Virginia Transit Bus Dresses as Fire Truck for Recruitment
When riding through parts of Northern Virginia over the next five months, there will likely be a lot of people doing double takes if a particular transit bus pulls up next to them. At a glance, you may have trouble determining if the vehicle is part of the bus fleet or belongs to a local fire department.
Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) Bus 118 is decked out in an advertising theme for a local volunteer fire department. The bus carries large images of Tower Ladder 13 of the Dale City Volunteer Fire Department that are aligned with the wheels of the bus to give the impression the vehicle is a fire truck.
With photos of firefighters added, the message is, "PICTURE YOURSELF HERE" and "Volunteers Needed!". The bus is a roving help wanted advertisement for the Dale City VFD. The department paid for the graphics and contracted with PRTC to have it roam the streets.
Dale City VFD Assistant Chief Steve Chappell, who handles human resources for the volunteer organization, tells STATter 911, "It is one part of the department's continuing efforts at volunteer recruitment and retention".
The department also is in the middle of a housing program. This effort is not your typical live-in program. Instead, Dale City VFD has been raising money to help members with down payments on their own homes. The department expects to begin providing the assistance in January.
Dale City VFD currently claims 200 active members at four stations in Prince William County. The department has a goal of 300 by the end of next year. The Prince William County Department of Fire & Rescue is a combination career-volunteer department.
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