Montgomery County has proposed removing all career firefighter and paramedic staff from the Hyattstown Volunteer Fire Department. If this plan moves forward, our station — which protects a rural area with no fire hydrants and serves one of the county’s busiest commuter corridors — will no longer be able to respond to emergencies 24/7.

This is not just a staffing change. It’s a serious threat to public safety.

Without full-time professional staff on site, emergency response times could increase by six minutes or more — a dangerous delay when every second counts in a fire, crash, or medical emergency.

Hyattstown's trained and committed volunteers play a vital role, but they cannot cover every call alone. Our hybrid model — pairing career staff with volunteers — is what keeps our community protected around the clock.

Meanwhile, Hyattstown residents continue to pay the same taxes as everyone else in Montgomery County — but under this plan, we would receive far less emergency service in return.

We need your help now to demand that Montgomery County retain the four-person career staffing. Without them, we will likely have to functionally close our doors after serving the community for nearly 100 years.

Sign the petition. Share the word. Stand with Hyattstown.