FREDERICK COUNTY, Md. — The Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services released the finalized external review on Friday about the death of Battalion Chief Joshua Laird that happened while in the line of duty on Aug. 11, 2021.
Chief Laird died while battling a massive two-alarm house fire on Ball Road in Ijamsville. According to the review, it is believed that the fire was caused by a lightning strike from an afternoon storm that day.
During the firefight, the first floor collapsed causing Captain Laird to fall through the floor to the basement level where he was unable to exit. Medical treatment was attempted, but unfortunately he later was pronounced dead due to his injuries.
According to the report, one of the main findings from the incident was that there were chain of command failures. The lack of a clear chain of command caused confusion about who was serving as the incident commander and who was serving as a command aide at various points throughout the incident. In addition, there were multiple orders given by subordinate officers that didn't aligned with the objectives for the mission.
The fire department said since that day, just over a year ago, they, along with his family, have committed to honoring Laird’s memory by ensuring that lasting and meaningful change is implemented into the fire service.
Unlike most After Action Reports, the report of the Ball Road house fire not only examines the actions and decisions made on the scene that day, but also highlights the framework from which firefighters nationwide tend to perform.
“The conversations will be difficult, and the solutions may be complex, but we have to be willing to evolve our system in order to protect the life of every single firefighter in our system,” Frederick County Fire Chief Tom Coe said. “The release of this After-Action Report isn’t as much closure as it is a beginning.”
Coe said they are already working on making change by applying for the FEMA Staffing For Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant, if awarded, the fire department plans to increase staffing of fire apparatus.
The report also shines a light on the human aspect by identifying how the fire service’s culture and resistance to change could eventually open the door for a catastrophic event. In addition, it looks at the critical ways in which stress and emotions affect human behavior, decision making, and performance.
The fire department decided to share the report so other departments across the nation can learn from this experience and evaluate their own practices, policies, and procedures so that changes can be made to ensure this never happens again.