By Matt Hubbard
Baltimore Sun
HARFORD COUNTY, Md. — The Harford County government paid off $220,000 in student loans for 44 volunteer first responders this year.
Student loan repayments from the county are paid directly to lending institutions through the county’s NEXT GEN Responder Student Loan Relief Program established under County Executive Barry Glassman in 2020.
Every year since, Harford County has repaid up to $5,000 in student loan debt per individual, qualifying volunteer.
Since the county government started funding emergency medical services in 2022 — beginning the transition from volunteer EMS to county-employed personnel — Harford has relied solely on volunteers from 12 companies across the county for fire suppression services.
In a presentation last month to the Harford County Council, the president of the Harford County Fire and Emergency Medical Services Association, John Gallagher, said recruitment and retention of volunteers has been a growing challenge.
Emergency response volunteers are obligated to engage in more than 100 hours of training before they can actively respond to emergencies. Also, Most work a full-time job, attend school or have a family.
Both Gallagher and Cassilly said incentives such as student loan repayment are critical to attracting volunteers.
“Volunteer fire responders in Harford County go above and beyond every day, tirelessly working to protect our communities and save lives,” Cassilly said in a news release. “We are grateful for their commitment and proud to offer this program as a way to show our support and help reduce their student loan debt.”
Any volunteer fire responder with student loan debt is eligible for the program, including recent graduates and college students majoring in any field of study, according to the county. To qualify, applicants must be a volunteer member of a Harford County volunteer fire or ambulance corps and earn 50 points — earned after one year of service — in the Maryland Length of Service Award Program.
Volunteers can receive a maximum of $5,000 in loan repayment each year, and a maximum of $20,000 over the course of four years. Applications can be found on the county website.
Other incentives offered to volunteers who complete training include a $7,000 state income tax deduction, health, life and disability insurance, discounts on housing and more.
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