A volunteer fire department in Baltimore County is raising $1.2 million to purchase a new boat so it can continue responding to emergencies in the Chesapeake Bay.
The North Point-Edgemere Volunteer Fire Department was among the first to respond to the deadly collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March. It has two open-water vessels in its fleet, but one of them is 16 years old and has a broken pump.
Transamerica Foundation donated $100,000 to kickstart the campaign for a new boat for the department.
The bridge collapse, when six construction workers were knocked into the Patapsco River and died, highlighted the department’s need for a new boat.
Fire Chief Gregory Theodory said the current boat is too small and poses challenges during emergency responses. The department wants an emergency response boat with more space and updated technology.
“The purpose of the new boat was to replace this existing boat, as this boat doesn’t meet the specs anymore,” Theodory said.
Funding for a new boat
Theodoroy said a new boat is out of their budget, so the department is asking the community to contribute.
The North Point-Edgemere Volunteer Fire Department provides firefighting and water rescue services to millions of residents along the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding areas.
“We’re a 100% volunteer organization and none of us are receiving any compensation for this,” Theodoroy said.
The $100,000 grant from the Transamerica Foundation still leaves the department hundreds of thousands of dollars short of what it needs.
“After the Key Bridge collapse, we were interested in showing our commitment to improving the safety of communities around the Baltimore area and we sought out an organization that would make a difference,” said Andrew Erman, chair of the Baltimore Advisory Committee for the Transamerica Foundation.
The fire department wants to secure the money before the next boating season.
“This is important for us,” Theodoroy said. “Safety on the water is one of the biggest concerns for us.”
WJZ is a media partner of The Baltimore Banner.
