We understand that these troubling economic times affect us all. From the increase in utility costs, food and other necessities to the losses in jobs and investment accounts, none of us can escape the effects. Like many households and businesses, the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company and its members are also facing great challenges. Your support, at whatever level that you can afford, continues to be urgently needed.

Our operational costs continue to grow each year. We have found it necessary to supplement our membership with paid non-member paramedics and emergency medical technicians in order to meet national standards for emergency response. These EMS providers hold the same licenses from the State of Maryland as our own members. Your entire donation goes toward the support of our emergency services since we conduct our fund drives with our own volunteers. This is documented by a Certified Audit of Financial Statements performed annually by an independent auditor. THIS GENERAL FUND DRIVE IS SEPARATE FROM OUR AMBULANCE CLUB WHICH IS MAILED TO YOU IN NOVEMBER.

Please help us to help you by making your donation. Your donation supporting our department is much less than the cost of fully tax supported non-volunteer emergency services. IF YOU CANNOT GIVE THE RECOMMENDED DONATION, ANY AMOUNT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.

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Donate via Mail

Please make your tax-deductible donation payable to the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company. If you work for an organization with a “Matching Gifts Program”, you can further assist us by using that program. On behalf of the volunteer members, officers and directors, we thank you for your support and we pledge our continued dedication to providing the best fire, rescue and emergency medical services possible.

Send Your Tax Deductible Donation To:

• Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company
  ATTN: Annual Fund Drive
  109 South Hickory Avenue
  Bel Air, Maryland 21014

Looking for other ways to support us? Consider joining the BAVFC as an operational, administrative, support or auxiliary volunteer.

Some Interesting Facts About Your BAVFC

WHAT IS A VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY? It’s a proud tradition carried on by more than 230 volunteers giving up time from business, home and family to train and render professional and caring emergency service – often at night, in bad weather and at personal risk.

FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT:

• This is a large company consisting of stations in Bel Air, Forest Hill and Patterson Mill. Equipment consists of two ladder trucks, six fire engines, one heavy rescue truck, five advanced life support ambulances, one pickup, three brush pickups, five utility SUVs, one medical assist van, one mobile support unit. We replace the fire engines (approximately $775,000 each) and ladder trucks (approximately $1,300,000 each) when they are 15 years old. We replace ambulances (approximately $249,000 each) when they are 7 years old. It is our experience that reduction in trade-in value, safety and maintenance costs indicates that these are optimal replacement cycles.

TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION:

• Each firefighter must successfully complete 108 hours of University of Maryland Fire Operations classes. Most spend an additional 150 hours of advanced training to obtain advanced qualifications and national certifications.
• The Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Service Systems certifies our ambulances and our paid and volunteer crews. We operate under strict rules and protocols established by the State of Maryland. The Maryland EMS Board licenses our Paramedics and they train a minimum of 1000 hours in classrooms and an additional 200 hours in hospitals. Our Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT-B) must successfully complete 165 hours of University of Maryland classes. They all recertify according to State standards. The Harford County EMS Medical Director directly supervises them. The Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company conducts a minimum of six training sessions each month for firefighters and emergency medical personnel.

RESPONSE:

• Your Volunteer Fire Company serves an 80 sq. mile area and a growing population in excess of 85,000. During the year 2015 we responded to 2226 fire calls and 7355 ambulance calls. This results in approximately 26 emergency responses every day.

BENEFITS:

• It keeps taxes down. Without volunteers performing these essential emergency services, your taxes would increase to pay the cost of 24- hour crews and the cost of administrative service to operate the Bel Air, Forest Hill and Patterson Mill Stations. The salary cost of firefighters and emergency medical crews for just the greater Bel Air area would exceed $10,000,000 annually.
• It keeps insurance rates down. The evaluation of our Company by the Insurance Services Office has resulted in favorable insurance premiums for properties served by the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company.
• It is fair. The recommended donation shown on the return form is only 40 cents for every $1,000.00 of assessed valuation. Apartment occupants are asked for a donation based upon the average value of their personal property. The value of your property protected by the fire company is the most equitable basis for determining your donation.