Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department

The Elkridge Volunteer Fire Company is based out of 5700 Rowanberry Drive Elkridge, MD 21075.

Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department, Inc.
Agency overview
Established29 April 1942
Annual calls4672
Fire chiefRussell Pryor
EMS levelParamedic
Facilities and equipment
Stations1
Engines2
Trucks0
Squads1
Ambulances2
Wildland1
Website
http://elkridgevfd.org/

History

The Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. was started with a meeting on 8 April 1942 with Dr. Charles Nitsch, Lewis C. Toomey, Sr., and John F. O’Malley in attendance. The Fire Department was founded on 29 April 1942. Edward Falter served as first Fire Chief.[1] The first fire truck "Daisy" was assembled by a volunteer force from a junkyard 1934 truck chassis. The effort made national news as the first citizen-made piece of equipment built under the office of civil defense, with a NBC show "Not for Glory."[2]

In 1948 "Station One" was built on Old Washington Road, just north of the "Dead Man's Curve" near Ducketts Lane.[3][4][5][6][7][8]

In 2011, plans were unveiled for a new fire station. Explosive call volume growth was cited as the reason for the change followed by press releases that equipment did not fit in the original firehouse.[9] The County spent $1.1 million to purchase a 5-acre site on Bauman Drive and Montgomery Road with a second $500,000 purchase pending to remove a private household. Design and engineering costs of $1.78 million were budgeted. The 33,757 two-story $10–15 million dollar station is funded by state and county grants with a requirement that the Volunteer company self fund the building of a community hall to replace the one that will be closed at the original site. The new site moved away from downtown Elkridge allowing the fire department to service new developments at Rockburn within a six-minute window. The upgraded facility will also allow the purchase of new vehicles without customization.[10]

The 2014 capital budget listed the project as two years behind, funding the reduced amount of $10 million for the capital project.[11] On 8 September 2014, a groundbreaking ceremony was held onsite by County officials Ken Ulman and Courtney Watson.[12]

References
  1. "Elkridge VFD history". Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  2. Elizabeth Janney. Elkridge. p. 77.
  3. "City of Laurel Master Plan" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 1, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  4. "Seven Are Injured In Elkridge Crash: Bus Flings Auto Into Another Car at "Dead Man's Curve."". 6 September 1928. Missing or empty |url= (help)
  5. "AUTOS CRASH; 16 HURT: More Washington People Injured on Dead Man's Curve. ARRESTS OF 30 SPEEDERS Maryland Authorities Take Drastic Steps to Put End to Fatalities and Injuries on the Baltimore-Washington Boulevard -- Local Men Treated at Hospitals Here". The Washington Post. 19 November 1917.
  6. "THREE KILLED BY AUTOS: 7 More D.C. People Injured at "Dead Man's Curve." ALL ACCIDENTS AT ONE SPOT Original Wrecked Car of J. Meandel, Killing His Chauffeur -- Other Dead Are Joseph Nevitt and Edward Van Cassel -- Injured Include Attorney Richard Daniels". The Washington Post. 12 November 1917.
  7. "EMBASSY ATTACHE INJURED IN CRASH: Mexican Envoy Has Narrow Escape as Car Goes Over Dead Man's Curve. IS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL". The Washington Post. 30 August 1930.
  8. "Dead End for the US highway". Life: 110. 30 May 1955.
  9. "Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department May Have Found Its New Home Officials presented the proposed location, on Bauman Drive and Montgomery Road, at a public meeting Wednesday evening". Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  10. David Greisman (7 March 2012). "County purchases property for new Elkridge fire station". The Baltimore Sun.
  11. "Howard County FY2014 budget" (PDF). Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  12. "Ground Breaking Ceremony for New Elkridge Fire Station". Archived from the original on 8 September 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
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