HAGERSTOWN, MD (November 23, 2024) – The Washington County Division of Emergency Services (DES) is pleased to announce the completion of its EMS Employee transition agreement with Hancock Rescue Squad, effective today, Saturday, November 23, 2024. This milestone follows the approval of the employee transition Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) earlier this year, which allows DES to integrate the current EMS employees of Hancock Rescue Squad into County employment.
This staffing transition will also help to enhance emergency services in the Hancock and surrounding areas by adding eight (8) new Firefighters/Fire Apparatus Operators, ensuring dedicated 24-hour staffing for Hancock’s Rescue Squad. These enhancements also help to address critical concerns raised by the Hancock Fire Department regarding delayed mutual aid response times and staffing challenges in the remote Hancock area.
Hancock’s Rescue Squad plays a vital role in providing EMS, rescue, and firefighting operations to Western Washington County. Response times from mutual aid units often exceed 15-20 minutes, with some units arriving understaffed. To improve these conditions, DES has worked to:
- Transition existing EMS employees into County employment.
- Create consistent staffing for Rescue Squad 59, ensuring immediate response capabilities.
- Lay the groundwork for staffing a second ambulance owned by the Hancock Rescue Squad.
“We are proud to welcome the Hancock Rescue Squad team to the Washington County DES family,” said R. David Hays, Director of Emergency Services. “This transition, combined with additional staffing, will significantly enhance fire and rescue capabilities, reduce response times, and improve safety for both residents and first responders in Hancock and surrounding areas.”
The County has worked diligently to ensure a seamless transition for the EMS employees joining DES, including providing access to County resources, uniforms, and email accounts for operational communication. While the EMS transition employees will initially staff EMS transport units, DES is actively recruiting and hiring to fill vacant positions for the fire and rescue staffing.
The DES leadership team is working in collaboration with the Hancock Rescue Squad Board of Directors and the Hancock EMS Chief to formalize the staffing transition and to work on finalizing a staffing matrix for the rescue squad to help ensure operational readiness during this pivotal time.
Washington County expresses its gratitude to the Hancock Rescue Squad Board of Directors, and to the Board of County Commissioners for their continued support in enhancing emergency services and ensuring the safety of the community.
For additional information, please contact Washington County’s Public Relations & Marketing Department at [email protected].
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