Officials: Door-to-Door Fundraisers Misrepresenting Volunteer Fire Departments

Update (10:33 a.m.)—Door-to-door fundraisers moving through south county are misrepresenting local volunteer fire departments, according to releases by the Deale and Galesville Volunteer Fire Departments.

On Monday, both departments issued identical statements to the public, stating that the Maryland Volunteer Fire Political Action Committee (MVFPAC) is conducting a fundraising effort that misinforms residents.

“Representatives from [the MVFPAC] have been advising residents during their door-to-door collection that the fundraisers are to benefit the local volunteer fire department,” according to the release. “This information is a clear misrepresentation of the facts, as none of the funds from this fund raising effort are forwarded to the local volunteer fire department.”

MVFPAC Chairman Justin Towles acknowledged there has been some miscommunication during the fundraising, but that it wasn't intentional and has only occurred in the minority of cases. 

"I've called people who donated and many knew exactly what they were donating to," Towles said. "I think most people have only heard of the complaints, it may not be a fair representation."

Towles said the MVFPAC doesn't plan to continue its fundraising strategy of going door to door for long, with one reason being that he thinks more time should be spent educating the public on how the fire department works.

"There's a lot of people out there that don't understand the fire department in general—they don't understand the dynamics," Towles said.

If more people knew the infrastructure of fire departments, the miscommunication in fundraising would be easier to avoid, Towles said. 

The MVFPAC is a legitimate organization, but the money collected is utilized for political purposes to address volunteer fire departments as a whole—not specific local departments, according to the release.

“We do not want to discourage anyone from donating to the MVFPAC, but we do want residents to be aware of this effort and the misrepresentations that may have occurred,” according to the release.

Resident seeking more information about the MCFPAC should visit its website at www.mdvolfirepac.org.