ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — As Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman continues budget town halls and prepares to release his proposed budget, rank-and-file firefighters are pressing county leaders to make staffing a top public safety priority.
Anne Arundel County Professional Fire Fighters Local 1563 said the county fire department is operating about 350 firefighters below a national minimum standard for safe staffing, citing findings from a recently completed independent Standards of Coverage study. The union said its members have raised the issue at multiple county budget town hall meetings in recent weeks.