Each year thousands of motor, sailing and personal watercraft vessels, enjoy the waterways of the Maryland Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Be it for pleasure or for work, vessels are subject to many obstacles that are associated with boating. Have you ever wondered though - what happens when an emergency happens on the open water? If you’re located on the waters of the upper Chesapeake Bay or its tributaries, chances are Marine Emergency Team 21 will be involved in helping you. Comprised of 35 specially-trained response personnel, two Marine Fire/Rescue vessels, three shallow draft boats, one inflatable craft and several land-based response/towing vehicles, the Community Fire Department of Bowleys Quarters and Vicinity, operates the largest Marine Emergency Team in the Upper Bay area; Marine Emergency Team 21 (MET21). MET21 is one of few teams north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge that can make year-round emergency responses in any weather condition. Team personnel are trained for all worst-case scenarios that they may be faced with. Common responses include vessel fires, collisions, hazardous material incidents and medical emergencies. Two of our vessels can provide Basic Life Support and when staffed by EMT’s are essentially ambulances on the water. MET21 receives most its distress calls through Baltimore County’s 911 dispatch, direct from the United States Coast Guard (USCG), or through Marine VHF channel 16. MET21’s primary response area covers 90 square miles of open water in the upper Chesapeake Bay. This includes all of Baltimore Counties waterfront communities, various popular boating locations, Hart-Miller Island, Poole’s Island, and the channels leading to and from the Eastern Shore. Secondary responses include mutual aid requests by Harford, Anne Arundel, Kent, Queens Anne's, and Cecil Counties as well as Baltimore City. The team also often works with many commercial tow vessels in the area. Supporting MET21’s response are other agencies such as Natural Resources Police, Baltimore County Marine Police, Aberdeen Proving Ground police and fire, Kent County Fire Department, North Point-Edgemere Volunteer Fire Company, and the United States Coast Guard sector Baltimore. Highly trained personnel as well as well-designed and maintained vessels are a critical component to our success.
