The Greenbelt Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad was represented by President John Wynkoop and Deputy Chief Greg Gigliotti when the Greenbelt City Council reviewed the city manager’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year at its April 5 worksession. The proposed budget is unchanged from the current year’s budget. Contributions of $5,000 are to be made to the Berwyn Heights and West Lanham Hills volunteer departments in recognition of their emergency responses to parts of Greenbelt and $88,000 is proposed to be put in a reserve fund to assist the Greenbelt department in the purchase of major equipment as old equipment needs replacement.
In Prince George’s County there are many local volunteer fire companies. They are under the supervision and coordination of the county fire service, have county-provided paid personnel to supplement the local volunteers and receive county financial support. While the county will purchase equipment for the department, the Greenbelt department and others prefer to buy and own their own.
The city has been supportive of the Greenbelt department and built and owns the fire station building. Council has also supported the department financially in its purchase of equipment in recent years.
Read the story in the April 20 News Review