BOONSBORO – In a move that promises to drastically cut emergency response times for thousands in southern Washington County, county commissioners on Nov. 4 approved a full-fledged Emergency Medical Services transport operation at the Rohrersville Fire Station, operated by the First Hose Company of Boonsboro.
Known as Station 8, the modest sub-station on Route 67 is about to become a hub for life-saving care with the deployment of a dedicated EMS transport unit, staffed by two existing county employees who will cross-train with volunteer firefighters, a strategic use of resources that requires no new hires.
For years, residents in communities like Rohrersville, Gapland and Trego have relied on EMS units dispatched from greater distances, often navigating winding rural roads that double response time.
“This isn’t just about adding another ambulance; it is about closing a gap that has existed for too long,” said David Hays, director of the county Division of Emergency Services, in a statement. “South county families deserve the same urgency in care as anyone else. Today, we deliver that promise.”
The approval marks the culmination of months of planning between DES, the First Hose Company and the Washington County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association.
The volunteer-led First Hose Company, already a cornerstone of Boonsboro’s safety apparatus, stepped up with infrastructure, training and commitment to the restructuring. The volunteer group worked to fast-track internal approvals, ensuring a timely roll-out for the unit.
Association President James L. Sprecher Jr. had praise for the collaboration between the volunteers and career firefighters. “This unit strengthens the entire countywide network and proves what is possible when paid staff and volunteers lock arms,” he said. “Our volunteers live here, work here and raise families here. When South County calls, we answer.”
Oley Griffith, DES volunteer services coordinator, added, “I have responded to calls where every second felt like an hour. This unit means more patients will reach the hospital within the golden window. That is not bureaucracy, that is lives [saved].”
DES analysts confirmed a need for the new unit by mapping response times and call volumes, pinpointing south county as a coverage blind spot. Rather than build a new facility, leadership turned to the under-used Rohrersville substation, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in construction costs.
The First Hose Company retrofitted bay space, secured the necessary state certification and trained its volunteers to assist with patient preparation and transport.
The two county paramedics assigned to the unit will work round-the-clock shifts, rotating with volunteers to maintain readiness. A state-of-the-art, fully equipped ambulance, already part of the county fleet, will be permanently stationed at the Route 67 station.
The new operation means faster response with a projected four-to-eight-minute improvement in average EMS arrival times for southern zip codes. It requires no tax hike and adds no personnel costs. The unit dispatches through the county’s 911 center, ensuring coordinated care with fire, police, and hospitals.
It also reinforces the hybrid career-volunteer staffing model that keeps Washington County’s emergency services among the state’s most efficient.
This is not the county’s first creative expansion of EMS, but it may prove to be the most impactful. With daily transport units now stretched across the county from Hagerstown to the mountain towns of the west, the Rohrersville launch improves coverage of the safety network.
To commemorate the new setup, the First Hose Company will host an open house at the Rohrersville Station later this month, inviting residents to tour the new unit and meet the crews who will staff it.
