Berlin Considers Tax Credit for First Responders

Proposed incentive aims to boost recruitment and retention for volunteer fire department.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 3:51pm

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The Town of Berlin, Maryland is considering offering a property tax credit to first responders who live within the municipal limits. The goal is to help the Berlin Fire Company recruit and retain volunteer firefighters, who have been struggling with declining membership. Officials discussed the potential credit, which could start at $1,000 per eligible member, at a recent work session.

Why it matters

Volunteer fire departments across the country have faced challenges with recruitment and retention in recent years. Providing a tax incentive could make it more appealing for Berlin residents to join the local fire company and encourage current members to remain. Increasing the number of first responders living within the town could also lead to faster emergency response times.

The details

Under the proposed plan, volunteer and career fire department staff who live within the Berlin town limits and own their homes would qualify for the tax credit. The fire company would provide the town with a list of eligible members, who would then apply for the refund after paying their annual property taxes. Officials discussed setting the credit at $1,000 to start, with the possibility of increasing it in the future. The council also debated length-of-service requirements, with the mayor preferring a one-year minimum over a three-year proposal.

  • The Berlin Town Council and fire department discussed the tax credit proposal at a work session on April 1, 2026.
  • Officials said they would like to implement the credit starting in the 2026 tax year.

The players

Zack Tyndall

The mayor of Berlin, Maryland.

David Fitzgerald

The president of the Berlin Fire Company.

Andrew Grunden

The fire chief of the Berlin Fire Company.

Dean Burrell

The vice president of the Berlin Town Council.

Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company

A neighboring volunteer fire department that has implemented a similar property tax credit program.

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What they’re saying

“My thought is we start at $1,000 and then see how it goes. And we can always work up. It's always easier to work up than it is down.”

— Zack Tyndall, Mayor

“I moved out of town because of the cost. The taxes, water, sewer...this could bring people in town to live in town, young people, knowing they would get something off their taxes, because where does that help us? Response times.”

— David Fitzgerald, Fire Company President

“It's a struggle. It's a time-consuming thing. People don't want to spend a lot of time doing something for free ... The amount of time training, all that, continues to be problematic. People have to want to take the time to help our community ... a lot of people don't want to spend a lot of free time for someone they don't know.”

— Andrew Grunden, Fire Chief

What’s next

The Berlin Town Council will need to formally vote on and approve the proposed tax credit program for first responders. If approved, the credit would likely be implemented starting in the 2026 tax year.

The takeaway

The tax credit proposal highlights the ongoing challenges facing volunteer fire departments in recruiting and retaining members. By offering a financial incentive to first responders who live within the town, Berlin hopes to boost its fire company's staffing levels and improve emergency response times for the community.