Baltimore Fire Department Receives Increased Budget for Fleet Upgrades

Baltimore City has announced a budget increase of nearly $3 million for the Fire Department in the fiscal year 2024, bringing the total allocation to $28.4 million. This funding aims to enhance the department's aging fleet of fire engines and vehicles, which has been a growing concern for city officials.

The increase follows a December testimony from the Fire Department, highlighting that the current fleet is operating at about 30% below the necessary capacity. Joshua Fannon, president of the Baltimore Fire Officers Association, emphasized the critical need for additional apparatus, noting that the department has only 17 permanently staffed fire companies, down from the required number.

The budget documentation reveals that of the $28.4 million, $1.5 million is designated as grant funding through the William H. Amoss State grant program, which will assist in purchasing two new fire engines.

Concerns regarding the Fire Department's capabilities intensified after a tragic incident in 2022, where three firefighters lost their lives in a fire on Stricker Street, leading to the resignation of Fire Chief Niles Ford. In response to ongoing issues, City Councilmember Zeke Cohen requested a report detailing the needs of the Fire Department's fleet.

The report provided three options for funding: maintaining the current budget would result in a gradual decline of the fleet, while an annual increase of $7.5 million could lead to a healthy fleet in ten years, and a $15 million increase would achieve this goal in five years.

Currently, the average age of the Fire Department's vehicles exceeds recommended industry standards, with ambulances averaging 6.3 years, engines at 8.5 years, and ladder trucks at 9.1 years. The department aims to keep vehicles within half of their expected lifespan to ensure reliability and safety.

While the 2024 budget increase does not fully meet the Fire Department's recommendations, it is expected to help mitigate some of the deterioration of the fleet.

Reported by HarborBeat based on WYPR (source).