Howard County Fire & Rescue provides emergency fire, rescue and emergency medical services twenty four hours a day, seven days with a combination of career and volunteer personnel out of eleven stations.
While firefighters are sometimes challenged by a hefty call volume, there is much more to their job than simply responding to emergencies. Among these additional responsibilities is conducting life safety inspections and public education classes, as well as maintaining current fire and EMS certifications. Of course, all of this is accomplished when time (and call volume) allows; emergency situations take precedence.
The county is divided into two battalions by U.S. Route 29; the first battalion, located on the eastern side of the county, is comprised of stations 1 (Elkridge), 6 (Savage), 9 (Long Reach), 10 (Rivers Park), and 11 (Scaggsville). The second battalion is comprised of stations 2 (Ellicott City), 3 (West Friendship), 4 (Lisbon), 5 (Clarksville), 7 (Columbia), and 8 (Bethany).
Each station operates a minimum of one fire engine and one transport paramedic unit. However, most stations operate additional apparatus, which range from brush trucks, (vehicles outfitted for brush and grass fires) to tower ladders (ladders which reach upper levels of buildings), or more specialized units. These specialized units include a mass decontamination unit, technical rescue and hazardous materials resources.
Career firefighters are stationed at 10 of the 11 stations (station 4, Lisbon, is the lone exception), and work a 24 hour on, 48 hour off work cycle.
