Report: Salisbury firefighters given trespass notices

UPDATE: Firefighter Eric Foskey, treasurer for volunteer Company 1, called The Daily Times on Friday, March 17, saying the equipment cited in the Salisbury Police incident report was helmets. The specialty helmets, he says, are incentives purchased by Company 1 for five years of service. Foskey also said his personal belongings and helmet are back in his possession after making arrangements to retrieve them with the city.

Six volunteer firefighters from Salisbury’s Station 1 were given trespassing notices after they tried to remove equipment from the station the night of Feb. 22, according to a Salisbury Police Department incident report.

A copy of the report was made available to The Daily Times following a request under the Maryland Public Information Act.

Cory Polidore, Eric Foskey, David Elliott Sr., Justin Elliott, Jim McIntyre and Rob Johnson were given the notices by city Fire Chief Rick Hoppes, according to the report.

The firefighters announced Feb. 22 that Company 1, the volunteer unit at the station on Beaglin Park Drive, had decided to separate from the Salisbury Fire Department effective July 1 after the city refused to participate in formal mediation to iron out disputes over station staffing.

In a second news release issued two days later, members said the city had locked them out of Station 1 and threatened them with criminal trespass charges.

According to the report, city police officers arrived on the scene following a 9:41 p.m. call from Assistant Chief Bryan Records, and told the firefighters to return the equipment to the building.

BACKGROUND: Fire association backs Salisbury volunteers in dispute

BACKGROUND: Firefighters condemn split from Salisbury after dispute

Mayor Jake Day has said the city declined to press charges. He also said the volunteer firefighters may return and collect their personal belongings and anything owned by the fire company, such as files.

Hoppes said at a Wicomico County Council meeting on March 2 that both sides needed time “to sort out who owns what” before anything was removed from the building.

At the same meeting, Polidore said members of the company decided to separate from the city over disputes about finances and the appointment of a deputy chief. When the city refused to take part in formal mediation, firefighters voted to separate from the department as of July 1.

The Daily Times has requested copies of the email correspondence between Company 1 and the city under the Maryland Public Information Act. The city had not responded to the request as of Thursday.

Polidore also told County Council members that the volunteers are in the process of finding a new building and equipment with plans to take over a part of Wicomico County currently served by the city fire department.

The company is working toward finding a location for a new station and plans to acquire two fire engines, a tanker truck and two ambulances, Polidore said. The company has set an annual budget of $567,000.

The volunteers first must secure a territory, which would be determined by the Wicomico County Fire Chiefs Association. They are seeking the area of the county outside city limits which is now covered by the city’s Station 1 on Beaglin Park Drive.

On Twitter @LizHolland5