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Mission Statement

The mission of the Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service (MCFRS) is to create and enhance public safety through measures to reduce vulnerability and improve resilience.

MCFRS consists of the Office of the Fire Chief; Division of Operations; Division of Human Resources; Division of Fiscal Management; Division of Support Services; Division of Volunteer Services; the Fire and Emergency Services Commission; and 19 Local Fire and Rescue Departments (LFRD). MCFRS operates 37 fire and rescue stations and several satellite offices.


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Budget Overview

The total recommended FY25 Operating Budget for the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service is $292,736,391, an increase of $25,941,237 or 9.72 percent from the FY24 Approved Budget of $266,795,154. Personnel Costs comprise 84.21 percent of the budget for 1,370 full-time position(s) and one part-time position(s), and a total of 1,372.01 FTEs. Total FTEs may include seasonal or temporary positions and may also reflect workforce charged to or from other departments or funds. Operating Expenses account for the remaining 15.79 percent of the FY25 budget.

The Debt Service for the Fire Tax District Fund is appropriated in the Debt Service Fund and is, therefore, not displayed in this section. To pay for the Debt Service, a transfer of funds from the Fire Tax District Fund to the Debt Service Fund of $9,133,610 for general obligation debt and $6,771,350 for other debt is required.

In addition, this department's Capital Improvements Program (CIP) requires Current Revenue funding.

County Priority Outcomes

While this program area supports all eight of the County Result Areas, the following is emphasized:

  • Safe Neighborhoods

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Program Performance Measures

Performance measures for this department are included below (where applicable), with multi-program measures displayed at the front of this section and program-specific measures shown with the relevant program. The FY24 estimates reflect funding based on the FY24 approved budget. The FY25 and FY26 figures are performance targets based on the FY25 recommended budget and funding for comparable service levels in FY26.

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Initiatives

  • Provision of enhanced cancer screenings options that include the early detection of multiple types of cancers via blood testing, and ultrasound diagnostic of cancer for career firefighters.
  • Improve staffing within the Fire & Explosive Investigations Unit (FEI) in a manner that efficiently accounts for rigorous training requirements and promotes longterm savings.
  • Increase support to the local fire rescue department (LFRD) with the addition of staffing at Station 40 to address failure to respond metrics.
  • Fully deployed a High School Cadet Training Program in collaboration with MCPS. The cadet program now includes Emergency Medical Technician Trainining geared towards prepairing Cadets for successful performance on national licensure requirements, and preparation for professional Fire Fighter careers.
  • Fire Camp for 20 girls to encourage women to enter the fire fighting and public safety profession. The training received for participants will count towards the overall requirements for successful completion of the Training Cadet program available as a partnership between MCFRS and MCPS.
  • Provision of vaccine boosters for career firefighters against COVID-19.
  • Maximize the impact of existing resources through adjustments to the Emergency Medical Services disposition unit and redeploying staff from an advanced life support chase car to establish a new EMS Duty Officer to improve health outcomes in diverse areas of the County.

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Innovations and Productivity Improvements

  • Added a Clinical Disposition Officer (EMS700) in FY24 to manage the flow of EMS transport units into crowded emergency departments and avoid overloading any one hospital with patients whenever possible. EMS700 also improves care navigation for patients with specialty needs such as strokes, traumatic injuries, heart attacks, palliative care, and pediatrics.


  • Added an additional EMS Duty Officer (EMS702) to the Bethesda area in FY24, increasing the supervisory coverage in the field. This directly improves the geographic coverage of the entire county and reduces staffing stress for each of the three supervisors. This additional supervisor improves relationships with our field clinicians and hospital partners and increases supervisory attendance to high acuity patients, such as those suffering cardiac arrests or significant trauma.


  • Placed a reserve ambulance at Station 33 and allowed the local fire-rescue departments to staff the unit in response to patient transportation demand surges.


  • Redeployed several EMS resources in FY24 to improve EMS capacity/coverage, including an ambulance (A725C) from Station 25 to Station 18 (A718); the chase car (ALS741) from Rescue 1 to Station 1 (ALS701); and a daywork (Monday - Friday) medic unit (M732).

  • Improved the quality of care to EMS patients by providing access to new equipment (IV pumps) and processes (norepinephrine administration) that could potentially improve outcomes following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. These improvements reduce the cognitive workload of the clinician and eliminate error points in patient care.

