This week brought encouraging news for our neighboring community of Berwyn Heights — and for all of us in northern Prince George’s County who rely on strong, dependable fire and EMS services. Beginning Monday, November 17 at 7:00 a.m., six career Firefighter/EMTs from the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department (PGFD) will return to the Berwyn Heights Volunteer Fire Department Station 14.
This deployment restores the daytime staffing that had been removed in June 2024 as part of a temporary response to countywide staffing shortages. Since then, many of us across the Route 1 corridor and beyond have expressed concerns about slower response times and increased pressure on neighboring stations. The return of these career personnel is an important step toward strengthening coverage and improving service reliability.
Under the restored schedule, four career firefighters will staff the fire apparatus, and two will staff the ambulance during the 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daywork shift. This balanced team brings added stability to the station’s operations and ensures quicker, more consistent responses for residents in Berwyn Heights, College Park, and surrounding communities.
I want to thank the Town of Berwyn Heights, the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department, and the community advocates who have continued to raise awareness about this issue. Their transparency and persistence helped move this forward, and the outcome benefits us all.
You can read the full press release on the Town of Berwyn Heights website:
County Career Firefighters/EMTs Return to Berwyn Heights VFD Station 14
This is a positive development, and I look forward to continued conversations with our County partners about long-term staffing stability for all of our stations.