Arlington Firefighters' Union Opposes Proposal to Merge Heavy Rescue Units

Union warns consolidation would hurt response times and put residents at risk

Mar. 11, 2026 at 9:51pm

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Arlington's firefighter union is pushing back against a proposal to consolidate the local fire department's two heavy rescue units into one. The union believes the merger would lower minimum staffing, increase response times, and put both firefighters and residents at risk, especially in high-stakes incidents involving structural collapse, ropes, or hazardous materials. The county's proposed budget includes the consolidation plan, but the union is urging the county board to reconsider.

Why it matters

Heavy rescue units are specially trained to respond to complex, high-risk incidents that require advanced technical skills and equipment. Consolidating these units could compromise public safety and firefighter safety in Arlington, which has a history of major incidents like highway crashes and building collapses that require a rapid, specialized response.

The details

The proposal would merge Arlington's two heavy rescue units, Rescue 102 and Rescue 109, into a single centrally-located unit. The county claims this would increase staffing and create an additional medical transport unit, but the union argues it would actually lower minimum staffing and increase response times, especially for incidents on the interstates. The union believes the consolidated unit would be too far from the highways to respond quickly during peak traffic hours.

  • The Arlington County manager's proposed FY 2027 $1.69 billion budget includes the heavy rescue unit consolidation plan.
  • A work session between the county board and the fire department is scheduled for March 19 to discuss the proposal.

The players

Arlington Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Association

The union representing Arlington's firefighters, which is opposing the proposed heavy rescue unit consolidation.

Brian Lynch

President of the Arlington Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Association (IAFF Local 2800), who has expressed concerns about the proposal.

Arlington County Board

The local governing body that is reviewing the proposed FY 2027 budget, including the heavy rescue unit consolidation plan.

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What they’re saying

“In order to save money, the county is putting more risk to the citizenry and firefighters. ...we're not going to be able to get people to specialized skills and equipment on the scene of critical occurrences as quickly.”

— Brian Lynch, President, Arlington Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Association (NBC4 Washington)

“We're moving those people further away from those highways, which, if anyone has ever driven through the center of the DMV at rush hour, that can take a significantly long time to traverse, even if you have lights and sirens”

— Brian Lynch, President, Arlington Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Association (NBC4 Washington)

What’s next

The Arlington County Board is scheduled to hold a work session with the fire department on March 19 to further discuss the proposed heavy rescue unit consolidation.

The takeaway

This proposal highlights the tension between budgetary concerns and public safety priorities. The firefighters' union believes the consolidation plan would compromise their ability to respond quickly and effectively to high-risk incidents, potentially putting both residents and first responders at greater risk. The county will need to carefully weigh these concerns as it finalizes its budget for the upcoming fiscal year.