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SERVICE TO OTHERS. A HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT. A PROUD TRADITION. A NEED ARISES. July 10, 1888 the Volunteer Fire Company Of Ellicott City No.1 was formed only organized fire protection for Howard County until the 1930's
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SERVICE TO OTHERS A HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT A PROUD TRADITION
A NEED ARISES • July 10, 1888 • the Volunteer Fire Company Of Ellicott City No.1 was formed • only organized fire protection for Howard County until the 1930's • August 7, 1937 • Savage Volunteer Fire Company
A NEED ARISES • February 25, 1943 • Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department • September 4, 1944 • West Friendship Volunteer Firemen’s Association • October 26, 1944 • Lisbon Volunteer Fire Company • October 16, 1947 • Fifth District Volunteer Fire Department, Clarksville
A NEED ARISES • 1955 Legislative Session • Senate Bill 391 was passed by the Maryland General Assembly • allowed for a special district fire tax for Howard County. • developed the funding for the six volunteer fire departments in the County.
A NEED ARISES • 1959 • The all volunteer fire department was changed to one supplemented with paid personnel • Ellicott City Volunteer Firemen's Association hired its first paid firefighter on May 4, 1959. • Another firefighter was hired on a part time basis during that same year.
A NEED ARISES • 1968 • The Howard County Fire Department was established through legislative action • B. Harrison Shipley, Jr. was the first Fire Coordinator for the fire department appointed by the County Commissioners. • He served in that position until July 1971.
A NEED ARISES • May 17,1969 • Fifth District Volunteer Fire Department dedicated the Banneker Station • the first fire department in the new town of Columbia • became the seventh station in the County
CHARTER GOVERNMENT ARRIVES • 1969 • Howard County adopted Charter Form of Government • The three County Commissioners were replaced by a County Executive • Omar J. Jones was elected as the first Executive for Howard County
CHARTER GOVERNMENT ARRIVES • June 8, 1969 • County Executive Omar Jones, continued the position of Fire Coordinator for the Howard County Fire Department • 1971 • the Fire Coordinator’s title was changed to Fire Administrator • B. Harrison Shipley, Jr. continued to serve in this position
FIRE ADMINISTRATOR & CAREER FIRE SERVICE EVOLVE • Fire Service Study Committee of the Howard County Fire Advisory Board recommended to the County Executive that • a full time Fire Administrator be appointed • all employees of the volunteer departments be transferred into the Howard County Classified Service as public safety employees • Fire • Administrator operate a Volunteer Fire Service supplemented by full‑ time paid career trained personnel
FIRE ADMINISTRATOR & CAREER FIRE SERVICE EVOLVE • County Executive accepted the findings of this study and implemented these measures • May 3, 1971 • Paul F.J. LePore was appointed to this position. • He was charged with the overall administration, direction and control of the Fire Department
FIRE ADMINISTRATOR & CAREER FIRE SERVICE EVOLVE • 1971 the department's seven fire stations responded to 4,487 emergency incidents • There were 46 pieces of fire equipment in the County • fire service budget of $333,755 • The population of Howard County was approximately 62,000
FIRE ADMINISTRATOR & CAREER FIRE SERVICE EVOLVE • July 1, 1971 • 29 career employees were assigned to four of the six volunteer fire departments • These firefighters were transferred into the Howard County Classified Service as public safety employees • Today only one of these individuals is still in the system • Deputy Chief Richard Freas
CHARTER GOVERNMENT ARRIVES • July 1, 1974 • Ellicott City Volunteer Firemen's Association placed in service the Bethany Fire Station. Station 8 • became the 8th fire station in the County • October 5, 1974 • Savage Volunteer Fire Company dedicated the Long Reach Fire Station #9 • became the second fire department to be located in Columbia
A PERIOD OF TRANSITION • 1975 • the Fire Administrator, Paul F.J LePore, by administrative directive, divided the Department into three bureaus • Operations • Services • Fire Prevention
A PERIOD OF TRANSITION • Bureau of Operations • responsible for managing emergency services • including the career and volunteer fire fighters and emergency medical technicians • provides guidance and direction for day to day operational activities of the department • coordinates the capital budget for facilities and equipment
A PERIOD OF TRANSITION • Bureau of Services • responsible for training, testing and certification • both career and volunteer personnel • responsible for information systems, records management and duties of the quartermaster • operate from headquarters • provide training for career and volunteer personnel at headquarters, fire stations and other locations
A PERIOD OF TRANSITION • Bureau of Fire Prevention • administers county‑wide • fire prevention programs • code enforcement • fire lane designation • public safety education • plans review • departmental statistical analysis • assist the State Fire Marshall in fire investigations
A PERIOD OF TRANSITION • The Office of Emergency Management and Civil Defense • also the responsibility of the Department of Fire and Rescue • emphasizes disaster preparedness and coordination of the Federal Government Super‑Fund Amendments and Re‑Authorization Act(SARA)
THE BEGINNING OF ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT SERVICE • June of 1975 • The Department began advanced life support service • Ellicott City Volunteer Firemen's Association placed the first Cardiac Rescue Unit in service at Station 2 • the department appointed a qualified physician to serve as an EMS consultant • Savage Volunteer Fire Company placed an ALS unit in service in the fall of 1975
THE GROWING YEARS • 1979 • Paul F. J. Lepore retires • January 15, 1979 • B. Harrison Shipley, Jr. returned as the full time Fire Administrator • served in that position thru March 31, 1981
THE GROWING YEARS • 1979 • Banneker Station, Fire Station # 7, was transferred from the Fifth District Volunteer Fire Department to the Howard County Fire Department • first career operated fire station in the County
THE GROWING YEARS • 1981 • the Department was serving a population of 125,187 • responded to 10,781 emergency incidents that year • Combination department of 90 career and 376 volunteers
THE GROWING YEARS • April 1, 1981 • Robert Moore was appointed the third Fire Administrator • administering a budget of $3,427,845 • he served until April1, 1983 • May 9, 1981, Medic 1 placed in service • Captain Donald Howell(augmented Lisbon and other units to ALS)
THE GROWING YEARS • August 11, 1983 • William H. Austin became the fourth Fire Administrator • Served until August 2,1985
THE GROWING YEARS • 1985 • Richard W. Shaw became the fifth Fire Administrator • served until March 31, 1991 • the first Fire Administrator to have served as both a career and volunteer firefighter in Howard County
THE GROWING YEARS • May 18, 1987 • SOP was issued for all departments to discontinue riding on the rear step • October 31, 1987 • Rivers Park Station was dedicated • It was the tenth fire station in the County • Station is located in the Village of Kings Contrivance.
