SNOW HILL– While improvements have been made, the county’s fire and EMS service continues to need more funding support.
Ocean City Fire Chief Richie Bowers outlined the challenges facing the county’s fire and EMS companies during a budget work session last week with the Worcester County Commissioners. He suggested the commissioners consider using some of the county’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to support fire and EMS in the coming year, as costs have increased over last year.
“I know you’ve committed a large amount of funds to broadband, which is certainly understandable here on the Eastern Shore, but if there’s anything that is still available that might be able to help support the fire and EMS service with equipment or staffing that would be very much appreciated for consideration there,” Bowers said.
Last year, Worcester County spent $9.3 million supporting fire and ambulance service. That figure is set to increase by 2.9% in the coming fiscal year. At last week’s budget meeting, Bowers, representing the fire and EMS service as a whole, outlined the challenges agencies face. Much of that is related to COVID-19, as the pandemic has impacted transport times, decontamination procedures and staffing levels.
“This has placed an enormous stress on staffing, the departments, the service as a whole,” he said.
He credited the county’s fire and EMS strategic planning work group with making some improvements, however.
“The return on investment has begun to address the unit availability for the first and second emergency 911 calls in that same response area, improved response times to incidents, and unit capacity in the fire and EMS service,” he said.
He said there were still issues but that the work group would continue to meet to develop solutions. The group will focus on identifying the funding needed to ensure there are second crews at all stations as well how to implement an apparatus replacement program. Other areas to be studied include training and recruitment/retention programs.
“We applaud the Worcester County Commissioners for their support, their understanding, their willingness to make investments into the critical areas of the fire and EMS service to better serve the residents and visitors of Worcester County,” Bowers said. “We stand united and we stand ready to serve and to continue to meet plan and invest in the Worcester County fire and EMS service.”
He added that West Ocean City continued to generate a growing number of calls and could use any support the county could provide.
“Our increased call load in West Ocean City and just on the island itself has risen 12% which equates to probably over 1,000-some calls,” Bowers said. “It’s really straining our resources as it relates to units being available not only in the town but also going in to West Ocean City. Any additional help there would be absolutely critical.”
Commissioner Chip Bertino asked about the status of audits the work group was expected to be setting up with the county’s fire companies.
“I don’t think we should be forgetting that those audits are a part of the request for additional funding,” Bertino said. “If the taxpayers are increasing allocations to fire companies I think we have a right to know what’s going on within those fire companies as far as their finances.”
Bowers said the companies had submitted their annual financial reports and were planning to work with the county as far as the audits once the county’s auditing firm launched the process.
