Purpose:

The Delmarva Fire Management Group (DFMG) have banded together to form a fire management group for the protection of over 700,000 acres of forestland and approximately 200,000 acres of marshlands in the Eastern Region in Maryland.

Under the Authority of Annotated Code Section 5-701, of the State of Maryland, the State Forester is designated the responsibility to carry out this protection. This group has come together to give their assistance in the phases specified in the accompanying pre-suppression and suppression plans.

This plan is made in accordance with the Maryland State Fire plan and to provide assistance to the Public Lands - Forestry Programs of the Department of Natural Resources. The reason being to assist in providing the standard of fire protection needed for cost efficient and effective management of the State's natural resources. The implementation of the State Fire Protection Policy and Objectives will be the responsibility of the field units. The DFMG will act as an advisory unit to the Public Lands - Forestry Programs in all phases of fire protection providing further services as specified in this plan.

Policy:

The Fire Protection policy for the DFMG is to protect and promote health, safety, economy, and general welfare of the people of the State through proper use, development and preservation of the State's natural and basic assets. The DFMG will encourage the economic development and use of its natural resources for the improvement of the local economy, preservation of natural beauty, and promotion of recreation and leisure interests throughout the Eastern Region of the State.

Further, the DFMG will establish a governing board to oversee, re-evaluate and up-date this plan as needed. This board will act in the advisory capacity to the Public Lands - Forestry Programs in the protection of forests and all natural fuels from fire as stated in this cooperative pre-suppression and suppression plan.

Objective:

To pool together personnel, equipment, management techniques and all other available resources, to improve the Delmarva Fire Protection Program by reducing fire losses and costs of operations, to the benefit of the citizens of this region as well as to the cooperation members of this group. The end result being an everlasting existence of the resources we are now managing for our children in the years to come.