Annapolis Public Safety Committee Receives Fire Department Update on March 18, 2026
Annapolis Public Safety Committee Receives Comprehensive Fire Department Update – March 18, 2026
On Wednesday, March 18, 2026, the Annapolis Public Safety Committee met at 4:50 PM (called to order after the scheduled 4:45 PM start) in City Council Chambers. The committee, consisting of Alderwoman O'Neill (Chair), Alderwoman Contee, and Alderman Smith-Brown, heard a detailed presentation from Fire Chief Doug Remaley, Acting Deputy Chief John Ortlieb, and Deputy Chief Matthew Lopez. The presentation covered the department's history, operations, challenges, and future plans. No public comments were made. The meeting adjourned at 5:51 PM.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Agenda: Alderman Smith-Brown moved to approve the agenda; seconded and carried on voice vote.
- Approval of Minutes: Alderman Smith-Brown moved to approve the minutes from the February 18, 2026 meeting. Seconded and carried on voice vote. (Note: The transcript references “February 18, 2025,” but the agenda and minutes list the meeting as “PSC 2.18.26” – likely February 18, 2026.)
Discussion Items
- Annapolis Fire Department (AFD) Update (ID-16-26): Chief Remaley delivered an extensive overview, including:
- History: The department traces its roots to 1803 (first hand pumper). The city has had career firefighters since the 1800s; the first career fire chief was appointed in 1964. Three line-of-duty deaths were highlighted.
- Current Operations: AFD is an ISO Class One department, one of only two or three in Maryland. The department operates from four stations with a daily minimum staffing of 26 personnel. Stations are crewed to cross-staff multiple apparatus (engine, truck, medic unit, specialty units). The fourth station (Annapolis Neck Peninsula) is a joint operation with Anne Arundel County.
- Call Volume: Over 13,000 emergency responses per year, translating to more than 23,000 unit responses annually. Approximately 75% of calls are for emergency medical services (EMS).
- Unique Challenges: The historic district's narrow streets (built for horse and buggies) create access issues; parking restrictions are contentious. The city hosts many special events (Navy football games, boat shows, air shows, protests) that bring large crowds and require additional staffing.
- Sprinkler Ordinance: After a series of major historic district fires (1997 India Palace fire, 2005 Zachary's fire, Annapolis Yacht Club fire), the city council passed a sprinkler retrofit ordinance for Main Street buildings. The compliance deadline has been extended to 2030 or 2032. Chief Remaley noted that most business owners have not yet acted.
- Cadet Program: In partnership with the Maryland Department of Service and Civic Innovation, AFD established a nine-month internship program for individuals aged 18–24. Ten cadets are currently in training, earning $15/hour and earning certifications (EMT, airport firefighting, hazardous materials). This is the first such program in Maryland.
- Staffing and National Standards: Chief Remaley acknowledged that AFD does not meet the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standard of four-person crews on engine and truck companies, citing the need for fiscal responsibility. He expressed interest in eventually moving to four-person crews, noting line-of-duty deaths in other Maryland jurisdictions.
- Fleet Challenges: Fire apparatus take three to four years to build; costs have risen from $500,000 (2019) to over $1 million. The department aims to replace one medic unit per year but struggles with extended procurement timelines. The new fireboat is expected to be delivered mid-2026. The Eastport Volunteer Fire Company purchased a $1.1 million pumper with community donations and grants, relieving the city of that replacement cost.
- Volunteer Support: Three volunteer companies (Eastport, Independent, Rescue Hose) provide support and own key apparatus. There is only one riding volunteer currently, but volunteers are vital for special events, snow removal, and equipment.
- Response to Committee Questions:
- Alderwoman O'Neill asked why multiple vehicles respond to chest pain calls. Chief explained that priority medical calls require at least five personnel (due to patient location, lifting needs), and the closest unit (engine or truck) is dispatched to provide immediate care while a medic unit arrives.
- On staffing schedules, admin staff works Monday–Friday; shift firefighters work 24-hour shifts followed by 72 hours off (42-hour work week).
- Alderman Smith-Brown asked about potential legislation to meet NFPA staffing standards. Chief stated no current legislation is planned, but code updates will be needed. He noted the sprinkler ordinance is being monitored, and staffing increases would require a long-term fiscal plan.
Key Outcomes
- Approved: Agenda and minutes from February 18, 2026.
- No votes taken on any motions beyond procedural approvals.
- No legislative referrals were made; the committee received the AFD update for informational purposes.
- Next steps: The city will continue to enforce and extend the sprinkler ordinance deadline, evaluate peak-time medic staffing, and work toward a long-term plan for four-person crews. The AFD will follow up with code revisions. Meeting adjourned at 5:51 PM.
Meeting Transcript
The public safety committee of Wednesday, March 18th to order at 450 P.M. Roll call, please. Madam. Thank you. Thank you. Alderman Smith. Present. All right. Karma O'Neill is present. I will entertain a motion for the approval of the agenda. I'll move to approve the agenda. Is there a second? Second. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. I'll entertain a motion to approve minutes from February 18th, 2025. All right, I'll move to approve those minutes. Is there a second? All in favor say aye. Aye. Great. I'm very excited to say that today's public safety meeting includes ID 1626, the Annapolis Fire Department. Update and discussion on activities. So we can please have the chief and anyone else from your department that come up to the table. That would be great. If you can turn on your microphones and introduce good evening, Doug Romali, Fire Chief. To my right is acting Deputy Chief John Ortley, he's the deputy chief of operations. And to his right is acting as acting, he's Deputy Chief Matthew Lopez, who's in charge of our administration and professional standards unit. Thank you. We are going to educate you on the Annapolis Fire Department today. We know we have a new uh public safety committee and thought it would be good. The chair actually asked us to uh put a presentation together to basically let you know what we do, and this will definitely educate you on that. So if you have any questions as we move through it, feel free to ask, and we will go with the presentation. So we're just going to discuss a little bit about the history of our department, the evolution of the department, the way the department looks today. We will talk about challenges of emergency services in a colonial town. We're actually going to do some history on some of the major fires in historic district and talk about the sprinkler legislation that was put forth by the council. Just a little bit about prevention strategies and what the department's going to do to move forward. So with that, you all do know that we are a colonial town here in Maryland. And we sit right on the Severn River, which meets the Chesapeake Bay. There's several miles of shoreline that goes along with it. We're within 25 miles of Baltimore and DC. And it was founded in the 1600s. So it's one of the earliest cities in the United States, and that provides some unique challenges with all those aspects there as we move through it. And as you know, we have streets that were built for horse and buggies, and we park on both sides of the street and try to put fire apparatus up and down the street every day. So just a little more with the uniqueness of us. You know, we are the capital of the state of Maryland. We house state, county, and city government. That we have the oldest state house. It's still in continuous legislative use in the United States and was built in the 1700s.
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