During the Beltsville Volunteer Fire Department’s Open House in early October, we learned that a representative from Chief Green’s office had informed the volunteers that the event was in violation because they hadn’t obtained the proper permission. The message stated, "All requests for public events must be made through the Office of the Fire Chief Community Relations group for approval. This also includes the Beltsville Open House event (10/5/24) that you have posted on the sign across the street from Station 831" (pgfd_communityrelations@co.pg.md.us).
It seems to us that Chief Green should not have a say in what our volunteers do with their building, as long as it doesn’t interfere with the career staff stationed there. Especially if the event is free, open to the public, and aimed at increasing support for firefighters. This policy doesn’t seem to make much sense and appears to be punitive towards volunteer fire stations. To clarify, this directive didn’t come from Chief Green personally but from someone in her office. If Chief Green needs support and new recruits, wouldn’t it stand to reason that holding open houses would be an excellent recruitment tool?
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