The Howard County Fire Department & Rescue Services (HCFDR) is responsible for managing the county's affairs in the areas of fire extinguishing and prevention, fire training, fire investigation, rescue services, and emergency medical services. In May, the department implemented a new Advanced Vehicle Location (AVL) dispatch model in combination with a Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system to help dispatchers deploy resources more accurately based on location in real time.
Emergency Management Command of HCFDR
The Office of Emergency Management Command of the HCFDR has the primary responsibility for planning, preparing, and responding to emergency management throughout the county. In January, the department implemented emergency plans for medical emergencies due to the high volume of calls and limited capacity of hospitals related to the increase in cases of COVID-19 both in Howard County and across the country.At that time, the fire department maintained one full-time ambulance and one part-time ambulance, and six firefighters were assigned full time to the ambulance service. Embracing and celebrating diversity has been one of the reasons why residents of Howard County enjoy a high quality of life.
Average Response Time for a Call to HCFDR
So, what is the average response time for a call to the Howard County Fire Department? The answer depends on several factors such as location, type of emergency, and availability of resources. Generally speaking, response times are typically within five minutes or less.However, it is important to note that response times may vary depending on the situation.