Montgomery County Fire ESD 9

10/22/2026

Your home should be a place of comfort, happiness, and security. Taking a few minutes to review your family's fire safety plan can make all the difference when seconds count.

1. Check Those Smoke Alarms!

Test your smoke alarms at least once a month. Replace batteries as recommended by the manufacturer and replace smoke alarms when they are 10 years old. Make sure you have alarms inside every bedroom, outside sleeping areas, and on every level of your home.
Remember, a working smoke alarm never takes a nap. I wish I could say the same about myself!

2. Have a Family Escape Plan!

Everyone in your home should know two ways out of every room whenever possible. Pick a safe meeting place outside and practice your escape plan at least twice a year.

And please, don't forget your four-legged family members! We depend on you to help keep us safe, too. Never go back into a burning building to rescue a pet. Tell the firefighters if an animal is still inside.

3. Give Heat Some Space!

Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from fireplaces, space heaters, and other heating equipment. Keep candles away from anything flammable and never leave them burning unattended.

4. Be Smart with Electricity!

Never overload electrical outlets or extension cords. Plug major appliances directly into wall outlets and unplug small appliances when they are not being used, when practical.

Damaged cords and overloaded outlets can create dangerous fire hazards.

5. Stay in the Kitchen When Cooking!

Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home cooking fires. If you are frying, grilling, or broiling food, stay in the kitchen. Keep towels, paper products, and other combustible materials away from the stove.

And remember, never use water on a grease fire!

Now, I spend a fair amount of time in the kitchen myself, mostly waiting for somebody to drop something delicious. But even I know that cooking safety is serious business!

I have learned something very important about living with these firefighters.

Every time that alarm sounds, they leave the station not knowing what they are going to face. They might be going to help someone having the worst day of their life, rescue a family from a burning home, or respond to an emergency where every second matters.

I watch them climb aboard those big red trucks, the doors go up, and off they go. I don't know where they are headed or what they will face, but I do know one thing. When they come back through those doors, I will be right here waiting, tail wagging, ready to welcome them home.

These men and women dedicate their lives to protecting our community, but there is something they cannot do for you.
They cannot make your home fire-safe unless you do your part.
So please, take a few minutes today to check your smoke alarms, talk with your family, and make sure everyone knows what to do in an emergency.

If you need help with fire safety or smoke alarms, reach out to your local fire department. These folks love helping people, and believe me, I know firsthand just how big their hearts are.

The best fire is the one that never starts, and the best emergency plan is the one your family has practiced before they ever need it.

And one more thing. When you see a firefighter, take a moment to thank them. I get to see the side of these men and women that most people never see, and I can tell you they are special people.

10/14/2026

Remember Fire Prevention Month!

When my firefighters return from a fire call, I often ask myself one simple question: Why do so many people still not have working smoke alarms in their homes?

Now, I consider myself a pretty good watchdog. I have a good nose, excellent hearing, and I keep a close eye on my firefighters.

But I must admit something I do enjoy my naps!

And that brings me something very important.

A working smoke alarm is better than any K-9 when it comes to detecting smoke and warning your family of a fire. Why? Because a smoke alarm NEVER SLEEPS!

Smoke alarms are designed to alert you to danger, especially when you and your family are sleeping. They should be installed inside every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of your home.

Today's smoke alarms come in several different types, including battery-operated models, 10-year sealed-battery alarms, and hardwired systems with battery backup. Some are interconnected, meaning when one alarm detects smoke, they all sound, giving everyone in the home a better chance to escape.

Here is a fact that should get everyone's attention:

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the risk of dying in a home fire is approximately cut in half when working smoke alarms are present. That's not just a statistic. That's someone's mother, father, child, grandparent, or loved one who gets another chance at life.

Take it from the experts the men and women I live with at the fire station. They see firsthand what fire can do to a home and a family. They also know that working smoke alarms save lives.

And please, don't use the excuse, "It can't happen to me."
I can assure you that many families who have experienced a devastating house fire probably thought the same thing.

If you cannot afford a smoke alarm, contact your local fire department. Many departments have programs or resources to help families obtain these lifesaving devices.

My challenge to you during Fire Prevention Month is simple:
Check every smoke alarm in your home.
Replace alarms that are 10 years old or older.
Make sure you have alarms inside and outside sleeping areas and on every level.
Practice a home fire escape plan with your family.
If you know someone who needs a smoke alarm, help them get one.

Make it happen! Don't wait until the fire trucks are pulling into your driveway to wish you had taken a few minutes to protect your family.

Remember, I may be a pretty good station dog, but even Cookie Marie needs her beauty sleep, your smoke alarm doesn’t.

