From Harford County government:
Harford County Executive David R. Craig has announced plans to withdraw Harford County Bill No. 12-18 which is currently pending before the Harford County Council. The bill, if enacted, would have established in the Harford County Code a Harford County Fire and EMS Commission, an advisory body to examine fire and EMS related matters and provide recommendations to the County Executive regarding such issues.
County Executive Craig issued the following statement regarding his decision to withdraw the bill:
“As County Executive I have a responsibility to the citizens of Harford County to ensure that our public safety, fire and EMS services are provided to our citizens and that our emergency network system is properly prepared to answer calls for help.
During 2008 and 2009, we commissioned a study, in cooperation with the Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS Association, of the county’s all-volunteer fire and EMS service. The purpose of the “Fire Study” was to serve as a Master Plan in preparing our county and fire service to meet the growing demands for service.
One of the key recommendations from the Fire Study was to create a Fire and EMS Commission to serve as an advisory body to the County Executive. The Commission would review various fire and EMS related matters and make recommendations to the County Executive and Administration as to best practices that should be considered, as well as work to ensure that our volunteer fire and EMS service remains a viable organization for years to come.
In February 2011, I established by Executive Order the Harford County Fire and EMS Commission to carry out the duties as prescribed in the Fire Study. At that time, the leadership and certain members of the fire service community took issue with the Commission and chose to fight the Administration on the need for the Commission.
Last month we moved forward to establish the Fire and EMS Commission into law and almost immediately came under criticism from some segments of the fire service and other elected officials for trying to do that which was recommended in the Fire Study. I find these actions to be ill-advised and without merit.
There are currently 12 other counties in the State of Maryland with a Fire Commission, including several of the “Big 7” counties.
Leaders of the Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS Association have worked hard to defeat Harford County Bill No. 12-18, rather than work with the Administration to better serve the public’s interest. Why? The answer is quite clear – to preserve their own self-interests and a desire on the part of some to maintain the status quo. To me, the status quo of our fire and EMS service is unacceptable!
An advisory body such as the Harford County Fire and EMS Commission should not be a threat to anyone. Those who oppose such a Commission are not acting in the best interest of public safety, but rather political safety. Our taxpayers deserve better.
The days of county government standing on the sidelines with respect to public safety by simply writing a check to the Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS Association and saying “good luck” are over! The Office of the County Executive and the County Council have a fiduciary responsibility to ensure there are benchmarks and performance measures in place for the fire and EMS service. This is no different than what we expect from other departments or agencies of County Government, the Sheriff’s Office or Board of Education.
The issues unveiled in the Fire Study, including the subsequent 130 recommendations, are worthy of consideration and action by this Administration, the County Council and the Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS Association. It is our responsibility to see that change is made, not in word but in deed.
In the near future I will outline my plans for moving forward to address the myriad of issues related to fire and EMS service and overall public safety in Harford County. We have an obligation to provide the best service possible to the citizens of Harford County and will take the necessary steps to move forward to address this matter and ensure adequate public safety measures are in place.”
Well if this isn’t the pot calling the kettle…How about politicizing education Mr. Craig.
A Burbey post criticizing David Craig – it must be one of those days ending in Y!
Mr. Craig, all I can say is wow!
From my days as a kid walking my dog down Rt. 152 so he could get a rabies shot at the Joppa Magnolia Fire Hall, to my wedding reception at that location, to that Company beating on the door at my parents house within minutes of their development having been struck by a serious tornado, to the trips in the middle of the night JMVFC has made for my mother, this group of volunteers has done nothing but make this County and its citizens proud. I am sure the situation is the same for all the other great Companies around Harford.
Mr. Craig, how dare you politicize the county fire service! How dare you infer that they are compromising the safety of the citizens of this county! We know what the end game is; “you” want a government fire service, one that expands the size, scope, and reach of the Harford County government.
To our local Companies, please know there are countless citizens, whom you have selflessly helped at our darkest hour, who will stand with you to preserve your independence. We will follow this issue and stand with you against this bully at the appropriate time.
Wow!
So it sounds as though Harford’s “Dear Leader” is hell bent on his quest to grow government. Dissent will not be tolerated! It apears from reading that Dear Leader Craig commissioned another manufactured “study” which would arrive at a pre-determined outcome. How dare the volunteer fire EMS service questions the decrees of our Dear Leader. He’s issued and Executive Order!
