By By Thomas Tingle
Record Managing Editor
Monrovia Volunteer Fire Department's second station at the intersection of Sam Thomas Road and Pine Grove Road is nearing completion.
Upon the completion of the $80,000 building, the station will house two fire trucks for the department – which is the busiest volunteer fire department in Madison County, answering to more than 1,000 in 2001.
According to Firefighter Pete Mehok, the second station is needed to keep up with the growing demands for quick response of firefighters, EMT's, nurses and paramedics in the Monrovia area.
"Funding to build this new station has come from donations, fundraisers by the department and the county," Mehok said. "The number of calls we respond to has increased and we will be able to better serve the Monrovia area with this new station."
Each year during the past two years, the department has responded to more than 900 calls in the area.
Monrovia Volunteer Fire Department's main station, located on Mt. Zion Road, was built 11 years ago.
At the present time, Monrovia VFD has four engines, one crash vehicle, one brush vehicle, three medic units and one four-wheel drive medic unit.
The department has been in existence since 1968 with approximately 35 volunteer firefighters and EMT's to date.