After 12 years of effort, the Menlo Park Fire Protection District held two dedication ceremonies at its Fire Stations in East Palo Alto and Menlo Park to celebrate the addition and doubling of staffing and response units to create what it categorizes as “an effectively sized and capable fire force.” The eastern side of the Fire District (from Highway 101 to the Bay) includes the majority of the City of East Palo Alto and City of Menlo Park’s Belle Haven residential neighborhoods, M2 commercial and industrial areas. These areas are experiencing unprecedented population growth and zoning changes that include increased building heights and floor area ratio’s due to regional economic and employment boom. The result: Increased call volume and significant traffic congestion, which can challenge current acceptable emergency response times.