The Baltimore City Council has unanimously passed a bill prohibiting restoration companies and contractors from approaching homeowners during an active emergency scene. As reported by WMAR-2 News, the bill was in response to a deadly fire on Keswick Road that not only claimed lives but also saw survivors quickly approached by restoration services in what some describe as aggressive solicitation tactics.
Urging to better protect residents in their time of crisis, Councilwoman Odette Ramos pushed the legislation to ensure that emergency responders could, without hesitation, set up a perimeter and prevent unauthorized individuals from entering the scene. Ramos recounted incidents where constituents felt uncomfortable with how they were approached and expressed concerns about running out of insurance money prematurely, according to a WMAR-2 News interview.
Similar protections, like those for crime scenes, are expected to help keep first responders safe and shield victims from unwanted solicitation. Victims of the Keswick Road fire have supported the bill, with Jeremy Olsen having told CBS News Baltimore, "You're literally at your worst moment in your life, and you're trying to think, and exist." He shared painful memories of being solicited by restoration services while watching his home burn.
Olsen also relayed to CBS News Baltimore how his home was further victimized following the fire, having been broken into after a company boarded it up. The new bill is looking to prevent further instances where survivors must fend off aggressive sales tactics amidst personal calamity. "This bill is not a direct attack against your company and your service, I think it's more of a buffer," Olsen stated, emphasizing the necessity for a period of peace for victims to process their trauma.
The legislation is now awaiting Mayor Brandon Scott's signature to become law and will take effect immediately upon his approval. Councilwoman Ramos anticipates that Maryland's General Assembly will tackle a similar issue in the upcoming 2026 Legislative Session. Platinum Emergency Services was present at the council meeting but declined to comment following the bill's approval.
