I randomly stopped by the Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad because I had a moment of weakness and…read moredecided to buy a Christmas tree...less than five days before Christmas. Hey, we're an Epiphany household, so we'll rock with our tree until Jan. 6th..or 7th...or the closet weekend after Jan. 6th. I'm somewhat new to the area, so I'm not too familiar with Christmas tree prices here. Having lived in NYC for 20ish years, I thought $85 for a 5-6 foot tree was a decent deal especially so close to Christmas. The prices ranged from $85 to $115. So, their most expensive tree was considerable cheaper than a smaller tree that we purchased last year in Rockville. The two ladies that loaded the Christmas tree did a wonderful job and were full of the holiday spirit. While there was not a huge selection of trees (probably because I wanted until the last minute to buy one), there were plenty (IMO) of fresh trees available. If we stay in the Wheaton/Kemp Mill area, I have a feeling that this will be our go-to Christmas tree spot.

We buy our Christmas tree from Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad each year but my latest experience…read morewas not quite so festive. On a Saturday morning I was having a medical emergency and we realized I needed to go to the ER as soon as possible so we called 911. The dispatcher was so kind, reassuring and helpful. After giving our information Rich asked if he wanted to talk to me and he did. He kept reassuring me the squad was on the way and gave me some instructions for Rich to confine any pets and unlock the door. We are a very short distance from the squad and the crew was there within minutes. They immediately started tests and assessments. They determined they needed to transport me to the hospital rather than my going by private automobile. The crew could not have been nicer. The whole time I was with them I felt safe and like I was in the best hands possible.

My husband was bathing our dog, Roscoe, in the utility sink. OMG one of Roscoe's toes got stuck in…read morethe drain. . He was frantic and panicked (so was I). There was no way for us to open the pipe and pull Roscoe's toe out. I remembered tales of firefighters rescuing kitties in trees, so I called 911. I told the dispatcher it was a dog, not a "true" emergency (Of course to me, my husband, and Roscoe it was). I didn't know who else to call. Five minutes later the dispatcher called me . KVFD was on its way. My heroes. Even now, 5 years later, I still feel that thick thud of helplessness deep in the well of my stomach. But OMG KVFD were at the Starbucks right across University! They drove to our street and stopped in front at our house. I don't remember if they had lights and sirens on -- I imagine they did.. Of course they did. My heroes.. I was surrounded by four handsome men in the basement (my husband included) as they assessed the situation and determined the best way to approach it.. One went out and got tools.. I paced back and forth like a lunatic. In fewer than five minutes, my heart dog and his toe were freed from the drain. My heroes. There were no emergencies at the time the dispatcher contacted them, and these men were able to come right away. They didn't have to. But they did. I wanted to hug each of them. I imagine I did. My heroes. We can add an additional tale to the one about kitties in trees. Dogs from sinks. My heroes. They waved good bye to us as the drove away ....in the huge ladder truck. My heroes. I will forever be indebted to these men. My heroes.

It's a fire station, it gets a five star automatically. They save lives and have no bs.read more

What can I say? I have been assigned to this station since 1996. It's Montgomery County's first…read moreHazmat House and is currently staffed not only with the Hazmat Unit but also an advanced life support engine.

Located in Takoma Park, this volunteer fire department is a great spot to check out…read more You can host social events at this fire department station. They typically have an ambulance and fire engine at this location. There is tons of parking nearby the fire station. The lead person who is in charge of hosting events is really friendly. They have tables and a large event space if you decide to host a birthday party over there. Good to coordinate in advance if you want to host an event there. The building itself looks new and it's pretty clean. As part of your event, you can have a tour of the facility which is nice which last about 30-45mins long. The people there are very friendly and willing to help any of your questions. Due to Covid restrictions, parties over 20 people require everyone to wear a face mask. Friendly staff and decent size party room. This place is good for hosting events. Please be sure to read their website on suggested donations.

They had a great Super Ball event with previous football players, Red skin's cheerleaders, and a…read moreyoung Elvis. Great food and fresh beer. Their BBQ and cookies were super delicious!! Also they are so sweet and tough. Thank you, firefighters and their families!!!

These's heroes deserve stars on stars on stars…read more I can't imagine the life of a firefighter, but I can tell you that I'm glad that there are brave enough people to stand up and do the job. I mean... I would do it... if there was like no one left... but I'm just not really about all that excitement. I don't know if my heart could handle it! I'd be sitting, waiting for the bell to start ringing, nervous as a hen in a fox den! I met with one of the station coordinator once who showed me their event facilities. The top floor of the station is used for events. Community members can rent it out. It's a little drab, but hey, the funds support the fire station! This fire station receives a LARGE portion of it's funding through the community. I live down the street, and they are constantly busy. It is one of the busier stations in the area, from what I can tell. Thank you firefighters! For everything you do! Not just putting out fires either. They hold shrimp and oyster feasts at the station too!

Since I'm new to area one of my errands was getting library and rec center cards. Fortunately for…read moreme, you can do both things in one place. The Rec Center: Overall, I liked the layout of the rec center, and the folks that helped with getting a card were SUPER friendly and helpful. While I have not officially used the rec center, I was a bit disappointed with the the size of the weight room. The size of the weight room reminds of a weight room that one would find in a hotel. However, the gym did look like it had everything that one would need for a decent workout. Also, I was a bit surprised that the rec center does not open until 9 am on weekdays (and Saturday). Based on my prior rec center experiments, I'm used to rec centers opening from 5:30 to 7 am. Then again, perhaps, these hours are for the summer months. The Library: Again, the librarian who signed me up for a card was very friendly. Also, I loved how she gave me a very thorough overview of this branch's services and resources. Although I was in the library for only a few minutes, I thought it was very well organized.

Was out and about with my 8 year old daughter and she wanted to go to the library and read and I…read moredid a quick Google search and it brought us here. This was our first time here and I did not know that this was more than just a library. Well first of all the library was great and my daughter was quite excited to read one of her favorite books to me. After reading we explored this place as something for everyone.....ping pong tables pool table, video games, basketball courts, indoor track, weight room, lots of event rooms and a playground outside for the little ones. The staff there were very friendly. Will definitely be back.

A shout out to the Rockville Volunteer Fire department. I called this morning and they were so nice…read moreand helpful over the phone. I went over to the station and they were able to help me solve a problem that I was having. They were so pleasant and kind. I am in debt for their help and wanted to give them a huge shout out! Thank you, so very much! They are a great asset to our community! Thanks again! : )

RVFD's 2020 Santa Run schedule. Santa and other fire trucks visited the neighborhood to welcome the…read moreChristmas season. Always brings great joy each year.