Thank you for taking the time to read the first bi-annual newsletter for the Salisbury Fire Department (SFD) in several years. Most importantly, we want you to know that YOUR Salisbury Fire Department is always ready for whatever emergency or non emergency call for service that may be needed. The SFD provides first-class service to the citizens and visitors of the entire Salisbury Fire District. This district includes the municipal city limits of Salisbury and the unincorporated portions of Salisbury in Wicomico County. The department responded to over 16,300 calls for Fire & EMS protection in 2023 and is well on its way to eclipsing that number in 2024. Providing this superior service with a smile, does not come easy and is not cheap. Our providers train everyday while on duty and hundreds of additional hours while they’re off-duty. They pride themselves on being highly proficient in their skills and pro active in their treatment of patients and their response to fires. This leads to some of the highest cardiac arrest survival rates in the country and superior fire control and extinguishment. Our stations, apparatus, and gear are of the highest quality and meets or exceeds industry standards. We are fortunate and extremely grateful to have the resources that we do, that enable to do the best job possible.
Additionally, our department has been pro-active and has begun investigative efforts for fires that occur in our fire district. Through these investigative efforts, we are able to select and identify our fire prevention strategies and public safety messages. Furthermore, we are able to ensure that proper code enforcement is being done and
that any necessary legislation is kept current or enacted. The Fire Marshal’s Office also completes building plan reviews, sprinkler inspections, and commercial inspections. All of these efforts help to ensure a fire-safe community for our citizens, visitors, and first responders. Our Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) program, often referred to as SWIFT or MDCN, creates the second part of our Community Risk Reduction Branch. Our MIH efforts are far-reaching and seek to provide a fully comprehensible path to healthcare for our vulnerable populations. Their efforts are almost fully grant-funded and the work they do every day in the community is truly amazing and inspiring. This team approach includes our partners at Tidal Health and the Wicomico County Health Department, and without them our work would not be possible.
The SFD is pushing forward with an effort to be fully transparent and data driven. Our motto is “Data Driven & Community Focused”. We have expanded our relationship with the City’s Geographic Information System (GIS) personnel and are testing a series of dashboards that will become available to the public when they are fully complete. These dashboards will eventually provide real-time data and performance metrics for responders and the public at the click of a button. This new ‘data driven’ culture is also helping to determine the proper placement of units and future station locations within the fire district. The ultimate goal is to be able to virtually predict where an emergency will occur, before it ever does. If we can accomplish this feat, the level of service delivered will be far superior to any other agency around us.
Finally, regardless of the time of day or your location in our fire district, rest assured the men and women of the SFD are ready to respond. Your lives and property are in the best hands possible, should you have a need to dial 911. As the Fire Chief for the SFD, it is my honor to lead this great organization full of history and tradition; and it is with great pride that I am able to put on the uniform and the badge every day and come to work with these fine people. If there is anything that you should ever need, any question you need answered or any service you need provided, please do not hesitate to call 410-548-3120 (non-emergency) or 911 (emergency).
