On a daily basis, people pass by flashing lights and hear the sound of a fire engine without giving another thought to the first responders inside. However, on April 27, 2011, it was hard to miss these men and women in action due to the constant flow of emergency vehicles and responders to and from the areas affected by the tornadoes that tore through the community.

The members of the Monrovia Volunteer Fire Department put in 2,378 hours to serve the community in the weeks following the devastation of April 27. These hours included searching the rubble, responding to medical needs, directing recovery efforts and assisting in distributing food and other supplies to victims of the tornadoes.

“In the weeks after the tornadoes, I witnessed countless acts of selflessness and service that strengthened my sense of community and gave me the desire to serve others in a similar capacity,” junior Erin Rountree said.

Rountree has a special place in her heart for April 27, which was one of the main factors in her decision to later join the department she was raised around. Immediately after the tornadoes struck, Rountree did not see her father—an 18-year member of the Monrovia Volunteer Fire Department— for 26 hours, as he and other volunteers attended to the needs of the victims.

Rountree began her involvement with MVFD by helping to form a junior support staff position, which allows teenagers to assist in planning and executing department events and providing rehabilitation services to firefighters, within the already existing junior firefighter program. In April of 2013, Rountree became the first junior support staff personnel in the department and has since begun training for fire and rescue situations with her fellow junior firefighters.

“Joining the department has allowed me to see just how much time and effort goes into upholding our motto of ‘professional volunteers, setting the standard.’ Whether it is washing vehicles, doing turnout drills, watching videos about new rescue techniques or participating in training, Monrovia volunteer firefighters are constantly working to make the department better and make our community a safer place to live,” Rountree said.

Upon approaching the third anniversary of the April 27 tornadoes, Rountree searched for a way to involve the community in remembering the victims of the storms, as well as allow the community to gain a sense of what MVFD is like behind the scenes. She came up with the idea to host a blood drive and open house that would involve the community, to ensure remembrance of the impact the tornadoes had on Monrovia and surrounding communities.

“Once I had the idea for the drive, I decided to host it in memory of the third anniversary of the April 27, 2011 tornadoes,” Rountree said. “We were able to set the date for one day before the anniversary.”

Open to the community, the blood drive and open house will be hosted on Saturday, April 26, 2014. The event will be held at MVFD from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. There will be hamburgers and hotdogs served from noon until 2 p.m.

Donors who are 16 years old will need to fill out a parental consent form before donating. Anyone age 17 and older may donate without the form. All donors should bring a list of medications currently being taken and a photo ID. Walk-in blood donations are welcome, but there is also an option to schedule an appointment ahead of time. Individuals that do not wish to donate blood are still welcome to attend the open house.

“In addition to donating blood, members of the community will have the opportunity to tour the fire station, see the fire trucks and other equipment, win door prizes and learn about fire prevention,” said Rountree.

Visit www.monroviafire.org for more information.