By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- A 10-month independent study by MissionCIT recommends Montgomery County, Virginia add three fire and emergency response stations and hire a dedicated county fire marshal to address population growth and declining volunteer staffing.
- Recommended station locations include Peppers Ferry Road, Roanoke Street, and Radford Road areas, with facility acquisition representing the first funding challenge to implementation.
- Montgomery County currently operates ten separate fire and EMS departments serving Christiansburg, Blacksburg, and unincorporated communities, with emergency response systems organized around historical boundaries rather than strategic coverage.
- The county has increased public safety employment from two full-time emergency responders in 2021 to fifty today as population growth has accelerated and volunteer availability has declined.
- County supervisors discussed potential tax incentives for volunteer emergency personnel and a dedicated “fire levy” on real estate to fund emergency services.
CHRISTIANSBURG, VA. — A comprehensive assessment of Montgomery County’s fire and emergency response system delivered Monday recommends the county build three new fire and EMS stations, hire a county fire marshal, and restructure operations to improve countywide coordination as population growth strains existing resources.
The study, commissioned by Montgomery County supervisors and completed by MissionCIT, a Virginia-based emergency services assessment firm, identified the three proposed station locations based on response coverage gaps and projected population growth. Stations on Peppers Ferry Road, Roanoke Street, and Radford Road would serve areas currently beyond acceptable response-time standards. The county faces the challenge of acquiring suitable land for the facilities before design and construction can begin.
Frank Edwards, MissionCIT’s senior director, told the board of supervisors Monday that hiring a county fire marshal should be implemented immediately. While the municipalities of Christiansburg and Blacksburg operate their own fire inspectors, Montgomery County currently relies on state fire marshals for facility inspections. Edwards stated this arrangement works well for high-density structures but allows smaller buildings to remain overlooked due to limited time and resources at the state level.
The county currently operates with ten separate fire and EMS departments serving different jurisdictions. Edwards characterized the emergency response system as fragmented into organizational “silos” that evolved over decades. One example, he said, involves response districts reflecting historical boundaries rather than which fire department is geographically closest to emergency scenes. Edwards emphasized that integrating these departments into a strategic, countywide system represents one of the county’s highest priorities.
The study documented rapid growth in public safety staffing demands. In 2021, Montgomery County employed only two full-time emergency responders; that number has grown to fifty today. This expansion reflects both population growth and a nationwide decline in volunteer firefighter availability. According to the assessment, declining volunteer numbers will continue to pressure the county to shift toward paid, full-time personnel to maintain emergency response capacity.
The report’s intermediate-term recommendations include improving recruitment and retention programs for volunteer emergency personnel and developing a countywide funding allocation model to distribute resources more effectively.
County supervisors immediately discussed one recommendation during Monday’s meeting: providing a tax break to volunteer emergency personnel. Any tax exemption would require public advertisement and board approval at a future meeting before implementation.
Supervisors also debated the study’s recommendation of a “fire levy”—a dedicated property tax on real estate or personal property that would create a separate funding mechanism for fire and EMS services. The board would set the levy rate, and Edwards presented four alternative funding options in the study report. A fire levy would provide stable, dedicated revenue separate from general operating funds.
The complete study, exceeding 370 pages, will be made available on the county website beginning Wednesday. County officials indicated they anticipate numerous work sessions to review the findings and begin implementing recommendations. The study recommendations will also be presented to the Christiansburg and Blacksburg town councils for their consideration.