Members of the fire department, the Magnolia Chamber of Commerce, the Magnolia City Council, Lions Club, Historical Society, and Mayor Jimmy Thornton were among the estimated 60 people who attended the event, said fire chief Gary Vincent.

“We had a very large turnout, I thought,” said Vincent. “I think it demonstrates the community support for the project and how much they’re looking forward to the new department opening.”

At left, an artist’s rendering of the new Magnolia Volunteer Fire Department, which is scheduled to open in the spring of 2010.

The MVFD currently has six stations throughout Magnolia and has purchased property to build two additional stations in the future “to try and keep up with community growth” said Vincent.

“We’re the largest fire department in Montgomery County by far,” he said.

The facility, officially titled the Magnolia Volunteer Fire Department Fire Administration Headquarters – Downtown Fire Station 181 – Central Training Center will stand on Buddy Riley Boulevard near Magnolia City Hall and become the new headquarters for Magnolia’s volunteer fire department. Current headquarters is located off FM 1774 on Gayle Street.

The Texas Department of Public Safety’s plans to widen FM 1774 would put the roadway within two feet of the front of the building, which would hinder fire trucks’ ability to safely pull out from the building.

“We have no choice but to move,” said Vincent. “This current location will not work for us in the future.”

He added that the department has been planning the move for about three years, and purchased land on Buddy Riley Boulevard in anticipation of moving.

The new facility, as part of the Montgomery County Emergency Services District 10, will serve 320 square miles, covering areas from The Woodlands to the Waller County line.

Vincent cited the facility’s central location in Magnolia as one of the most important features.

“Emergency Services District 10 serves over 300 square miles of Montgomery County, and this is the central hub for all of that,” he said. “It’s going to be a tremendous asset to us. It will allow the department to meet needs that we couldn’t meet before.”

The department operates a 100-foot, 2,000-gallon-per-minute elevated ladder truck with a built-in 500 gallon water tank that the current building has no space for. The new building will be able to house the truck.

The construction of the building, as a part of the Montgomery County Emergency Services District 10, is funded from “an existing revenue stream,” said Vincent.

“It comes from part of the tax money people pay for emergency services,” he said. “There are no new taxes involved.”

As a volunteer fire department, the staff relies on volunteers from the community and part-time career firefighters. Vincent is asking the community to volunteer and become a part of the department.

“Volunteer firefighters are your friends, family and neighbors,” he said. “They work out of the goodness of their heart. Most volunteers have a full-time job of their own and aren’t available during the day so we employ part-time career firefighters to fill in during the day.”

Vincent said construction is now underway, and by spring of 2010 the facility should be up and running.

For more information on applying to be a volunteer firefighter, call 281-356-3288 or visit their Web site, www.magnoliafire.org.

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