Explanation: Capitals indicate matter added to existing law.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.
The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.
Introductory*
City of Baltimore
Council Bill
Introduced by: Councilmembers Burnett, Cohen, Dorsey
A Bill Entitled
An Ordinance concerning
title
Baltimore City Fire Department - Reporting Requirements
For the purpose of requiring the Fire Chief of the Baltimore City Fire Department to report annually certain information to the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore; requiring the report to be made available on the Department’s website; and providing for a special effective date.
body
By adding
Article 9 - Fire Suppression and Prevention
Section 1-9
Baltimore City Code
(Edition 2000)
Section 1. Be it ordained by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, That the Laws of Baltimore City read as follows:
Baltimore City Code
Article 9. Fire Suppression and Prevention
Subtitle 1. Fire Department
§ 1-9. Reporting requirements.
(a) In general.
On or before January 31 of each year, the Baltimore City Fire Chief shall report the following information, disaggregated by race and gender (excluding names), from the previous calendar year regarding the Baltimore City Fire Department to the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore:
(1) the number of uniformed personnel working in fire suppression and the emergency medical services division;
(2) the number of supervisors by rank assigned to fire suppression and the emergency medical services division;
(3) the number of uniformed personnel assigned to fire suppression and the emergency medical services division who were promoted to a supervisory rank in the previous calendar year;
(4) the number of high school students who were in the Department’s high school program;
(5) the number of high schools students who received EMT certification from the Department’s high school program;
(6) the number of high school students who were hired by the Department after completion of the Department’s high school program and graduation from the Department’s Training Academy;
(7) excluding those counted in paragraph (6), the number of individuals who graduated from the Department’s Training Academy and were hired by the Department; and
(8) the number of uniformed personnel who participated in the fire suppression or emergency medical services divisions’ promotional process for a supervisory position in the previous calendar year.
(b) Other reporting requirements.
On or before January 31 of each year, the Baltimore City Fire Department shall also report the following information from the previous calendar year to the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore:
(1) the number of uniformed personnel who are residents of Baltimore City;
(2) the number of uniformed personnel who were suspended with pay;
(3) the number of uniformed personnel who were suspended without pay;
(4) the number of discipline charges filed against uniformed personnel, as well as the number of charges that were sustained and the number of charges that were dismissed;
(5) the number of recruiting events in Baltimore City that the Department sponsored or participated in;
(6) the number of citizens who have added their names to the citizen contact recruitment list; and
(7) the number of community-based town hall meetings attended by the Department.
(c) Public availability.
The reports required by subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall be made available to the public on the Department’s website.
(d) Required public hearings.
(1) The Baltimore City Fire Department shall notify the Baltimore City Council that the Fire Department has began the hiring process for entry-level fire suppression or emergency medical services positions or has moved into a new phase of the hiring process for those positions.
(2) On receipt of notice that the Baltimore City Fire Department has began the hiring process for entry-level fire suppression or emergency medical services positions or has moved into a new phase of the hiring process for those positions, an appropriate committee of the Baltimore City Council shall promptly hold a public hearing during which representatives of the Fire Department must present information regarding:
(i) the overall application process;
(ii) the recruitment strategy for entry-level fire suppression or emergency medical services applicants;
(iii) the race, gender, and City residency data of the applicants at the current phase of the hiring process; and
(iv) any steps taken to improve equity in the hiring process and to reduce barriers to entry.
Section 2. And be it further ordained, That the catchlines contained in this Ordinance are not law and may not be considered to have been enacted as a part of this or any prior Ordinance.
Section 3. And be it further ordained, That the first reports under this section shall be due on or before January 31, 2021, and shall include information from each of the previous 5 calendar years; thereafter, each report need only include information from the previous calendar year.
Section 4. And be it further ordained, That this Ordinance takes effect on the date it is enacted.