STAFFING AND SERVICE DELIVERY UPDATES
December 6, 2024
PRESS RELEASE – STAFFING AND SERVICE DELIVERY UPDATES
The Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department continues to reassess our current staffing situation, service delivery, and response performance to ensure we are adequately meeting the needs of our residents and visitors. With a critical staff shortage, we are challenged with a delicate balance to ensure the health, safety, and wellness of our members, as well as providing realistic and efficient service delivery to our communities.
On December 29, 2024, the following staffing changes will be implemented:
Additional firefighters: 34 new probationary firefighters will be deployed into minimum staffing positions.
Station 855 (Bunker Hill): Career staffing will return to Station 855 with six (6) personnel per shift, totaling 24 personnel across all four (4) shifts. This station will host a Paramedic Engine with four (4) personnel and a Paramedic Ambulance with two (2) personnel. The Advanced Life Support (ALS) capabilities of these units are an enhancement from the Engine and Ambulance at Station 855 before the staffing reallocation.
Station 810 (Laurel): Career shift staffing will be implemented at Station 810 and will include six (6) personnel per shift, totaling 24 personnel across all four (4) shifts. This complement includes the current shift staffing for Medic 810. Medic 810 will become Paramedic Ambulance 810. During an analysis of our response capabilities, a significant emergency response vulnerability was identified in the Laurel area, served by Station 810 and Station 849, specifically during the evenings/nights and weekends when career daywork staffing is not available. This staffing deficit has created a strain on our mutual aid partners of Anne Arundel, Howard, and Montgomery counties, as well as the surrounding PGFD stations from Bowie, Beltsville, and Calverton.
Station 835 (Greenbelt): Paramedic Ambulance 858 will be positioned at Station 835 and staffed 24/7 with overtime personnel. Ambulance 899 will continue to be staffed with overtime personnel as the peak demand unit from 0700-2300 hours to enhance EMS response coverage to Greenbelt and surrounding areas. To enhance EMS supervision, the Northern EMS Duty Officer will be relocated from Station 855 to Station 835.
Station 816 (Bowie-Northview): Ambulance 858 as a peak demand unit will be repositioned from Station 855 to Station 816 and will be staffed with overtime personnel from 0700-2300 hrs. This unit serves as an enhancement to address a high demand for EMS service to Bowie and surrounding areas.
System Status Management of Fire/EMS Units: The Department will continue its use of system status management using Engine 838 to provide additional coverage when needed to Berwyn Heights, College Park, and Greenbelt. Other Fire/EMS Units may be used in system status management in other areas when critically needed.
The Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department will continue to monitor and assess our staffing and emergency response performance to identify resource gaps and response vulnerabilities. As such, other adjustments in the future may be made accordingly.
For additional information, contact Alan C. Doubleday, Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department Public Information Director, at PGFDpio@co.pg.md.us.
###