This episode is an adaptation of Lee Goldberg's original tie-in novel, "Mr. Monk Goes to the Firehouse."
The emergency klaxon for SFFD Station 53 is the same as the klaxon used for Los Angeles County Fire Station 51, which was the main station for the Universal Studios produced Emergency! (1972).
The San Francisco Fire Department does not have a Fire Company 53. The exterior and interior of the firehouse are in fact those of Fire Company 1 of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The paint scheme of the fire engines in this episode is fictional. These engines have the words "Fire Rescue" printed onto the sides of the vehicles in italic font, with the word "Fire" being printed in the same font just behind the rear wheels. Real SFFD livery does not feature this, although the words appear in different locations on the vehicles. The SFFD seal on the cab of the engine (seen when Natalie walks into the firehouse) has a font and style matching the real logo, but the text beneath the seal should denote the vehicle's status as an Engine Company or a Ladder Company.