Prior to 1970, Prince
George’s County’s Government consisted of elected Commissioners who
were charged with running the entire Government. In 1970, the
voters of Prince George’s County wanted change and voted in the
Charter Government style system that we know today. Part and parcel
of Charter Government was the creation/enactment of the Volunteer Fire
Commission. Some of the responsibilities of the Volunteer Fire
Commission include: preparing a budget for and the oversight of same
for the 37 Volunteer Fire Corporations/Companies (FY2012 budget is
$13,000,000) within the County. The current County Charter states
that the Volunteer Fire Commission will be elected by the members of
the 37 Volunteer Fire Companies. The Volunteer Fire Commission has
no control of the $118,000,000 that is budgeted for the Fire/EMS
Department run by the appointed Fire Chief (most of which goes for
payroll, benefits and OVERTIME).
WHAT IS CB-65?
Council Bill 65-2011
(CB-65) is the legislation proposed by the County Executive, and
approved in November 2011 by the Prince George’s County Council, that
changes the structure and membership composition of the Volunteer Fire
Commission. CB-65 states that the County
Executive (NOT THE VOTERS OF PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY) has the power to
reorganize the Volunteer Fire Commission and appoint County citizens
to the Commission. CB- 65 was passed behind closed doors without
input from the citizens of Prince George’s County or the leadership of
any of the 37 VOLUNTEER Fire Corporations.
HOW DOES CB-65 HELP THE RESIDENTS OF PRINCE GEORGE’S
COUNTY? IT DOESN’T! Volunteer Fire
and EMS personnel currently save County taxpayers $54 million
ANNUALLY. HOW? BY VOLUNTEERING their time. Currently, there are
1,600 VOLUNTEERS TRAINED TO OPERATE on the fire ground and/or on the
Ambulance and 770 career staff. VOLUNTEERS own 75% of the fire
stations and 80% of apparatus (with new apparatus being purchased
annually). Compare the $118 million to manage the career Fire/EMS
Department to the $13 million for the Volunteers to operate their
Departments on. If CB65 is allowed to stay in place, the $13 million
VOLUNTEER budget will be absorbed back into the general operating
budget managed by the newly appointed Fire Commission (with no
guarantees to the VOLUNTEERS for any funding). THIS NEW BUDGET WOULD
BE MANAGED BY THE APPOINTED FIRE CHIEF. So what will happen to the
VOLUNTEERS? How will they manage money that has not been designated
for their use? Who will advocate for the VOLUNTEERS in this new
system?
WHAT WILL THIS DO TO THE COUNTY BUDGET? As
stated, the VOLUNTEERS save the County money. How? By VOLUNTEERING.
Currently, the VOLUNTEERS staff most stations Monday through Friday
3:00pm to 7:00am, as well as Saturdays, Sundays, ALL HOLIDAYS and
furlough days. VOLUNTEERS, for years, have brought their annual
finances in under budget with the excess being absorbed back into the
County’s general operating budget. Remember why County employees are
being furloughed? LACK OF FUNDS. The VOLUNTEERS have consistently
come well within AND UNDER their budget and now the County Executive
is trying to do away with a system that has helped the TAXPAYERS year
after year. Ask yourself “WHY would they do that?” With the current
economic landscaping, how will the County be able to manage the
Fire/EMS Department with the same budget, personnel, apparatus
maintenance and limited VOLUNTEERS? Where will the money come from?
Well, it will come from you, the TAXPAYERS! The County’s hands will
once again reach into your pocket to make up the deficit that this
will bring.
CB
65 IS ABOUT CONTROL! Not what’s best for
the taxpayers or the communities that we serve, but how an
administration can take a system that has worked for years and
reorganize it on the word of one or two people that want to keep the
VOLUNTEERS under their thumb and under their control.
WE NEED YOUR HELP! By
signing our petition, you will be telling the County Executive, and
the County Council that this bill does not help you. It only helps
them to control the one system that isn’t about money! REPEAL CB-65!
Contact the elected leaders of Prince George’s County and let them
know it should be about a group of people that give to their
communities every day…OUR VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND EMT’s who work
for you because they are one of you. They live in your neighborhoods
and give their time to train and to keep you safe.
Please contact the County Executive and Council Members and voice your
displeasure on the attack of your local "volunteer" firefighters and
EMT's. Their contact information is listed below.
Contact Information:
County Executive Baker:
CountyExecutive@co.pg.md.us 301-952-4131
Mary Lehman, District 1:
CouncilDistrict1@co.pg.md.us 301-952-3887
Will Campos, District 2:
WACampos@co.pg.md.us 301-952-4436
Eric Olson, District 3:
EOlson@co.pg.md.us 301-952-3060
Ingrid Turner, District 4:
IMTurner@co.pg.md.us 301-952-3094
Andrea Harrison, District 5:
CouncilDistrict5@co.pg.md.us 301-952-3864
Derrick Davis, District 6:
CouncilDistrict6@co.pg.md.us 301-952-3426
Karen Toles, District 7:
KRToles@co.pg.md.us 301-952-3690
Obie Patterson, District 8:
CouncilDistrict8@co.pg.md.us 301-952-3860
Mel Franklin, District 9:
MFranklin@co.pg.md.us 301-952-3820
Return to top of page
or go directly to the Bunker Hill Fire
Station web site.