This page is a compilation of questions and answers about the Monelison Volunteer Fire Department. If you have a question you would like us to answer, send us an email at info@monelisonvfd.com.

Table of Contents (click on question to go directly to answer)

Q: Where did the name Monelison come from?

Q: I used to be able to listen to radio traffic on an old scanner, but can't anymore. Why?

Q: I have seen multiple stations with Monelison Fire are you all the same?

Q: Sometimes I see regular vehicles driving with flashing Red or Red/White Lights. I don't know what I am supposed to do.

Q: Does Monelison Volunteer Fire Department first respond to medical calls or provide patient care?

Q: How many calls a year does Monelison Volunteer Fire Department respond to?

Q: Do you staff your station or respond from home?

Q: Where did the name Monelison come from?

The name Monelison is a play on words for the primary service area of the Monelison Volunteer Fire Department. MON is for MONroe, EL is for ELon, and ISON is for MadISON Heights. It is pronounced Muh-nell-uh-sun.

Q: I used to be able to listen to radio traffic on an old scanner, but can't anymore. Why?

The county of Amherst switched to a digital trunking system, so older style scanners can't listen to the radio traffic anymore. Two of the latest scanners that will work are the Uniden SDS-100 and SDS-200. We do not endorse Uniden or any particular model. These scanners will work for neighboring counties as well, if they have not gone encrypted. In that case, there is no scanner on the market that will be able to listen. We also have a link to the left labeled "Broadcastify." This is a scanner feed that you can listen to on your computer or cell phone that has a live feed of all county Fire Agencies and the Sheriff's Office.

Q: I have seen multiple stations with Monelison Fire are you all the same?

There are three companies in Amherst County. Amherst Fire is Company 1, Monelison Fire is Company 2, and Pedlar Fire is Company 3. However, Monelison Volunteer Fire Department Company 2 is the only company that has three stations. Station 1 (Headquarters) is located at 133 Amer Cir., Station 2 (sub-station) is 112 Lyttleton Ln, and Station 3 (sub-station) is 2537 Elon Rd. Even though we have three fire stations, all members of Monelison Volunteer Fire Department can run out of all three stations, and they all have the same Command Staff. Typically, members will respond to the station closest to where they live.

Q: Sometimes I see regular vehicles driving with flashing Red or Red/White Lights. I don't know what I am supposed to do.

Members of Monelison Volunteer Fire Department are permitted to have flashing Red or Red/White Lights on their personal vehicles to respond to a call. We ask that if you are approached by a vehicle with these flashing lights, you yield to them and pull over to the right-hand side of the road to allow them to pass.

Q: Does Monelison Volunteer Fire Department first respond to medical calls or provide patient care?

Generally speaking, no, we do not. Our department responds only to fire-related calls, including Motor Vehicle Accidents. We are not licensed by the Virginia Department of Emergency Medical Services to provide patient care. Occasionally, we will respond with Amherst County Fire/EMS, who does provide ambulance services, to assist them with lifting assistance, extra hands on a cardiac arrest, setting up a landing zone for a helicopter for a critical patient, or we might provide a driver for their ambulance on serious calls.

Q: How many calls a year does Monelison Volunteer Fire Department respond to?

Our call volume typically increases year after year. We are currently averaging roughly 700 calls a year. We are by far the busiest fire company in Amherst County. If you look to the left, you will see our call volume for this year broken down by month.

Q: Do you staff your station or respond from home?

All of our members are 100% volunteer. There is no requirement currently that our members stay at the station. We have multiple methods of receiving calls from the Amherst County Dispatch Center. Some of those methods include an app on our phones called Active 911, which alerts us to a call, the location, and will even GPS navigate to the scene of the incident. All of our members also have two-way portable radios that allow them to have constant radio communications with dispatch and other responding units. Our members typically respond from their homes. If a member is off probation, they may also respond directly to the scene in their personal vehicles.