted is $8.0 million and their stated goal is to provide a facility to meet the needs of the community for the next 50 years. In order to compensate for increased spending, they are not only requesting public donations, they have indicated that they are going to request a Fire and Rescue tax increase in the FY 2019 budget. However, these are proposed/estimated and not actual numbers.

According to their Capital Improvement portion of the budget submitted, the justification for the new Fire/EMS station, states that that the current location of the proposed building is centrally located to 90% of EMS and 96% percent of Fire calls. Based on their FY2018 budget submittal to the county for call statistics during fiscal year 2016, there were 951 ems calls in the area/district with 348 outside of the area/district. That would equate to 1299 total ems calls of which only 73% of calls were in the area/district? They reported a total of 258 fire calls in the area with a total of 158 calls outside the area in FY2016. That equates to 416 total calls with only 62% being in the area/district? Clearly the justification to remove the Chingville satellite station was skewed to favor the new Fire/EMS station at the Valley Lee location.

However, in the FY2018 budget submitted to the county, Co 6 submitted a Capital Purchase Plan that includes purchasing land for a Chingville Station in the Fiscal Year 2021 for $ 750,000. If a satellite station is not required, why is it being proposed as a Capital Improvement? Also, if they are going to maximize the tax increase for a new Fire/EMS station, how can they afford to purchase the land for a substation?

If concerned or have any questions, please contact the Concerned Citizens of 2nd and 9th Districts at concerncitizens2and9district@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Concernedcitizensof2ndand9thdistrict-St-Marys-County-1572519312789805/
 

stgislander

Well-Known Member
PREMO Member
I'm surprised they're not raising funds for their new (?) boat. There's been a 25-27' SAFE boat seen parked on the premises and hitched behind one of the company trucks. No outboards or fire monitor mounted.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
I wonder if they'll be better able to handle a chimney fire after getting an 8 million dollar building.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
Their fancy hi-tech thermal equipment didn't find any fire before they left... the first time. :razz:

Yet the palm of my hand against the wall did. I just didn't follow my gut. Stupidest thing I ever did was to walk away from the house after that, with a sick worried feeling... ;-(
 

NTNG

Member
Friend of mine said they were working to get a RIB boat from the Navy out of Norfolk. Apparently civic organizations can obtain stuff like that before they are sent to DRMO auction.
 

stgislander

Well-Known Member
PREMO Member
Friend of mine said they were working to get a RIB boat from the Navy out of Norfolk. Apparently civic organizations can obtain stuff like that before they are sent to DRMO auction.

If that SAFE boat I saw is what they got from surplus, I hope they keep the engine power low and do A LOT of training. They can be dangerous if not handled properly.
 

besidemyself

New Member
The boat did come from navy surplus, stripped. It's up to CO6 to outfit it. From what I've heard it's not in the budget, wonder what is going to suffer.
 

besidemyself

New Member
While your wondering, notice how many blue and white ambulances have been in the valley lately? Ever wonder how they plan on making the payments on an $8 million loan since the addition that is very seldom used, isn't paid for yet? Then there's the ever diminishing numbers of members showing up for calls? But that heart, I'm sure that a new building will make everyone come back,,,,,, and the world flat.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
While your wondering, notice how many blue and white ambulances have been in the valley lately? Ever wonder how they plan on making the payments on an $8 million loan since the addition that is very seldom used, isn't paid for yet? Then there's the ever diminishing numbers of members showing up for calls? But that heart, I'm sure that a new building will make everyone come back,,,,,, and the world flat.

So what local Second VFD genius is so enamored of a new Taj Mahal when the unit cannot even put out the most basic fires and has a reputation only as "foundation savers"?

And hell..when they showed up to take my father-in-law out of his house, - love them ancient drivers they have that I do, were it not for them we'd have nothing, and I know every one of 'em - the only way we even got him out of the house was me and another younger local fella doing all the heavy lifting.
 
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officeguy

Well-Known Member
And hell..when they showed up to take my father-in-law out of his house, - love them ancient drivers they have that I do, were it not for them we'd have nothing, ...

Oh, you would have something. Either EMS contracted to someone like AMR or ambulances driven by county employees (at substantial cost to the taxpayer).
 

black dog

Free America
If that SAFE boat I saw is what they got from surplus, I hope they keep the engine power low and do A LOT of training. They can be dangerous if not handled properly.

