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Report Shows Fire/Rescue Volunteers Save Montgomery County Tens of Millions of Dollars Annually Volunteers
Essential to Providing Cost-Effective
Public Safety A
new
report shows that highly trained and skilled volunteer firefighters,
EMTs and
paramedics save Montgomery County taxpayers more than $23 million in
salary and
benefit costs each year, while the local volunteer fire and rescue
departments
save millions of additional dollars through the purchase of vehicles
and
equipment and the use of fire stations that are owned by the
Departments.
"This report demonstrates how fire and rescue volunteers are essential
to
providing cost-effective public safety in Montgomery County," said Marcine D. Goodloe,
President of
the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire-Rescue Association, which compiled
the
report. "Without the commitment and service of volunteers, County
taxpayers would pay tens of millions of dollars in additional taxes or
the
level of fire/rescue service would need to be drastically reduced," Goodloe added.
The report documents the savings from volunteers in three major
areas:
(1) salaries and benefits, (2) vehicles and equipment, and (3)
operation of
fire/rescue stations. According to the report: ·
Today
865 highly trained, certified, qualified
and riding volunteers working hand-in-hand in a unique partnership with
1,038
County career firefighters, risk serious injury and death on a daily
basis to
help save lives and serve the public safety interests of the County.
These individuals save the County an estimated $23.2 million in
salary
and benefit costs each year. An additional 626 volunteers are
trainees/candidates in the process of completing their fire/rescue
classes and
are riding apparatus but as additional staffing positions. ·
The
volunteer departments save the County at
least $2.4 million by providing firefighter gear, apparatus, equipment,
and
maintenance of facilities through community fundraising efforts.
Replacement value for LFRD provided firefighter equipment and apparatus
is over
$25 million. ·
Millions
of dollars annually in rent free use
of LFRD facilities (buildings and land). "The
report is thoroughly researched and more than adequately sourced," said
Grant Davies, a member of the board of directors at the Bethesda Fire
Department and lead author of the report. "It demonstrates,
through
hard data, that the volunteers are absolutely essential to the County's
fire/rescue system," Davies noted. While
the report documents the cost savings in three major areas, Goodloe
noted that the volunteers provide other essential services.
"Volunteers provide 'surge' capacity during critical emergencies, such
as
during the recent grassfires throughout the County and this winter's
numerous
storms," said Goodloe. "While it's
difficult to put a dollar value on the benefit of having dozens of
trained and
certified volunteer firefighters, paramedics and EMTs able to staff
extra
apparatus during major emergencies, we know it makes a major difference
for
County residents and is one of the reasons for the public's broad
support for
the fire/rescue system in the County.
Visit the "Member
Departments" section for information on a specific fire and rescue
department in For further
information and a universal
application to apply for membership in any The January 19, 2012
MCVFRA monthly meeting will be hosted by the Silver Spring Fire Department. The meeting location will be announced.
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