Fire Station 24 in Montgomery County: A Rescue and Fire Suppression Hub Serving Gaithersburg

Station 24, located in Gaithersburg, is a full-service fire station operated by Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) that responds to structure fires, vehicle accidents, medical emergencies, and hazardous material incidents across its service zone. As one of more than 40 stations in the county system, it maintains a crew of firefighters and paramedics on 24-hour rotating shifts and serves as both an emergency responder and a community resource for fire prevention education.

What Station 24 Actually Is

Station 24 operates as a combination fire station, meaning it houses both career firefighters and apparatus dedicated to suppression, rescue, and advanced life support. The station manages emergency calls across a defined response district in central Gaithersburg and participates in mutual aid agreements with neighboring jurisdictions. Unlike volunteer-dependent stations in more rural county areas, Station 24 maintains full-time staffing and responds to calls that range from structure fires to cardiac arrests to entrapments. The station also holds community education responsibilities, including fire safety inspections, code compliance checks, and public outreach on prevention.

Emergency Response Services and Staffing Model

MCFRS operates on a county-wide system with no per-call fees for residents. Station 24 dispatches crews for structure fires, vehicle extrication, medical emergencies, and hazardous material containment. All firefighters at the station are cross-trained as emergency medical technicians (EMTs) or paramedics, meaning any engine or truck response includes advanced life support capability. The station runs on a 24-hour shift schedule: crews work one 24-hour shift followed by 48 hours off. During peak call volume periods, particularly between 5 p.m. and midnight on weekdays, Station 24 may be out on multiple concurrent calls; in those cases, mutual aid from adjacent stations ensures coverage.

Response times from Station 24 typically fall between 4 and 7 minutes for calls within its primary service area, though this varies by location within the zone and call volume. The county does not publish real-time wait-time data, so callers should always call 911 rather than attempt to reach the station directly for emergencies.

How Station 24 Compares to Other Montgomery County Resources

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service operates 43 stations total, distributed across urban, suburban, and rural zones. Station 24's full-time staffing model contrasts with volunteer-dependent stations in areas like Poolesville and Buckeystown, which rely on call firefighters and typically have longer response times outside peak hours. Gaithersburg also has Station 1 (downtown), which covers overlapping areas; both stations coordinate dispatch and backup. For high-risk industrial facilities or hazmat calls, Station 24 coordinates with the county's specialized Hazardous Materials Response Team based at Station 33 in Silver Spring. Residents in Station 24's zone should not expect to choose a station; dispatch routes calls to the closest available unit. The choice that does exist is whether to call 911 (emergency response) or the non-emergency line (240-777-0311) for reports that do not require immediate dispatch, such as open fire hydrants, minor code violations, or fire safety questions.

Community Education and Non-Emergency Services

Station 24 conducts fire safety inspections at commercial properties and multifamily dwellings as part of county code enforcement. Residential fire safety inspections are available by appointment and typically focus on smoke detector placement, egress window clearance, and sprinkler system maintenance. These inspections are free. The station also participates in school visits and community events to teach fire prevention, particularly around Halloween and National Fire Safety Month (October). Residents can request a station tour or fire safety presentation by contacting the MCFRS public information office at 240-777-0701.

Who Benefits Most and Who Does Not

Station 24 serves residents and businesses within its defined response district in central Gaithersburg. Anyone in that zone calling 911 receives Station 24's resources automatically. Gaithersburg residents in areas served by other stations (notably Station 1) will not see Station 24 respond unless their primary station is unavailable. Businesses in the station's zone can benefit from proactive code compliance inspections by scheduling in advance. People seeking fire suppression system consultation or sprinkler design review should contact the county's Fire Code Compliance Division rather than the station directly; Station 24 enforces code but does not design systems.

First Contact and Logistics

For emergencies, always dial 911. For non-emergencies, call 240-777-0311 during business hours. The station itself is not open to walk-in public services; all community requests must be initiated by phone. Tours and educational presentations require at least two weeks' notice and depend on crew availability (the station's 24-hour operational schedule means crew availability varies). Parking at the station is limited and reserved for official vehicles; visitors attending scheduled programs should call ahead for specific directions.

Station 24 anchors fire protection in Gaithersburg's central corridor and offers the full response capabilities and community education expected of a full-time county operation, making it the resource to know if you live or work in its service zone.