Montrose - Daily Press

MONTROSE — March is usually a busy month for the Montrose Fire Protection District, but this March was an exception: it was the busiest ever.

“March was the busiest in (district) history,” Deputy Chief Dale Erickson said. “The guys really worked hard in all of March to take care of those calls.”

In all, there were 292 calls for service in March, which replaced July 2007 — when crews responded to 270 calls — as the department’s heaviest call month to date.

Montrose Fire Protection District firefighters Lawrence Sanderson, left, and Mike Schell put out the flames of an out-of-control controlled burn in a field on the 61000 block of Highway 90 Friday, March 21. March was the busiest month ever for the Montrose Fire Protection District. (Barton Glasser / Daily Press) Advertisement

In March, the fire district responded to 209 emergency medical calls, 23 brush fires, 23 smoke investigations, five rubbish/Dumpster fires, a chimney fire, nine fire alarms, a ruptured gas line, a vehicle fire, one hazardous materials spill (antifreeze from broken radiator hose), four good-intent calls, one mutual aid (Olathe Fire Department) and four false alarms.

Montrose Fire also responded to three structure fires during the month of March. One of these was at a multifamily dwelling, where a porch fire reached the joists between the first and second floors.

A second fire burned a shed when a brush fire got out of control and spread to the building.

Another fire, on March 6, apparently broke out in the chimney area near the gas fireplace of a home. A firefighter had to be treated for possible smoke inhalation.

Erickson said MFPD also responded to seven carbon monoxide calls during the month of March.

He said when a carbon monoxide detector’s alarm goes off, residents can call the fire district, which has a meter that checks the level of the colorless, toxic gas in the home.

The fire district can also check for carbon monoxide in cases where residents are experiencing symptoms similar to carbon monoxide poisoning.

April, not yet half gone, is also shaping up to be a busy one for the district, which as of Thursday morning, had responded to 77 calls.

Erickson said the increase in calls was due to a combination of growth in Montrose County and the spring burning season for agricultural land and brush.

“Last year was our highest year, and that was in July, but last year we had a slower brush season and people were burning later,” he said. “Typically, March and April are our busiest months because of brush fires.”

Erickson said people could avoid out-of-control controlled burns by burning before 10 or 11 in the morning, when spring winds tend to pick up.

Anyone planning to burn should also check the weather beforehand and hold off on burning if winds are forecast. The fire district recommends having plenty of help, clearing brush around buildings before burning, and never leaving a burn unattended.

It also helps emergency responders if controlled burns are called in to dispatch at 252-4020 before they are begun.

The fire district is funded by a mill levy. Its ambulance service is funded by user fees. The mill levy was increased in 2006 to allow for construction of a new substation south of town.

Erickson said that station, which opened last year off of Racine Road, has significantly aided the district’s ability to respond to calls. He cited two accidents that occurred Thursday morning south of town.

“With the station right there, we had a quicker response,” he said. “It helps throughout our fire district with additional manpower to use when we have multiple calls at the same time.”

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