  • Early in 2023, MCFRS enhanced outreach and education efforts beginning with the Fire Chief's "call to action," a non-sprinklered high-rise safety campaign. Implemented additional enhancements through process changes, including more robust information and data-sharing between the Community Risk Reduction Section and Operations in support of After-the-Fire initiatives and the addition of the Community Action Lieutenant at the beginning of FY24. Applied a "whole-of-government" approach to a significant high-rise fire incident through the creation of a learning team, which brought together several County departments to analyze the community and explore methods to enhance public safety.


Program Descriptions

  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 manages the overall service needs and delivery requirements of MCFRS, including fire and rescue master planning and resource deployment plans; oversees community risk...

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  Operations

The Operations Division is responsible for the day-to-day delivery of critical emergency medical services (EMS), fire suppression, hazardous materials, and technical rescue mitigation to the residents and visitors of Montgomery County.The overall responsibility for Fire and Rescue Service operations lies directly with the Fire Chief. The Division Chief...

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  Human Resources Division

The Division of Human Resources is a comprehensive support function of MCFRS focused on the management and maximization of potential for human capital. The division is comprised of various sub-functions. The Administrative Services Section is responsible for personnel and labor related issues, including coordination with County...

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  Volunteer Services

The Division of Volunteer Services (DVS) manages and provides support and volunteer advocacy, oversight, mediation, and enforcement of MCFRS policies, coordination and technical assistance, incentives, and administrative services to support the Local Fire and Rescue Departments (LFRD) within MCFRS. This program promotes consistent and balanced integration of the activities of...

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  Support Services

The Division of Support Services provides central administrative and management service and direction for support functions across the department. Core services include the Capital Improvements Program, logistics, fleet services, facilities, technology services, and safety. The logistics function consists of Fleet Support, Fleet Maintenance, Property and Supply, Emergency Medical...

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  Fiscal Management

The Division of Fiscal Management is responsible for the overall management of the MCFRS operating budget; the management and administration of State and Federal funding; management oversight of the EMS reimbursement program; accounts payable and receivable; and contract management and development. The Budget and Grants Section handles budget development;...

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Budget Trends
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Program Contacts

Contact Dominic Del Pozzo of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service at 240.777.2236 or Willie Morales of the Office of Management and Budget at 240.777.2758 for more information regarding this department's operating budget.

Related Links
Budget Summary
TitleActual
FY23
Budget
FY24
Estimate
FY24
Recommended
FY25
%Chg
Bud/Rec
FIRE
EXPENDITURES
Salaries and Wages164061411.00164726845.00 177896523.00 175182910.006.4
Employee Benefits54046712.0057859480.00 58459836.00 71319172.0023.3
Fire Personnel Costs218108123.00222586325.00 236356359.00 246502082.0010.7
Operating Expenses50672311.0044131829.00 50432636.00 46234309.004.8
Capital Outlay64468.0077000.00 77000.00 0.00-100.0
Fire Expenditures268844902.00266795154.00 286865995.00 292736391.009.7
PERSONNEL
Full-Time1350.001361.00 1361.00 1370.000.7
Part-Time1.001.00 1.00 1.000.0
FTEs1352.011363.01 1363.01 1372.010.7
REVENUES
Property Tax236150702.00264401586.00 269461865.00 282577050.006.9
Emergency 9119751.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Other Intergovernmental13737098.0013000000.00 13700000.00 13700000.005.4
State Fire/Rescue 508 Funds1887473.000.00 1938617.00 0.000.0
Miscellaneous Revenues301564.00244882.00 244882.00 244882.000.0
EMS Reimbursement-Ambulance Fee22917617.0020000000.00 23000000.00 23000000.0015.0
Fire Revenues275004205.00297646468.00 308345364.00 319521932.007.3
 
