BALTIMORE – U.S. Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin, (D-3rd) today harshly criticized the U.S. Department of the Army’s decision to sharply reduce emergency medical services at Ft. Meade starting Monday, April 5. In a joint letter to Acting Secretary of the Army Les Brownlee, Reps. Cardin and Dutch Ruppersberger (D-2) stated: "Homeland security cannot be achieved at the expense of depleting the existing commitment to first responders at our military and intelligence facilities."

Rep. Cardin, a member of the Homeland Security Committee, stressed: "This is the time we should be increasing first responder capabilities at important federal facilities, not reducing them." He pointed out that since Sept. 11, the Administration has pledged to provide more support for first responders and homeland security. "This decision contradicts that pledge and the intent of Congress in appropriating more money for first responders and homeland security."

Rep. Cardin, who represents a significant portion of Anne Arundel County, also stressed that the decision by the U.S. Army Medical Command that Anne Arundel County "pick up the slack for EMS for the Ft Meade campus will have a serious economic impact on the County." In the letter to Secretary Brownlee, the Congressmen wrote: "Anne Arundel County cannot be expected to assume the responsibility being abandoned by the U.S. Army Medical Command."

The Army has said it will reduce EMS service from full-time, 24-hour coverage to Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., excluding weekends and holidays. During off hours, the Ft. Meade Campus will have to rely on emergency services from the EMS unit in Jessup, which could take more than 15 minutes to arrive at the post. That response time could be further reduced if there is a security alert.

The Ft. Meade Campus includes 2,500 families who live on the post and a 24-hour workforce of 6,000 people. The Campus houses the National Security Agency, Defense Security Service, and National Guard and Reserve units. "This is a significant population that deserves adequate EMS coverage," said Rep. Cardin.

In 1995, as part of the of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC), Kimbrough Army Community Hospital was downgraded to a clinic. Part of that agreement included maintaining full-time EMS at Ft. Meade.

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