2026 County Council Candidate Questionnaire
Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Rescue Association Launches 2026 County Council Candidate Questionnaire
Rockville, MD – The Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Rescue Association (MCVFRA) today announced the release of its 2026 County Council Candidate Questionnaire (.pdf; .doc) as part of its non-partisan process to evaluate and endorse candidates for County Council.
MCVFRA is a 501(c)(4) public safety organization representing the 19 Local Volunteer Fire and Rescue Departments (LFRDs) that serve as the volunteer component of the County’s combined fire and rescue service. Collectively, Montgomery County’s volunteers provide thousands of hours of emergency response, community risk reduction, training, and public education each year.
“The combination system only works when volunteers are treated as full partners and when County leadership understands the operational, governance, and funding realities of modern fire and rescue service,” said Russell Hartung, President of the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Rescue Association. “This questionnaire is designed to assess candidates’ knowledge, judgment, and commitment to sustaining a safe, effective, and legally sound system for the long term.”
The questionnaire asks candidates to address key issues including:
The future of the County’s combination fire-rescue system;
Capital funding and budget transparency for volunteer departments;
Recruitment and retention of volunteers; and
Long-term sustainability, training, and system coordination.
Candidates who submit completed questionnaires by the due date of February 8, 2026, may be invited to participate in interviews conducted by the Association later in February. MCVFRA’s evaluations are non-partisan and are based on standards of involvement, vision, effectiveness, character, knowledge, and commitment to public safety and volunteer service.
“Our goal is straightforward,” Hartung said. “We want County Council members who understand the operational stakes, respect the law, value the volunteer workforce, and are prepared to govern responsibly when it comes to fire, rescue, and emergency medical services.”
The questionnaire and submission instructions are available here.
For more information, contact:
Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Rescue Association
president@mcvfra.org
www.mcvfra.org