HOWARD COUNTY, MD — When they aren’t busy battling blazes or searching for suspects, Howard County firefighters and police officers hit the ice to play organized hockey though public safety hockey clubs.
The Maryland Heroes Hockey League happens to be the largest public safety hockey league on the East Coast, not including the FDNY in-house league, and the only public safety hockey league in the DC/MD region, according to the league. Their season typically runs in the fall through the winter, concluding with a Heroes Championship tournament in March. There are a dozen teams with players from almost every public safety agency in Maryland and DC.
The Howard County Heat hockey team recently competed in the Orlando Firefighter Hockey Club’s annual charity hockey tournament, Battle of the Badges, which raises funds to be donated to the families of public safety officers killed in the line of duty. In that tournament, they snagged their second consecutive championship title, according to the program.
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The 89ers from Prince George’s also traveled to compete in the 2024 Orlando Fire Battle of the Badges, earning first place in their division. Earlier in January, two teams of Maryland State Police troopers, allied officers, firefighters and friends participated in the annual first responder “Troopers Helping Troopers” tournament in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The event raised more than $80,000 to support the families of troopers in need.
“Much appreciation to many local teams and their families and friends who trekked up to Hershey for a good, fun hockey weekend,” the Maryland State Police said on its Facebook page.
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For more than 20 years, the Howard County Heat has competed in countless tournaments, leagues and charity events to raise money for different causes. In August 2023, the Howard County Heat competed in the Howard Cup, hosted by the Hockey with Purpose, that generated more than $4,000 for the Howard Heroes Fund. In that special event, firefighters faced police officers.
Daniel Bessick, Jr. commented on Facebook that his son with the fire department sporting jersey No. 44 squared off against his dad who retired from the police department wearing jersey No. 3.
“Who will get the better of each other?” Bessick Jr. posted.
There’s still time to catch your favorite public safety hockey team on ice yet this season. There will be regular season games Feb. 2 and Feb. 9, with playoffs starting Feb. 16, then Feb. 23 and the championship March 14.
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