Viewed from this perch it appears that Dear Leader Craig is determined to expand the size & scope of government in Harford while feigning concern for public safety. It is clear that Craig wants control of the cash these companies raise to fund thier operations. To hear Dear Leader’s rant it would appear the fire & EMS service in Harford is absolutely third world in its abilities & service.
Unfortunately, it appears the volunteer fire / EMS companies have run smack up against the ambition of Dear Leader & his quest to be Governor. The message to the our volunteers is “Resistance is futile. You will assimilate!” It is an open secret that Craig’s ultimate goal is a government run fire & EMS service that the Dear Leader can control & grow.
To our volunteer fire / EMS folks, I say stand fast. We are with you. Your independence is worth something & we will support you. As the Good Witch of the North Glenda said to Dorothy, “Stay tight inside those boots! There must be something very powerful in them or else he would not want them so badly!”
Resist.
Craig is clearly trying to use this Fire Commission to give himself cover to hire some more chronies into county jobs as part of the Craig friends and family jobs program…to use run down our Fire& EMS service to get there is shameful…to say the least.
Dave, I am stunned by your remarks about the Harford County Fire and EMS groups. What a slap in their collective faces! As one who has no connection to any of the aforementioned groups, I am offended by your remarks, and I am quite sure that the members of every Fire and EMS group in the nation, not just Harford County, would be too! How dare you tell them to fall in line with your executive order, just because you made it. Seems as though you, as well as others, have forgotten that little remembered “Right” in that little thing called THE CONSTITUTION that says that anyone has the “RIGHT” to express their opinion, even if it differs from yours. Are we getting a bit high handed in our quest for higher office, thinking we can bully those who oppose us? What happened to acting for the public good, not just the good of those we chose?
If it means joining one of the Fire and EMS companies in order to have a say in this matter, I just might do it. I think that 32 years as a medic and a degree in Fire Science would give me the credibility I need. Think so Dave? Or would you be afraid that I might take over your so called authority over the Fire and EMS companies???
Who’s Dave?
David “DAVE” Craig??? Ring a bell?
Congratulations to Mr. Craig for having the courage to begin this dialogue.
No one questions the valuable service the fire companies and ambulance corps provide. I cannot fail to mention the personal sacrifice offered by the volunteers and their families.
However,they have become the sacred cows no one dares question. The voting block they provide shatters anyone’s will to challenge even the slightest point the membership might raise or bring to the table when conferring with local governments.
I am a contibutor and supporter of my local fire company and will remain so. I will call upon that local company when in need but I do feel it is important for all services to include, fire, police ambulance and other governmental services who serve the population to continually evolve for that public good.
I am saddened that this bill is being withdrawn. I am a person who is very familiar with the volunteer service. It unfortunately is not what it used to be and leaves a lot to be desired. The leadership has created an environment that allows them to reign as kings with no oversight and that is not a good thing for the citizens of this county. Mr Craig thank you for attempting to try to tackle this seemingly insurmountable hurdle and shame and the council and the association for yet again doing nothing for the betterment of the harford county fire service.
Mr. Craig,
Your comments are backhanded and unfounded. The Harford County Fire and EMS Association has worked to provide the finest service to the residents of Harford County at a cost to the residents that is significantly less than any other County in Maryland. Killing this Bill is contradicts the experessed goals of the Volunteer association. As you attempt to increase the County government with your own croanies, you should also let the citizens know that the cost of these services to the taxpayer will easily triple. What a slap in the face to those tireless men and women who volunteer to keep all of Harford County safe. Let’s stand with our volunteers.
Thank you Mr. Craig. This is something that needed doing along time ago. The only people complaining are the firemen that don’t want anyone to mess with their private clubs. How can these people call themselves volunteers when the receive a gift card every time they make a EMS call. No wonder they are crying.
This makes it pretty clear that there are people out there who are not very knowledgable when it comes to Volunteer Fire Company business. First of all, most volunteers do it to help the neighbors. I know many volunteers who devote many hours of their free time each month to keep their company organized and ready to serve YOU, in your time of need. The next time you see one cut a victim out of a wrecked car, or performs cpr on a mutilated hit and run victim, remember to ask them how important a $20 gift card is to them.
Or see them unnecessarily call for MSP Medevac because they are ill preprared or too scared to handle it themselves….
