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12 new fire battalion chiefs to be added in Baltimore County with funding from 2027 budget

By Madeline Burke

/ CBS Baltimore

Baltimore County leaders announced that the proposed 2027 budget will include millions of dollars for the fire department. 

The budget proposal will be formally introduced on Thursday. 

During a news conference at Fire Station 1 in Towson, Baltimore County Executive Kathy Klausmeier, along with officials and firefighters, said the proposal will include funding for 12 additional battalion chiefs. That's double what the county has now. 

According to Klausmeier, the department has been stretched thin for a while, and the additions will offer some relief. 

"These battalion chiefs will make Baltimore County safer and help our first responders continue to do what they do best — save lives," Klausmeier said. 

Fire Chief Joseph Dixon said the department receives 150,000 each year. 

"We can all rest a bit easier at night, knowing that we are better prepared to meet the ever-increasing call volume and incident complexity," Dixon said. 

Dixon said that with six command officers on duty on any given day, they can now focus more on their priorities for every situation. Those priorities include life safety, incident stabilization, and property conservation. 

The additional battalion chiefs will help support the growing county. 

Council Chair Mike Ertel said adding the roles are important for everyone's safety, especially as the department is stretched so thin. 

"A battalion chief might be in Catonsville and has to be in Reisterstown, which doesn't sound like that far, but it's 24 minutes and could be longer depending on what time of day it is," Ertel said. 

He emphasized that the quicker command officers reach the scene, the better. 

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