Captain John Rogers of the Montrose Fire Protection District says when he started as a firefighter 12 years ago, they may have ran over 400 calls a year. Now says Rogers, "We are up to between 2,700 to 3,000 calls a year."

Prior to March the busiest month the Montrose Fire Department had on record was July of 2007 with 270 calls. The new title belongs to March of 2008 with the fire department responding to 292 emergency calls.

Deputy Fire Chief Dale Ericson says, "That trend has been following along with the growth we've had here on the western slope and Montrose, we're getting busier and busier every year." Ericson says that they have been able to stay within budget even with the increase of calls and the rising cost of fuel.

Montrose built fire station number two last year and have already approved a third station to be built in four years.