I was surprised to learn the county pays some kind of retirement benefit to vfcs and that the county had to kick in for a $400 million shortfall. If the vfcs take county money then there should be oversight by the county. We’re too big a population now to keep things status quo. I was amused by one of the vfc personnel who testified before the county council saying basically he should be on the advisory board because he’d been a vfc for 40 years – put him on the board because he’s lasted a long time, so what. You don’t have to be preganant to know it hurts and you don’t have to be a long time vfc to have knowledge of how to manage delivery of services to the public. There should be no sacred cows when it comes to public safety but there also should be no more political appointments where sons in law, etc are given nice salary county jobs. There has to be a decent answer in the middle. Some of these places like Susquehanna Hose with the perks HdeG throws in are kind of sweet rides, maybe they deserve them, but not without county oversight if you take any county bucks.
Harford has grown considerably in the last few years, a professional fire service, augmented with volunteers, is probably a good idea.
This issue should have been dealt with years ago but it was tabled and tabled and tabled time after time after time. I moved up here with my family in 2001 and joined the local fire company in my community after being a member of a Baltimore County Volunteer Fire Company for years. The company I was at in Baltimore County was on “dual dispatch” due to poor response for the engine. This meant that another engine was always coming to help if we didnt get out the door. There have been countless times that I have witnessed a surrounding company in Harford County passing right by a firehouse full of equipment and firefighters but that had no driver???? Think about the fire at Rt 7 and Abingdon road about 5 years ago.It is time for the county to protect its citizens, create a fire and ems comission and quit the politics at its best. The volunteers will still be in this picture and need to work together to support a hybrid fire suppression system.
Havre De Grace Hose companies have become a per se street gang. They control the Council. They make the Mayor quake and public employees shutter.
Lets start by getting the beer machines out of the fire houses then the debate can begin. If tax payers are going to pay stipends to volunteers, then we deserve accountability. Where are the tax advocates.
I have been both a career and a volunteer firefighter and chief over a 30+ year career in the Maryland Fire Service. In the essence of sparing myself and those I know on both sides, my name will be left out. Guys, I know you do a great job, but you need help and you know it. I’m not sure Craig is saying that he’s going to take anything away from you. I think he wants to add to the service in addition to ensuring oversight of funds. Yes, there will be some changes that will be painful, but like or ot not, this will happen at some level sooner or later. Keep up the good work.
Thoughtful and well said remarks. 30 plus. Thank you
The services in Hazard County (Harford) need revamped. The days of mom and pop fire departments are long gone. This system is old and has gone untouched for way too long.
It’s obviously going to be a knife in the gut with the local volunteers but for the citizens a newly developed emergency service division needs to be put in place immediately !
Career firefighters and paramedics under a county Fire Dept needs to happen. The volunteers can still supplement career crews but the county has been handing out money to the VFDs for way too long now for the “so so” service.
It’s 2012 people! And you live in an area that is too much for volunteer corps both in staffing and administration. Come out from under the rock!!!!
It’s only going to help the citizens. !!!!
I’ve moved back and forth from Harford County to Baltimore County my entire life so i know harford county pretty well. Over the 36 years of my life i’ve seen harford co. more then triple in population! In those 36 years i cant think i’ve seen 1 (ONE) volunteer station originate… Also, I should mention I started in a volunteer station when I was 18 an fell in love with it! Then I got in to BCoFD were I’ve been for years. As well as continue to volunteer. Furthermore Im involved with Maryland Fire Rescue Institute in Edgewood. Because of my involvement in the fire servicess I know there are several volunteer station throughout harford county that sometimes have horrible response times (sorry folks in harford county, it’s true)… That can not happen! Emergencies can’t & don’t wait for firefighters to stop whatever there doing, get in there car, drives to there station, gear up and wait for enough people to get there which includes someone quilifed to drive the apparatus because 95% of volunteers aren’t qualified to drive it. Then if all goes well, there off to the emergency. And there ARE times when u cant respond… Meanwhile someone needs help! The truth of the matter is that every volunteer station deals with that! But the differace is that in all the surrounding county’s that have volunteer stations, there are career stations also! That HAVE to respond asap because thats what there paid to do!!! It’s not a bad idea to add career firefighters in harford county! The volunteers aren’t going anywhere, it’ll just be more help in a emergency situation! And as a Firefighter that is ALWAYS a good thing… Be safe!