Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services

The Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services provides fire protection, rescue, and emergency medical services to Howard County, Maryland.[1]

Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services
Operational area
Country United States
State Maryland
County Howard
Agency overview[1]
Employees~900
StaffingCareer & Volunteer
Fire chiefLouis Winston
EMS levelALS
Facilities and equipment[2]
Battalions3
Stations14
Engines25
Trucks3
Platforms4
Squads4
Ambulances19
Tenders5
HAZMAT1
Website
Official website

History

On July 10, 1888, Ellicott City citizens formed The Volunteer Fire Company of Ellicott City No. 1. On August 24, 1888, authorization was granted to purchase a hand-drawn ladder wagon from the Charles T. Holloway Company, Baltimore, Maryland. The wagon arrived on October 5, 1888, and was based in the old foundry. The first firehouse built in Ellicott City was constructed in 1896 with a cupola to house a firebell donated by the B&O railroad to summon firemen.[3]

In 1924, the Howard County Volunteer Fireman's Association was formed operating out of a new combination firehouse and transit terminal on Main street in Ellicott City with an $10,500 600 gallon American LaFrance triple combination engine.[4] Insurance agent Benjamin Mellor became the first fire chief serving until 1934.[5] In April 1940, a new fire station was dedicated in Ellicott City.[6]

On 18 April 1959, the Central Alarm went into operation in an office above the Ellicott City Jail.[7]

In 1991, the department implemented a customer service program, more commonly found in the commercial industry.[8] In 1996, Fire Chief Joseph Herr is replaced by Bill Goddard.[9] In 2014 the criteria for contingent firefighters that supplement volunteer stations without benefits changed to require the same qualifications as career staff, promoting the departure of 33 of 34 contingent staff primarily from Lisbon and West Friendship.[10]

Stations & Apparatus
Truck 6
Engine 111
Station 3 West Friendship VFD 12535 Old Frederick Road
Station 6 Savage Volunteer Fire Company 8521 Corridor Road
Station 7 5815 Banneker Road Columbia, Maryland
Bethany Station 8 9601 Old Frederick Road

There are a total of 13 stations under the umbrella of the department, 5 of which are fully county staffed. The remaining 7 are career/volunteer combination stations. These firehouses are staffed with a combination of both paid personnel and volunteers.[1] The volunteer departments, which are marked below with a V are as follows:

  • Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department - Station 1[11]
  • Ellicott City Volunteer Fire Department - Stations 2 & 8[12]
  • West Friendship Volunteer Fire Department - Station 3[13]
  • Lisbon Volunteer Fire Company - Station 4[14]
  • Fifth District Volunteer Fire Department Clarksville - Station 5[15]
  • Savage Volunteer Fire Department - Station 6[16]
Fire Station Number City Engine Companies or Engine-Tanker Company Squad Company, Tower Company, Truck Company or Rescue Engine Company Paramedic, Ambulance or EMS Units Brush Units Chief Units Special Units
1V ElkridgeEngine 11, Engine 12 Squad 1Paramedic 15
Ambulance 16		Brush 18Chief 1, Chief 1A, Chief 1BUtility 1, Utility 1A, Utility 1B, ATV1S, ATV1M [11]
2V Ellicott CityEngine 21, Engine 22 Tower 2
Squad 2		Paramedic 25
Ambulance 26		Brush 27Battalion Chief 2, Chief 2, Chief 2A, Chief 2BUtility 2, Utility 2A, Utility 2B, Water rescue 2, Boat 2 [12]
3V West FriendshipEngine 31, Engine 32 Tower 3Paramedic 35
Ambulance 36		Brush 37, Brush 38Chief 3, Chief 3A, Chief 3B Tankers 3, Tanker 34 [13]
4V LisbonEngine 41, Engine 42, Engine-Tanker 44 Rescue Engine 4Paramedic 45,

Ambulance 46

 Brush 47, Brush 48Chief 4, Chief 4A, Chief 4B Utility 4, Utility 4A, Utility 4B [14]
5V ClarksvilleEngine 51, Engine 52 Squad 5Paramedic 55
Paramedic 56		Brush 58Tanker 5, Utility 5, Dive 5, Boat 5, Bariatric 5 [15]
6V SavageEngine 61, Engine 62 Truck 6, Squad 6Paramedic 65
Ambulance 66		Brush 68Chief 6, Chief 6A, Chief 6BUtility 6, Canteen 6 [16]
7 ColumbiaEngine 71 Truck 7Paramedic 75, Ambulance 76 Utility 7 [2]
8V BethanyEngine 81, Engine 82 Paramedic 85, Ambulance 86,

EMS 2

 Brush 87Chief 8BAir Unit 17, Utility 8, MAB 13,

MAB Support Trailer

 [12]
9 Long ReachEngine 91 Paramedic 95,
Ambulance 96, EMS 1		Brush 97 Battalion Chief 1Safety 1, Utility 9, Public Education Unit [2]
10 Rivers ParkEngine 101 Tower 10Paramedic 105, Reserve Ambulance 106 Special Operations

Battalion Chief 10

 Transport 10, Transport 12, Utility 10,

Water Rescue 10, Boat 10, ATV10

 [2]
11 ScaggsvilleEngine 111 Paramedic 115 Tanker 11, Boat 11, Decon 13, Utility 11 [2]
13 GlenwoodEngine 131 Paramedic 135 Brush 137EMS/Battalion Chief 3Tanker 13, Utility 13 [2]
14 ColumbiaEngine 141 Paramedic 145 Utility 14, ATV14 [2]

References
  1. "About Us". Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  2. "Fire and Rescue Services". Howard County Fire. Archived from the original on 6 July 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  3. Marsha Wight Wise. Ellicott City. p. 92.
  4. Marsha Wight Wise. Ellicott City. p. 94.
  5. "Ellicott City Covered County Many Years". The Times (Ellicott City). 31 March 1965.
  6. Louise Vest (7 April 2015). "Historic home in Elkridge destroyed by 1940 fire". The Baltimore Sun.
  7. "Center for Emergencies". The Times. 31 March 1965.
  8. Darl R. McBride, Howard County. Fire and Rescue Services (1993). A Customer Service Program for the Howard County, Maryland Fire and Rescue Department.
  9. Amanda Yeager (21 November 2014). "Howard fire chief resigns". The Baltimore Sun.
  10. Amanda Yeager (10 July 2014). "Howard County fire contingent ranks drop to one". The Baltimore Sun.
  11. "Apparatus". Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department.
  12. "Apparatus". Ellicott City Volunteer Fire Department. Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  13. "Apparatus". West Friendship Volunteer Fire Department. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  14. "Apparatus". Lisbon Volunteer Fire Company. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  15. "Apparatus". Fifth District Volunteer Fire Department Clarksville. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  16. "Apparatus". Savage Volunteer Fire Department. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
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