[Scan-DC] Kentland VFD

[Alan Henney]

PGFD PRESS RELEASE

For Release: Monday, August 20, 2007

Contact: Mark E. Brady, Public Information Officer, 240-508-7930

www.pgfireems.com

Fire Chief Compelled To Address
Non-Compliant Volunteer Fire Department

Prince George ’s County Fire Chief Lawrence H. Sedgwick, Jr. has been
compelled to address the issue of the Kentland Volunteer Fire
Department, Station 33, and their failure to comply with direct
orders.  In February, 2007, Fire Chief Sedgwick ordered the Kentland
Fire Station 33 to place a County owned and supplied, basic life
support (BLS), transport unit (ambulance) into service, to be housed
and staffed by the existing volunteer membership who currently respond
to EMS calls on pieces of fire apparatus.  Since that time, the
volunteer chief was removed from emergency operations for failure to
obey direct orders and other disciplinary actions not germane to this
issue.  The current volunteer chief has offered several alternate
plans at the direction of his membership, however, none have met the
initial orders of the Fire Chief.

On Monday, August 20, 2007, The Fire/EMS Department advised the
Kentland volunteer leadership that eight career
Firefighters/Paramedics would be made available to staff the ambulance
24 hours a day – 7 days a week. The County owned and staffed ambulance
would be housed and respond out of Kentland Station 33.  Kentland
volunteer leadership did not accept this proposal.  While this plan is
being considered by the Kentland membership, appropriate action has
been directed to be taken.  As a result of failing to meet the current
deadline, Fire Chief Sedgwick has directed the Deputy Fire Chief of
Emergency Operations, Lieutenant Colonel Robert McCoy, to implement
the following actions for Kentland’s non-compliance.

The current volunteer chief shall be immediately removed from
emergency operations.

The Fire/Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department will now confer
with the next volunteer chief in the chain-of-command.

The Fire/EMS Department will reduce the amount of mutual aid responses
of the Kentland Fire Department to ensure personnel are available to
respond to the more than 5100 Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance calls
within their first due response area.  The Fire/EMS Department will
evaluate Kentland’s ability to maintain adequate response to all calls
in their first due prior to any adjustments.  Continuity of service to
the citizens shall not be reduced as the same amount of Fire/EMS units
will be dispatched in accordance with standard procedures.

The volunteer leadership at Kentland Station 33 will be granted a
limited amount of time to comply with orders to place the ambulance
into service or face additional sanctions.

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