The Gaithersburg Washington Grove Volunteer Fire Department (GWGVFD) has earned the designation of 2023’s busiest station in Montgomery County, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer.
In 2023, all MCFRS stations responded to 136,172 total calls. That’s roughly 373 calls per day. The Gaithersburg-Washington Grove Station (Station 8) responded to 18,481 total calls, which is roughly 51 calls per day and just over 7.3% of all calls in Montgomery County. Since 1927 the Gaithersburg Washington Grove Volunteer Fire Department has served the communities of Gaithersburg, Washington Grove, Derwood and Montgomery Village.
The GWGVFD operates two stations with both volunteer and career personnel. The volunteers are involved operationally as Firefighters, Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians. They also have administrative volunteers and many of its members have served for more than 20 years. Station 8 is consistently the busiest station in Montgomery County, and is located on the corner of Montgomery Village Avenue and Russell Avenue. Station 8 houses Engine 708, Ariel Tower 708, UTV 708, Brush UTV 708B, Brush 708, Medic 708, ALS Chase Car 708, Ambulance 708, Ambulance 708B, and Ambulance 708C. Ambulance 708C is staffed completely by volunteers and has the equipment and staffing capability to be upgraded to Medic 708C. Canteen 708 is also housed at Station 8 and is staffed by our volunteers. Station 28 is at the corner of Muncaster Mill and Shady Grove Roads. Station 28 is home to Engine 728, Ambulance 728 and Hazmat 728.
Last week, Piringer shared the five fires that caused the highest monetary losses in 2023. They can be seen here.