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Program Description

  Office of the Fire Chief

The Office of the Fire Chief (OFC) has the ultimate responsibility for the overall management, direction, planning, and coordination of all MCFRS programs and operations. The OFC includes the Internal Affairs Section, the Community Risk Reduction Section, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion program, the Planning Section, and the Public Information Office.

The Internal Affairs Section investigates complaints and serious violations of the personnel regulations and department policy and conducts procedural background investigations of applicants for firefighter/rescuer positions.

The Community Risk Reduction Section mitigates threats and risks through education and preparedness initiatives and strategies designed to improve the safety and resilience of our communities.

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion program manager supports the department's vision of a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace and takes the lead in molding an institutional culture that values and supports DEI. The DEI manager is responsible for developing and implementing strategies and procedures to advance organizational change, fostering a positive and inclusive work environment, facilitating equitable outcomes for staff, and ensuring that DEI considerations are incorporated into the department's decision-making processes.

The Planning Section is primarily responsible for the development and implementation of the MCFRS Master Plan; performance management and other analytical work to improve processes and programs; and management of the department's accreditation program.

The Public Information Office facilitates media relations, messages, and imaging/brand management and is responsible for disseminating information to the public on departmental programs and services; conducting outreach and fire safety education; and ensuring high quality customer service.


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Program Contacts

Contact Dominic Del Pozzo of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service at 240-777-2236 or Vivian Ikoro of the Office of Management and Budget at 240-777-2758 for more information regarding this department's operating budget.

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Program Performance Measures

Program Performance MeasuresActual FY23Actual FY24Estimated FY25Target FY26Target FY27
Community Risk Reduction: Number of engagement hours 14,739164,473180,000180,000180,000
Community Risk Reduction: Number of home safety checks382306350375400
Internal Affairs: Median number of days to complete non-criminal or traffic-related Internal Affairs investigations.5461505050
Planning: Percent of 2023 Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) recommendations implemented for the FY23-FY28 accreditation cycle 218.8%37.5%50.0%62.5%88.0%
1  This measure is significantly higher for FY24 as a result of changes in data entry requirements, revisions in the computation of "labor hours," and an increase in the volume of requests.
2  The "decline" in the measurement between FY22 and FY23 is the result of completing the 2018 recommendations and undergoing an onsite peer assessment in May 2023. During this process, the peer team issued 16 new recommendations to MCFRS to implement. Three more were completed in FY24 (a total of six).
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Program Budget Changes

FY26 Recommended ChangesExpendituresFTEs
FY25 Approved441163721.00
Enhance: Community Risk Reduction for Expanded Engagement and Education (ESPP Funded)1000000.00
Add: Firefighter III to the Community Action Team for Expanded Engagement (ESPP Funded)918941.00
Increase Cost: Provide Bottled Water for Heavy Apparatus150000.00
Multi-program adjustments, including negotiated compensation changes, employee benefit changes, changes due to staff turnover, reorganizations, and other budget changes affecting multiple programs.7600170.00
FY26 Recommended537854822.00