First Responder shortage and financial restraints hit Eastern Shore
EASTERN SHORE, Md. – The country continues to face a first responder shortage and the Eastern Shore is no different with staffing shortages impacting the Snow hill Volunteer Fire Company and Berlin Fire Company.
President of the Berlin Fire Company David Fitzgerald says the “volunteering career is certainly in a critical stage.”
Volunteer fire companies are having trouble keeping the firefighters they have at the station with nearby departments having more money to pay their personnel.
Snow Hill Fire Chief Michael Creech says his station not only competes with salaries in Worcester County, but other stations in areas where a lot more people tend to visit from out of town.
“Several of those jurisdictions pay $2.00 to $5.00 more an hour than we are able to offer right now.”
“We are not able to pull as high of a tax rate of population density as another jurisdiction from the north.”
Chief Creech says the Snow Hill Volunteer Fire Company did have an increased budget for the 2024 fiscal year, but it has not been enough to retain some of the staff they have, as another resignation was recently turned in.
“The town of Snow Hill actually increased our funding to 48%, which was actually an astronomical number to be able to increase from, but granted, it is still low.”
President of Berlin Fire Company Fitzgerald says his station is experiencing similar struggles that continue to impact their operations.
“You have financial restraints.”
“You have to continue to review what your neighboring companies and municipalities pay as far as pay rates, so that is the financial challenge,” and it’s not just finances, recruitment and retention that continues to be a challenge.
“The lack of available personnel.”
“There are few people that are available to apply both for a career or volunteer job.”
Fire Chief Michael Creech also told 47abc that Worcester County is trying a new method to raise money through a strategic funding work group, where specific members from agencies within the county will represent their department for what they need.
