The Montgomery County Council’s fiscal year 2026 operating budget is many things: historic in size, restrained in taxes, and framed as a document that “holds the line” on public safety. But one quiet decision — to eliminate all career firefighter positions at Hyattstown Volunteer Fire Department — cuts a deep line across the balance we’ve long relied on to keep this county safe.
As president of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad, I lead one of the busiest volunteer departments in the county. We work hand-in-hand with our career partners every day. And like many other local fire and rescue departments, we are proud to be part of Montgomery County’s nationally recognized combination system. But that system only works when both halves — career and volunteer — are supported. Removing one entirely, as was done in Hyattstown, endangers that balance.
I don’t live in Hyattstown. I’m not writing to stoke upcounty vs. downcounty politics. I’m writing because this decision isn’t about geography — it’s about values. When someone calls 911 in Boyds, Brookeville or Bethesda, they deserve the same swift, trained and ready response. Removing overnight staffing from a rural station with limited hydrant access and long response corridors is not just a staffing change — it’s a degradation of service at the margins, where it’s hardest to recover.
I appreciate that tough choices must be made. County Executive Marc Elrich’s proposed budget offered steady support for the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, and Chief Corey Smedley is navigating a difficult landscape with professionalism and resolve. Although four councilmembers initially opposed the staffing cut during reconciliation, Thursday’s straw vote on the budget included the cut without further resistance. That quiet shift is sobering — especially at a time when property tax assessments have risen sharply and public safety demands are only growing.
I hope the council will reconsider before the county operating budget becomes final. And if not, I hope we take a hard look at the long-term consequences before treating this as a new normal. Because if the combination system is quietly eroded one station at a time, we won’t realize what we’ve lost until it’s too late.
Chris Jennison of Silver Spring is president of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad.
Letter to the editor: Cutting MoCo career firefighter jobs puts safety at risk
Restore Hyattstown Volunteer Fire Department positions to fiscal year 2026 county budget
