Volunteers protest fire chief’s cuts

Unpaid fire staff plan to ignore order to cut back on truck use, say they weren’t included in decisions

‘‘We want to bring this to a head and take it to the county executive,” Donald Strine, president of the county’s fire commission, which oversees volunteer firefighters, told volunteers who voted Tuesday to ignore the plans.

Volunteers did not cite any specific risks posed by the loss of so-called mini-pumpers, which they say require less manpower and can be more efficient.

The county’s public-safety chief doesn’t believe the shift will pose a danger.

The Accokeek volunteer station expressed more serious concerns earlier this month, claiming one of its communities could only be serviced by a mini-pumper because of narrow roads.

After Volunteer Chief Kathryn Fortgang wrote a letter explaining the problem, Sedgwick restored use of the truck.

Fire service spokesman Mark E. Brady said the matter is under review and involves ‘‘policy that will be handled ‘internally’ and not played out in a public forum.”

The county will now only pay for two support vehicles — such as pick-up trucks, vans and cars often used during training or to transport equipment — at each station, according to the fire chief’s letters to volunteers.

Smaller pumper trucks were mothballed at stations in Accokeek, Bunker Hill, Kentland, Ritchie and West Lanham Hills, though each has larger fire engines in service.

Brady could not provide figures on fuel-cost savings.

Strine plans to discuss the matter with county officials at a meeting scheduled for today.

‘‘I’m confident that after this meeting, we will resolve some of these issues,” said Vernon Herron, deputy chief administrative officer for public safety.

‘‘The chief would not issue an order that would impact public safety,” Herron said. ‘‘Our volunteers provide a very valuable service, just as our paid members do.”

Prince George’s County has one of the largest fire departments in the nation that combines a paid career force with volunteers, handling 125,000 emergency calls each year.

The county employs about 750 firefighters and paramedics and relies on about 1,300 volunteers.

Volunteer stations have long operated independently, recruiting volunteers and raising money to pay for major equipment like fire engines and ambulances. The county oversees the entire department, giving funds to maintain stations and equipment and paying career firefighters.

E-mail Daniel Valentine at dvalentine@gazette.net.