March 2003

Last month I received a question asking, "What does the Town government do to help our much needed truly dedicated volunteers of our ambulance and fire companies?"

No matter if it is volunteer staff or paid career service employees, the county government has the overall responsibility for providing ambulance and fire service to every community. Emmitsburg Town government provides additional assistance to the Emmitsburg Volunteer Ambulance and Volunteer Fire companies in the form of monetary donations.

Each year (normally in April) the Town of Emmitsburg makes a $3000 cash donation to each company. In addition , the Town waives all sewer and water bills for each company. The cost savings to the ambulance company for waiving their sewer and water bills last year alone was $1216. The cost savings to the fire company for waiving their sewer and water bills last year was $2130.

In addition to waiving the sewer and water fees and the $3000 annual donations, the Town has also made contributions for the new fire trucks recently purchased. In the past 8 years the Town has pledged $37,000 to the Fire Company for the purchase of the Tower truck and Engine Truck 64. These pledges were considered by the Town Council on behalf of the Fire Company coming to Town meetings and making a formal request that the Town Council consider making an additional donation to the Fire Company, which the proceeds would go solely towards the purchase of a new truck.

Each of the pledges was paid to the Fire Company in annual increments until the pledge was paid in full. At the time this question was received, the Town had no records that indicate that the Town had made any additional donations to the Ambulance Company for the purchase of new ambulances. Since that time; I have talked to the Ambulance Company to ask if they were planning to ask the Town Council for a donation towards the purchase of their new ambulance.

Another thing the Town does to help our volunteer Ambulance Company and Fire Company is that, employees working for the Town are permitted to leave their Town job to go on emergency calls. This policy is not only in place to help the Ambulance and Fire Company, but also for the well-being of our entire community. About the only time the Town does not permit employees to leave their Town job to go on an emergency call is when the Town is short staffed.  Employees continue to receive their normal wages when they leave their Town job to respond to an emergency call.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call the town office, or e-mail me at mayorhoover@emmitsburgmd.gov.

Respectfully,
Jim Hoover