About Our Organization

Howard County Department of Fire & Rescue Services
6751 Columbia Gateway Drive | Columbia, Maryland | 21046
Main: 410-313-6000 | Fax: 410-313-6027 | Emergency: 9-1-1

A day as a "modern day" employee of Fire & Rescue contains considerably more responsibility than has been historically believed. The image of firefighters playing cards or checkers until the alarm sounds is a popular one, but a myth in today's Fire Service. An ever-changing environment places increasing demands on firefighters. Specialization in emergency medical care, hazardous materials management and various rescue techniques have become a necessity rather than a luxury.

24-7 . . .

Emergency services are provided primarily from our 11 fire stations. Every station has at least one fire engine and one ambulance. Additionally, each station also houses various special equipment such as ladder trucks, rescue squads, brush trucks.

Howard County Fire & Rescue is a combination system in that services are provided through a partnership of volunteers and career personnel. There are four county stations (7, 9, 10, 11) staffed by county employees and a handful of county volunteers, and seven volunteer stations (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8) owned by volunteer corporations staffed by county employees and supplemented by corporate volunteers.

Fire & Rescue career personnel work on one of three shifts (A,B,C). Each shifts works for 24 hours at the fire station and then has 48 hours off. During the 24 hours on duty, personnel eat, train, shower, run calls, and sleep at the fire station.

Chain of Command . . .