THE GROWING YEARS • Spring of 1987 • a position of Emergency Medical Services Coordinator was established by the Fire Administrator. • Fall of 1987 • position was retitled as EMS Officer and became a Division under the Bureau of Operations
THE GROWING YEARS • 1988 • a change to the Charter resulted in a title change from Fire Administrator toDirector. • The name of the Department was also changed to the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services. • The operational concept for the Department shifted to one of career firefighters supplemented by volunteers
THE GROWING YEARS • 1989 • Communications, which had previously been under the operation of the Fire Administrator, was moved to the Department of General Services
THE GROWING YEARS • April of 1991 • Darl R. McBride became the sixth Director of Fire and Rescue Services • formerly of the Washington D.C. Fire Department • brought the team building and effective delivery system concepts to the Department
THE GROWING YEARS • July 1,1991 • the Long Reach and Rivers Park Fire Stations were transferred to the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services from the Savage Volunteer Fire Company. • Three fire stations are now managed and operated by the career fire service
THE GROWING YEARS • December 14, 1993 • James E. Heller became the seventh Director of Fire & Rescue Services • started his career with DFRS in March of 1974 as a Lieutenant in charge of Training
THE GROWING YEARS • April 19, 1994 • Scaggsville Fire Station was dedicated • becoming our eleventh station • is located in the Public Safety Complex at Md. Rt. 29 and Rt. 216
THE GROWING YEARS • December 4, 2000 • County Executive James N. Robey appointed Joseph A. Herr • became the eighth Chief of Fire & Rescue. Chief Herr • had served previously for 26 years as a member of the District of Columbia Fire Department
PROGRESSCONTINUES • July 1, 1991 • The Department initiated a Customer Service Program • organizational approach to creating service excellence within the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services.
PROGRESS CONTINUES • November 1, 1991 • the Department implemented a team of personnel dedicated toprovide operational support during special emergency incidents. • This team is referred to as the Special Incident Response Team (SIRT). • made up of both career and volunteer participants • The team is activated for special emergency incidents such as • hazardous materials • mass casualty, • water rescue, • and other special incidents
PROGRESSCONTINUES • January 1, 1992 • the department placed in‑service a Mobile Command Van • operated by the Special Incident Response Team • the van is called "'Mobile One" • features an on board Apple Macintosh Computer • allows team members to implement the CAMEO Program, Computer Assisted Management of Emergency Operations
PROGRESS CONTINUES • features a weather pack • allows for remote weather condition monitoring in conjunction with the CAMEO program. • Building pre‑plans and drawings are also stored on the unit
PROGRESSCONTINUES • May 1996 • approval was given for a compensated Medical Director • Kevin Seaman presently serves in this position
THE FIRE SERVICE TODAY • The Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services is divided into six bureaus • Operations • Life Safety • Support Services(Emergency Management) • CIT • Training • Administration
THE FIRE SERVICE TODAY • There are eleven fire stations • House over 175 fully equipped pieces of emergency apparatus. • There are • 287 career uniformed employees working • approximately 175 operational and 225 administrative volunteer members
THE FIRE SERVICE TODAY • Serve an area of 256 square miles. • Provide emergency medical, fire and rescue services • Career personnel are trained at the minimum level of EMT • Eleven stations provide 24 hour dedicated ALS Units.
THE FIRE SERVICE TODAY • The department's career personnel use a A, B, C shift platoon system to provide 24 hour staffing • Career personnel are assigned to a shift and work 24 hours on and 48 hours off • Each company is managed by a Captain. • Field supervision is overseen by nine Battalion Chiefs.
THE FIRE SERVICE TODAY • Our department is one of 21 original internationally accredited fire departments in the world. • was achieved in 1999 • we were re-accredited in 2004. • This effort will increase the level of professionalism within the fire and rescue services
THE COST OF SERVICE • 2001 • The Department of Fire and Rescue Service responded to 26,154 emergency incidents • generated over 50,000 emergency responses • provided fire and emergency medical protection to a rapidly growing population of over 253,076
THE COST OF SERVICE • The cost of services has increased by 40% over the last six years. • The operating budget for fiscal year 2002 was in excess of 35 million dollars
THE ROAD AHEAD • Several new fire station sites are currently under consideration • Mayfield and Cooksville • plans to expand the number of department personnel are underway • The department is preparing itself for the future challenges of a growing population and the urbanization of the County.
Significant Incidents • June 21, 1972 • Tropical Storm Agnes • 1974 • Royston Auto, 10 Alarm, New Car Preparation Facility • September 25, 1975 • Tropical Storm Eliose
Significant Incidents • November 8, 1976 • Normandy Bowling Lanes, Ellicott City • December 10, 1976 • Howard County Bureau of Highways Garage, Rt. 97 • December 29, 1976 • 5565 Harpers Farm Road • January 16, 1977 • 4931 Hale Orchis Court