Nov 9, 2026 - PS Committee Worksession

The Montgomery County Council Public Safety Committee held a worksession on November 9, 2026, covering EMS management of severe agitation, Bill 43-26 on smoke escape hoods in multifamily residential buildings, and amendments to the Fire and Rescue Services Length of Service Awards Program for volunteers. The EMS briefing described police–fire coordination, training, and medical oversight; county EMS had administered ketamine 115 times since January 2024, among approximately 290,000 EMS calls. Committee members discussed whether agencies could collect additional data on calls, de-escalation, and decisions about medication; no procurement action was identified for this item.

For Bill 43-26, the committee discussed requiring buildings five stories or higher to keep smoke escape hoods onsite, generally in a quantity equal to at least 5% of permitted building occupancy, with the fire chief able to account for building-specific factors. The estimated hood cost was $265–$480 each, averaging about $335; the bill also provides an 18-month transition period and requires tenant notification and maintenance, inspection, and storage procedures. The committee accepted amendments clarifying the applicable equipment standard, occupancy basis, and regulations process, then voted to approve the bill as amended. On the volunteer length-of-service awards bill, the committee approved amendments 1, 2, 4, and 5, including expediting the effective date; amendment 3 was supported subject to clarifying funding language. No contract awards or vendor selections were identified.