Worcester CO. Commissioners hold session to discuss funding, COVID-19 impacts on fire and ambulance companies

WORCESTER COUNTY, Md.- Worcester County commissioners held a special session Wednesday with fire and ambulance companies to discuss issues surrounding COVID-19 and CARES Act funding.

“There’s a large amount of frustration with the county, the county commissioners rely on staff for a lot of these things and it seems that staff somewhat dropped the ball on this,” Joe Mitrecic, Worcester County Commissioner President, said.

For these companies, the pandemic has changed how they operate.

They are spending money on PPE, they are having to disinfect a lot more, and for some their calls are taking longer.

But we are told more funding could help solve these problems.

“The men and women on the front lines of this pandemic and every day emergencies need personal protective equipment, we need equipment to take care of people who are sick or injured, and certainly need to be be able to properly disinfect,” Richard Bowers, OC Fire Dept. Chief, said.

The President of the Worcester County Commissioners said $80,000 has been set aside for these companies,  but it is still unsure how that money will be split.

“We just need to be heard like I said there’s no specific formula that you can base fire department funding on, all fire departments are not the same we don’t run the same amount of calls,” Elizabeth Merritt, Girdletree Volunteer Fire Company, said.

That is why this meeting was so crucial, so that these companies could be heard on what they need.

“We just need to come to a conclusion because without that we’re going to be in trouble,” Merritt said.

“The men and women will continue to run the calls, they’ll continue to respond out, and they will always put service for self,” Bowers said.

Mitrecic said they are are going to be there for these companies moving forward.

He added, County Commissioners are looking for long term funding sources.