BURTONSVILLE, Md. — Career fire officials took over a Maryland volunteer fire station at the end of last month after officials said the station was mismanaged.
The volunteers failed to properly manage the Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Station, county officials told The Gazette. There were repeated claims of theft and public urination at the station.
All firefighters at the station are now under the command of any senior career fire official who is at the station at any time, under a decision made by Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service Chief Richard R. Bowers.
“Some of these incidents have been investigated, and some of them have been dealt with, but they keep occurring,” Spokesperson and Assistant Chief Scott Graham said, referring to an Oct. 2009 incident. “There’s a culture of noncompliance.”
Volunteers will continue working at the station, but Volunteer Fire Chief Robert E. Ryan will answer to a lower-ranking career fire official until the official change of command, according to Montgomery County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association President Eric N. Bernard.
Bernard said the volunteer association is discussing the possibility of filing a lawsuit against the county to stop the takeover, since he argues the county’s career fire officials are only allowed to take command of volunteer firefighters in an emergency.