GRANT FUND - MCG
EXPENDITURES
Salaries and Wages1528933.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Employee Benefits182458.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Grant Fund - MCG Personnel Costs1711391.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Operating Expenses1330375.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Grant Fund - MCG Expenditures3041766.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
PERSONNEL
Full-Time0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Part-Time0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
FTEs0.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
REVENUES
Federal Grants2804909.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
State Grants27709.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
Grant Fund - MCG Revenues2832618.000.00 0.00 0.000.0
 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS
Total Expenditures271886668.00266795154.00 286865995.00 292736391.009.7
Total Full-Time Positions1350.001361.00 1361.00 1370.000.7
Total Part-Time Positions1.001.00 1.00 1.000.0
Total FTEs1352.011363.01 1363.01 1372.010.7
Total Revenues277836823.00297646468.00 308345364.00 319521932.007.3
FY25 Recommended Changes
TitleExpendituresFTEs
FIRE
FY24 ORIGINAL APPROPRIATION2667951541363.01
Changes (with service impacts)
Add: Early Detection Cancer Screening for Career Firefighters [Human Resources Division]10416600.00
Enhance: High School Cadet Program [Human Resources Division]6164001.00
Enhance: Fire Station 40 - Additional Staffing to Address Failure to Respond Metrics [Operations]5735106.00
Enhance: Add Three Firefighters to the Fire and Explosives Investigation Section to Increase Unit Effectiveness [Operations]2867553.00
Add: FROMS Contract - Medical Assistants to Provide Timely Physicals and Occupational Medical Services to Fire Personnel [Human Resources Division]2000000.00
Add: Booster Vaccination for Career Firefighters [Human Resources Division]1341900.00
Enhance: Establish a New Emergency Medical Service Duty Officer to Improve Health Outcomes in Diverse Areas of the County [Operations]1250001.00
Enhance: Fire Camp for Girls to Diversify Gender Representation in Fire Service [Human Resources Division]1000000.00
Other Adjustments (with no service impacts)
Increase Cost: FY25 Compensation Adjustment76724120.00
Increase Cost: Retirement Adjustment63113520.00
Increase Cost: Lapse Adjustment28524470.00
Increase Cost: Annualization of FY24 Compensation Increases23865100.00
Increase Cost: Annualization of FY24 Personnel Costs19978030.00
Increase Cost: Holiday Pay - Number of Holidays [Operations]11280000.00
Increase Cost: Restore One-Time Lapse Increase [Operations]8160460.00
Increase Cost: Emergency Service Transporter Supplemental Payment Program [Volunteer Services]5200000.00
Increase Cost: Motor Pool Adjustment5130820.00
Increase Cost: Annualization of FY24 Lapsed Positions3282910.00
Increase Cost: Insurance Premium Increase [Fiscal Management]1504530.00
Increase Cost: Length of Service Payment Increase [Volunteer Services]840000.00
Increase Cost: Bottle Water Contract Increase [Operations]500000.00
Increase Cost: Printing and Mail226400.00
Increase Cost: Medical Director Contract CPI Adjustment [Operations]95280.00
Shift: PSTA Position Transfer to the Office of Human Resources [Human Resources Division]-118724-1.00
Shift: Transfer Vacant Position from FRS to Office of Labor Relations to Support Countywide Labor and Employee Relations Functions [Human Resources Division]-165024-1.00
Decrease Cost: Elimination of One-Time Items Approved in FY24-3544840.00
Re-align: Recognize Operational Staffing Adjustments to the Emergency Medical Services Disposition Unit [Operations]-3674840.00
Decrease Cost: Risk Management Adjustment-9731260.00
FY25 RECOMMENDED2927363911372.01
Program Summary
Program NameFY24 APPR
Expenditures
FY24 APPR
FTEs
FY25 REC
Expenditures
FY25 REC
FTEs
Fiscal Management677913116.00719927516.00
Human Resources Division2804906235.012955584531.01
Office of the Fire Chief383877419.00441163721.00
Operations1976172111224.402189953411234.40
Support Services2217249762.602353147963.60
Volunteer Services83384796.0090428146.00
Total2667951541363.012927363911372.01
Funding Parameter Items ($000s)
TitleFY25FY26FY27FY28FY29FY30
FIRE
EXPENDITURES
FY25 Recommended292736.000000292736.000000292736.000000292736.000000292736.000000292736.000000
No inflation or compensation change is included in outyear projections.
Annualization of Positions Recommended in FY25644.000000644.000000644.000000644.000000644.000000644.000000
New positions in the FY25 budget are generally assumed to be filled at least two months after the fiscal year begins. Therefore, the above amounts reflect annualization of these positions in the outyears.
Elimination of One-Time Items Recommended in FY250.000000-5097.000000-5097.000000-5097.000000-5097.000000-5097.000000
Items recommended for one-time funding in FY25 include, Holiday Pay, Cancer Screenings, Positive Lapse Adjustments, FEI Personnel Allocations, Fire Station 40 Personnel Allocations, EMS700 Transformation, will be eliminated from the base in the outyears.
Labor Contracts0.0000001517.0000001517.0000001517.0000001517.0000001517.000000
These figures represent the estimated annualized cost of general wage adjustments, service increments, and other negotiated items.
Subtotal Expenditures293380.000000289800.000000289800.000000289800.000000289800.000000289800.000000