Your smoke detector watches over your family 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

10/01/2026

In the early days, firefighters would visit schools to teach children important fire safety lessons, hoping those children would take what they learned home and share it with their families.

Over time, firefighters have learned that complacency can be one of our greatest safety risks. Sometimes, danger isn't something we can see or smell which brings us to one of the most important safety topics in our homes: carbon monoxide.

Often called the “invisible killer,” carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless, poisonous gas created when fuels such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane burn incompletely.

In our homes, fuel-burning heating and cooking equipment can produce carbon monoxide. Vehicles and generators operated in or near an attached garage can also create dangerous levels of CO.

Carbon Monoxide Safety Tips
Install CO alarms in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of your home. Follow local codes and manufacturer recommendations. For the best protection, interconnect your CO alarms so that when one sounds, they all sound.

Choose a CO alarm that has been tested and certified by a recognized testing laboratory.

Know what to do when an alarm sounds. Contact your local fire department's non-emergency number ahead of time to find out what number to call for questions or assistance.

Test your CO alarms at least once a month and replace them according to the manufacturer's instructions.

If your alarm gives an audible trouble signal, check for a low battery and replace it if necessary. If the signal continues, follow the manufacturer's instructions and contact the appropriate emergency or fire-service agency.

If the CO alarm sounds, take it seriously. Immediately everyone moves to fresh air outdoors or to an open window or door. Make sure everyone is accounted for, call 911 or your local emergency number from a safe location, and stay in fresh air until emergency personnel tell you it is safe to return.

Never run a vehicle or fuel-burning engine inside a garage or other enclosed space, even if the garage door is open. If you need to warm up a vehicle, move it outside immediately after starting it.
Generators belong outdoors. Operate them in a well-ventilated location away from windows, doors, and other openings where exhaust can enter your home.

Gas and charcoal grills produce carbon monoxide. Never use them inside your home, garage, basement, tent, or any other enclosed or partially enclosed space. Use them outdoors.

Fire safety isn't just something we teach in October. It's something we practice all year long.

Take a few minutes this month to test your alarms, review your family's emergency plan, and talk with your children and loved ones about carbon monoxide safety.

I have been part of this firefighter family for over a year. These brave men and woman see bad things happen to good people, help them out and follow a few tips that will take a few seconds out of your day, and could possibly save your life and the life of the ones you love!

The Cookie

09/25/2026

Fire Prevention Month

October is Fire Prevention Month! Take a few minutes to reach out to your local Fire Department and learn how you can better prepare your home and family for a fire emergency.

Fire Prevention Month is about more than preventing fires, it’s also a great opportunity to learn more about your local Fire Department and the equipment firefighters depend on every day.

Be prepared. Be fire safe. And get to know your local firefighters!

Fire Service Fun Fact:
Did you know that many fire apparatus do not require a traditional ignition key?

There are several practical reasons for this. Imagine a firefighter accidentally taking the keys home after a shift or keys being misplaced when crews need to respond to an emergency. When the alarm sounds, firefighters cannot afford to waste valuable time searching for a set of keys.

Fire apparatus is designed to remain ready for immediate response. Departments also use security procedures and other safeguards to help prevent unauthorized use of emergency vehicles.

09/17/2026

09/14/2026

09/14/2026

Montgomery County ESD 9 personnel continue to support ongoing operations on the Ross Fire in Palo Pinto County.

As of the latest update, the Ross Fire is now 88% contained.

We would like to recognize and thank all personnel who have dedicated their time and effort to this deployment. Their hard work, professionalism, and commitment to serving others, while spending time away from their homes and families does not go unnoticed.

We also extend our appreciation to the families of our deployed personnel. Their continued support and sacrifice at home allow our firefighters to answer the call and serve communities across Texas.

09/12/2026

09/09/2026

Thank You HEB!

Supporting local businesses that support our firefighters and first responders is one of the many things that makes Montgomery County such a great community!

Today, Harper’s Trace H-E-B on FM 242 stopped by Fire Station 81 to show their appreciation for our firefighters. Sherri and Maria didn’t just bring goodies for our firefighters they also brought Cookie Marie her very own bag of treats!

Their act of kindness truly shows how much these wonderful women and H-E-B care about not only America’s bravest our firefighters and first responders but also the four-legged members of our firehouse family.

They even brought Cookie a toy pumpkin and let me tell you, she absolutely refuses to put it down!

So, the next time you need to make a grocery run, please keep your local H-E-B in mind. It’s wonderful to support a business that stands behind our firefighters, first responders, and the communities they serve.

God bless our firefighters, H-E-B and their employees, and all the first responders who work tirelessly to protect this great community.

And please remember to pray for our veterans who have sacrificed and served to preserve the freedoms we enjoy today.

Paw up!