They cant seem to keep trucks on the road and wear seat belts to keep them from being ejected why would they bother to train to operate a silly boat?
I'm betting it ends up with a pair of 200 hp welfare motors on it.
 

black dog

Free America
Oh, you would have something. Either EMS contracted to someone like AMR or ambulances driven by county employees (at substantial cost to the taxpayer).

But yet so many other counties in Md have paid Fire,EMS departments.
I live in a city of less than 5,000 folks, The average property tax is less than 600 bucks a year. But we seem to be able to afford a paid Fire Department / EMT. And none of there equipment is junk.
 

officeguy

Well-Known Member
But yet so many other counties in Md have paid Fire,EMS departments.

So many ? PG is a hybrid department, MoCo is a hybrid, AACo is a hybrid...... and all of them pay more on a per square mile basis than the counties that are still fully volunteer.

I'll readily admit that we have way too much equipment and taj mahals for fire stations in SoMD. Some of the least active departments have the most elaborate stations. Yet at the end of the day, the annual mortgage on a 5 mil fire station is about what it costs to hire three career firefighters. To staff an engine 24/7 you need about 8 FTEs. So even if you stick the career people in a two-bay quonset with a container for housing, you are still going to spend multiples of a volunteer system. PG is a good example of that. They are up to almost 200mil per year for fire protection, 80% of that is eaten by career personnel salaries and disability payments.

I live in a city of less than 5,000 folks, The average property tax is less than 600 bucks a year. But we seem to be able to afford a paid Fire Department / EMT. And none of there equipment is junk.

You keep repeating that like it matters.
 

black dog

Free America
You keep repeating that like it matters.


You keep acting like volunteers are the shizzle and have skin in the game like career Fireman. How about a fully volunteer Police Dept?
It certainly matters, We have both here in Indiana, But volunteer departments are in rural and very small towns that mostly are not even manned until the alarm is sounded.
Certainly Mechanicsville, Hollywood and Lexington Park should have a paid Fire Dept. And the same for Dunkirk, Prince Frederick and the Ranch Club / Solomons.

and so many?? lets start with Baltimore, Bethesda, Bowie, Columbia, Dundalk, Ellicott City, Gathersburg, Germantown, Potomac, Rockville, Silver Spring, Towson and Waldorf all have paid depts.
 
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officeguy

Well-Known Member
and so many?? lets start with Baltimore, Bethesda, Bowie, Columbia, Dundalk, Ellicott City, Gathersburg, Germantown, Potomac, Rockville, Silver Spring, Towson and Waldorf all have paid depts.

You seem to know very little about the fire service in MD.
 

nutz

Well-Known Member
While your wondering, notice how many blue and white ambulances have been in the valley lately? Ever wonder how they plan on making the payments on an $8 million loan since the addition that is very seldom used, isn't paid for yet? Then there's the ever diminishing numbers of members showing up for calls? But that heart, I'm sure that a new building will make everyone come back,,,,,, and the world flat.

Quit being a bitter pill. If you think you have so much to offer, go volunteer your time at the station and become part of the solution.
 

nutz

Well-Known Member
You keep acting like volunteers are the shizzle and have skin in the game like career Fireman. How about a fully volunteer Police Dept?
It certainly matters, We have both here in Indiana, But volunteer departments are in rural and very small towns that mostly are not even manned until the alarm is sounded.
Certainly Mechanicsville, Hollywood and Lexington Park should have a paid Fire Dept. And the same for Dunkirk, Prince Frederick and the Ranch Club / Solomons.

and so many?? lets start with Baltimore, Bethesda, Bowie, Columbia, Dundalk, Ellicott City, Gathersburg, Germantown, Potomac, Rockville, Silver Spring, Towson and Waldorf all have paid depts.

Waldorf is still (unfortunately) part of Charles County, Charles County is an all volunteer service. MICu is still volunteer based. However, various fire dept.'s do rent space and equipment to the Charles County Emergency Medical Services.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
Quit being a bitter pill. If you think you have so much to offer, go volunteer your time at the station and become part of the solution.

Brings up the fundamental question though: What will an expensive new building do to enhance their readiness, skills, responses and performance?
 
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