Caroline Rudacille

Caroline Rudacille is a Fire Lieutenant with the Baltimore County Fire Department, bringing over 18 years of experience in fire suppression, as well as a wide range of emergency incidents. Throughout her career, she has held operational leadership roles, including serving as an officer on Baltimore County’s Hazardous Materials Response Team. In her current position as a Field Safety Officer, she responds to residential, commercial, and marine fires, hazardous materials and technical rescue incidents, mass casualty events, and other large-scale emergencies throughout the county. Caroline is recognized as a subject-matter expert in lithium-ion battery emergencies. She led the development of Baltimore County Fire Department’s standard operating procedures and response tactics for incidents involving lithium-ion batteries. She also plays a key role in building partnerships with local industries and agencies—both within and beyond her jurisdiction—to develop unified emergency response plans for facilities that manufacture, sell, or handle lithium-ion batteries, devices, and vehicles. As part of this work, Caroline established a unique partnership with a major international tool manufacturer. This collaboration included joint testing days that provided firefighters and first responders in her county with hands-on experience and critical insight that was utilized to shape training and response tactics. Her efforts continue to shape both local and regional planning for battery-related hazards, integrating technical response strategies with firefighter safety and public risk mitigation.