By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

(Oct. 22, 2026) Berlin government officials are exploring incentives such as property tax credits to help the volunteer fire company recruit and retain firefighters.

The Berlin Fire Company asked the mayor and Town Council this week to support a property tax credit for volunteer firefighters who live within municipal limits and have completed three years of service.

Berlin Fire Company President David Fitzgerald proposed a $2,500 tax credit. He said about 17 to 20 fire personnel are currently eligible for the incentive, at a cost of around $50,000 to the town.

The theory is the rebate would not only attract new volunteer firefighters, but also encourage them to live in Berlin, which would increase emergency response times.

“It encourages those people who may be looking to purchase a home, but they’re not sure,” Fitzgerald said. “…I used to live in town and for personal reasons I moved out. Financial was one of them…if you offer some credit, you may sway that person. They might say, ‘I’ll go ahead and move into the town.’ That helps the fire station because they’re that much closer for response times.”

Fitzgerald added that his $2,500 suggestion is based on what other Maryland counties offer. If someone’s tax bill is $3,000, they’d receive the full $2,500 credit. If someone’s bill is less than $2,500, they would receive a credit equal to the full amount of the bill.

“Individuals would pay their tax bill in full, and once the checks clear and it’s all paid, you look at the list and see [this member] paid his taxes,” Fitzgerald said. “If he paid $2,800 in taxes, he would get a $2,500 rebate check. You have to budget for that…that’s how it works.”

Berlin Mayor Zack Tyndall said, per prior council conversations, the town would consider a $1,000 property tax incentive.

Fitzgerald added that another financial incentive currently available to firefighters statewide is an income tax subtraction of about $7,000. Under Maryland law, qualifying volunteers may deduct $7,000 from their gross income when calculating taxes.

The fire president maintained that, despite popular belief, those who receive the benefit do not get a $7,000 check. Instead, that figure is deducted from their yearly income, and they are taxed on the remaining balance.

“People think that we get [$7,000], Fitzgerald said. “It all depends on the tax bracket. You may only get a couple hundred dollars back…depending on what the adjusted gross income is.”

The Maryland State Firefighters Association is lobbying this year to increase the income subtraction from $7,000 to $10,000.

Fitzgerald said at some point the fire company may ask the Town Council to provide a letter advocating for the new legislation, which Tyndall said the municipality would provide.

The idea is that financial perks will help the Berlin Fire Company recruit and retain new volunteer firefighters.

Fitzgerald said the department has hovered around 50 members for the past few years. In the past, they’ve had as many as 70 firefighters.

Fire officials point to long training and extensive time commitments as to why it’s a struggle to get recruits onboard.

“With younger people, will they stay?” Fitzgerald said. “What happens is they’ll get in as a single person and then their life changes. They get married, have a kid, or…get a dog.”

However, a financial incentive that kicks in after three years of service could encourage younger members to remain with the department. Fitzgerald added that in an ideal world, he would like to see five or six new volunteer firefighters join each year.