Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services

Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services

Operational area
Country	United States
State	Maryland
County	Howard
Agency overview[1]
Employees	~900
Staffing	Career & Volunteer
Fire chief	John Butler
EMS level	ALS
IAFF	2000
Facilities and equipment[2]
Battalions	2
Stations	12
Engines	25
Trucks	3
Platforms	4
Squads	3
Ambulances	19
Tenders	5
HAZMAT	1
Website
Official website
IAFF website

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

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 12 stations under the umbrella of the department, 5 of which are run by the county. The remaining 7 are volunteer stations staffed by county employees and supplemented by corporate volunteers.^[1] The volunteer departments, which are marked below with a V are as follows:

• Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department - Station 1^[11]
• Ellicott City Volunterr 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]

	City	Engine	Truck	EMS	Wildland	Command	Special
1V	Elkridge	Engine 11, Engine 13		Medic 15 Medic 16	Brush 18	Chief 1	Squad 1, Utility 1	[11]
2V	Ellicott City	Engine 21, Engine 22	Tower 2	Medic 25 Medic 26	Brush 27	Chief 2	Squad 2, Utility 2	[12]
3V	West Friendship	Engine 31, Engine 32	Tower 3	Medic 35 Medic 36	Brush 38	Chief 3	Utility 3, Utility 31 Tanker 3, Tanker 34	[13]
4V	Lisbon	Engine 41, Engine 42 Engine 43, Engine 44		Medic 45	Brush 47 Brush 48		Utility 4	[14]
5V	Clarksville	Engine 51, Engine 52 Engine 54		Medic 55 Medic 56	Brush 58		Tanker 5, Squad 5 Utility 5, Dive 5, Boat 5	[15]
6V	Savage	Engine 61, Engine 62 Rescue Engine 6	Truck 6	Medic 65 Medic 66	Brush 68	Chief 6	Utility 6, Canteen 6	[16]
7	Columbia	Engine 71, Engine 72	Truck 7	Medic 75	Brush 77			[2]
8V	Ellicott City	Engine 81, Engine 82		Medic 85 Medic 86	Brush 87	Chief 2	Air Unit 17, Utility 8	[12]
9	Long Reach	Engine 91, Engine 92		Medic 95 Medic 96				[2]
10	Rivers Park	Engine 101	Tower 10	Medic 105			Special Operations	[2]
11	Scaggsville	Engine 111		Medic 115			Tanker 11, Boat 11	[2]
13	Glenwood	Engine 131		Medic 135	Brush 137		Tanker 13	[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. 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. 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.

External links

• Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue
• Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department
• Ellicott City Volunteer Fire Department
• West Friendship Volunteer Fire Department
• Lisbon Volunteer Fire Company
• Fifth District Volunteer Fire Department, Clarksville
• Savage Volunteer Fire Company