Our Mission

“The purpose of this organization is to prevent, control and limit damage by fire in the Kensington-Wheaton fire area, and elsewhere as may be practical; to render assistance in emergencies; to give aid to the injured; and to influence prevention of fire and accident.”

Our Department

The fire and rescue service is one of the most diverse and challenging professions known today. It is this diversity that inspires most men and women to enter the service – both as volunteers and full time employees. Imagine having to train to prepare yourself to cope with situations which range from fighting structure fires to childbirth to hazardous chemical spills to heart attacks and almost any imaginable emergency situation in between. This diversity is coupled with the fact that these skills may be needed at any time of day, seven days a week; in any kind of weather, and very often under potentially stressful and emotional circumstances. These factors contribute to our profession being personally rewarding.

The Kensington Volunteer Fire Department (KVFD) is here for two basic purposes. The first is to prevent fire or medical emergencies from occurring. This is done through fire prevention, health maintenance education, inspections, fire safety education, and code enforcement programs. Secondly, we are here to prepare ourselves to control fire or medical emergencies when prevention fails. This is done through education, training, pre-incident planning, state-of-the-art equipment, and more training.

Fire-rescue work is not for everyone. One needs more than just a desire to help people. You need courage and dedication, assertiveness and a willingness to learn new skills and face new challenges. The fire and rescue service is not for the meek or timid or for those who lose control of their emotions during times of crisis. Our service is one which calls on its members to perform hot, sweaty, dirty, strenuous work, often in uncertain and hazardous environments. The personal rewards and satisfaction received from the fire and rescue service are often beyond description. There is a sense of accomplishment after controlling a structure fire, joy and elation when a child is born, compassion for accident victims, and fulfillment in teaching fire safety. The list could go on and on.

The Kensington Volunteer Fire Department was organized in 1899 and formally incorporated in October of 1925. KVFD owns and operates four fire-rescue stations – our Headquarters, Station No. 5, located at Connecticut Avenue and Plyers Mill Road in Kensington, Station No. 18, located at Randolph Road and Georgia Avenue in Glenmont, Station No. 21 at Veirs Mill Road and Gaynor Road in Wheaton Woods and Station No. 25 located at Bel Pre Road and Connecticut Avenue in Layhill.

Kensington’s fleet of apparatus includes 8 pumpers, 3 aerial ladder trucks, a heavy rescue squad, an off road brush-fire truck, 8 ambulances, several mobile command units, a canteen and 2 utility vehicles. Two mechanics are employed to service and maintain the apparatus and ensure that the fleet is ready to respond when needed.

As one of the largest volunteer fire departments in the County and the State, KVFD has an active volunteer membership of over 100 members, supplemented by approximately 70 full time Montgomery County DFRS firefighters. Operations are led by a Fire Chief, with support from a number of Deputy Fire Chiefs and a complement of Assistant Fire Chiefs, Captains, Lieutenants, Firefighters, and EMT’s. The Corporation is governed by a 12 member Board of Directors, chaired by the President and Chairman of the Board.

KVFD answers approximately 18,000 calls for emergency service a year, 75% of them being Emergency Medical Services (EMS) related. With a “first due” area of approximately 43 square miles, KVFD protects a population of over 190,000 citizens. The district includes numerous high-rises, nursing homes and assisted care facilities, hundreds of businesses, shopping centers, and thousands of households.

The surrounding community is involved in a number of programs offered by KVFD – educational programs in fire safety geared for school age children, a Cub Scout Pack and an Explorer Post (First-Aid Unit) through the Boy Scouts of America. The First-Aid Unit program is made up of teens and adult members and is designed to introduce teenagers to the EMS profession. Another program, in cooperation with Montgomery County Public Schools, allows high school “cadets” to spend classroom hours learning and practicing related duties at a fire-rescue station.