Fire and Emergency Services Commission

Commissioners

  • Commissioner Anita Powell - Public Representative, Chair
  • Commissioner Ron Ogens - Public Representative, Vice Chair
  • Commissioner Hilary Miller - Public Representative
  • Commissioner Tony Coleman - Career Employee Representative
  • Commissioner Robert Ford - Career Employee Representative
  • Commissioner Mark Dempsey - Volunteer Representative
  • Commissioner Jane Callen - Volunteer Representative

About

The Fire and Emergency Services Commission was established by County Council Bill No. 38-08 on August 1, 2009. The Commission is composed of 7 voting members appointed by the County Executive and confirmed by the County Council. The membership of the Commission is made up of 3 public members, 2 career employees of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service and 2 members of the local fire and rescue departments.

Duties and responsibilities of the Fire and Emergency Services Commission:

  • recommends how the County can achieve and maintain effective, efficient and equitable fire, rescue, and emergency medical services County-wide and improve the policy, planning, and regulatory framework for all fire, rescue and emergency service operations;
  • advises the Fire Chief, County Executive, and County Council on any matter relating to fire, rescue, and emergency medical services:reviews and makes recommendations regarding the master plan for fire, rescue, and emergency medical services;
  • advise the Chief, Executive, and Council on County-wide policies, standards, procedures, plans and programs that should apply to all fire, rescue, and emergency services operations;
  • recommends guidelines for curriculum and programs of the Public Safety Training Academy and other training programs for fire and rescue and emergency service employees and volunteers;
  • must meet at least monthly;
  • recommends and comments on legislation, regulations, and policies that apply to or affect the Fire and Rescue Service;
  • must review and may approve or disapprove any generally applicable Fire and Rescue policy or regulation proposed by the Fire Chief, including any regulation that may be issued by the County Executive.

Montgomery County Code Chapter 21, Fire and Rescue Services, defines the membership, duties and responsibilities of the Fire and Emergency Services Commission.

Meetings

The Fire and Emergency Services Commission regularly meets on the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m., except for County holidays or closing. Meetings will be held in the lobby conference rooms of the PSHQ, located at 100 Edison Park Drive, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878. All meetings are conducted in accordance with the Maryland Open Meetings Act. Notice of cancellation or schedule/location change will be posted on this website.

Please be advised that, henceforth, notice of Fire and Emergency Service Commission meeting date, time and place, as well as agenda, will be publicly posted at MCFRS - Fire and Emergency Services Commission (montgomerycountymd.gov) pursuant to Sec. 3-302(c)(3)(ii) of the Maryland Open Meetings Act.

Next Meeting

The meeting scheduled for March 14, 2024 has been cancelled.

Minutes