Monett Rural firefighters sustain high activity in 2025

Past year sees slight increases in runs, equipment; large bump in structure fires for district, nine in December alone
 
The Monett Rural Fire District continued a busy pace in 2025, besting its call numbers from the previous year by four, finishing with 486 calls for service.
Fire Chief Matt Privett reported firefighters answered 36 structure fires, an increase from 19 in 2024.
“These incidents included other fires within the district and mutual aid responses to neighboring agencies,” Privett stated. “The majority of calls occurred between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., with December alone accounting for nine structure fires. Cold weather and increased use of heating sources were major contributing factors.”
District firefighters answered 166 medical calls in 2025. That represented a significant drop from 218 in 2024. Privett noted the tally reflected addresses where firefighters had been dispatched multiple times per month.
“Those addresses have been calling for medical attention like they were in 2024,” Privett continued. “MRFD protocols have not changed. We believe if a citizen calls 911, no matter how small it seems, we will be there to help. Medical training consists of going through emergency medical responder training, CPR, and monthly training on medical operations.
Motor vehicle accidents saw a dip for the year. Crews responded to 53, down from 68. Privett indicated a high percentage of calls continued to be on Highways 60 and 37. Among those calls, four required extrications, double the number from 2024. He speculated that fewer severe wrecks resulting in non-injury cases may account for the decrease in calls where firefighters were needed.
“While electric vehicle incidents remain uncommon, the district continues to expand training and research in EV-related response tactics, as the number of EVs in the region increases,” Privett stated.”
Firefighters also answered 26 vegetation fires, up from 22 in 2024, and eight vehicle fires, up from four in the previous year.
Firefighters had 33 weather-related calls to action, up from 16 in 2024. These included storm spotting and calls to different addresses in response to storm damage.
Staffing at present is at 24 members and two cadets. Privett noted the department has held at 20 or more firefighters for the last five years. In total, firefighters logged 2,252 hours of training throughout the year. That effort, Privett noted, “ensured continued readiness and safety for the community.”
During the year, the district expanded and modernized its fleet. New additions included a new 2025 brush truck, replacing a 40-year-old unit in service since the early 1980s. A 3,000-gallon tanker/pumper was also added to the fleet, a major asset in remote areas. Orders were placed for battery-operated ventilation fans for structure fire operations, rescue struts and air bags for technical rescue incidents, updated medical bags for emergency medical responses, and new sets of turnout gear, replacing others that were approaching their 10-year end-of-life.
For 2026, Privett identified key initiatives as expanding online and continuing education options for firefighters, implementing a health and wellness program, continuing to update and modernize equipment, and expanding technical rescue capabilities, such as swift water and other rescue situations.