The Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department opposes a $2.3 million fire station Howard County plans to build in Mayfield, saying it is not needed and would force volunteers to compete with Baltimore County firefighters in responding to calls.

The proposed station is scheduled to be built in the next few years on Meadow Ridge Road, north of Interstate 95.

"Our membership has opposed the building of this station because we don't feel that it's necessary," said Robert Fadrowski, president of the volunteer department. His 70-member company is responsible for battling fires in the Elkridge and Mayfield areas.

"We have been handling this area for 57 years, but the county doesn't think we can do the job."

James Heller, chief of the Howard County Fire and Rescue Service, said a fire station in the Mayfield area has been a priority for several years.

Former Howard County Executive Charles I. Ecker proposed the station in 1992, and it has been in the county Fire and Rescue Service's strategic master plan since, with no target date for construction.

Heller said that as the area continues to grow, he and other officials have become concerned about adequate response times to fires and other emergencies.

"If I didn't think that the location and the station would result in improvements, I'd be foolish to go along with it," Heller said.

"We're not just putting something in to put something in. We build fire stations based on fire needs," he said.

Heller said the Elkridge volunteer department has increasingly depended on the Baltimore County Fire Department to assist in battling blazes. Within the past year, Baltimore County firefighters have helped Howard 75 times, said Battalion Chief Mark Hubbard, a spokesman for the Baltimore County Fire Department.

"We have a mutual aid agreement with Howard County. We provide service to Howard County when they need it and vice versa," Hubbard said. "The ultimate goal is keep it manageable and balanced."

Hubbard said Baltimore County has raised concerns recently with Howard fire officials regarding the frequency with which they've been asked to help.

Less dependence

Heller said that with a second fire station Howard would depend less on Baltimore County.

Rick Blonbo, president of the Mayfield Avenue Community Association, said his organization supports a new fire station and that it's long overdue.

Fadrowski said he anticipates "some confusion" about the geographical boundaries and responding to calls because two fire stations will be in the same vicinity, but Heller said he didn't foresee any problems.

"It's a matter of who gets there first," Heller said.

He said a team of fire officials is studying the site and will make recommendations on how the Mayfield station would best serve residents.

Heller expects that it will be staffed by 18 personnel. An engine and paramedic transport unit will also operate from the station.

Department an institution

Since its founding in 1942, the Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department has been a community institution. Community meetings and events are often held in the building, which is not owned by the county. Residents praise the Fire Department for its involvement in the community. Each year, volunteers sponsor recreational and social activities, including the Elkridge parade.

The thought that a county-operated fire station would soon move into the Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department's territory has alarmed the volunteers.

"It is a pride issue," Fadrowski acknowledges. "They're coming into an area that taxpayers pay for us to protect. Just because we're volunteers and we don't get paid doesn't mean that we can't do the job. We can do the job."

Pub Date: 3/14/99