Mary Beth Michos has been Chairman of the PW County Fire and Rescue Association and Chief of the Fire and Rescue Department for seven years

The Prince William County Fire and Rescue Service has become a model for departments across the nation which are studying transition from all-volunteer to career-supported departments. The Service is a combination system; that is, both volunteers and staff are used.

As Prince William County changed from a farming to a bedroom community, there was no one left to staff the fire stations. As a result, paid personnel had to be hired to man the firehouses from 6AM to 6PM Monday through Friday. Chief Selby Jacobs, who headed the department from the early 1960s well into the 1990s, had a simple philosophy: career supports volunteers. Therefore, volunteers are utilized to the greatest possible extent and career (paid) personnel are hired to fill the voids.

The structure of the Fire and Rescue Service reflects the close relationship between volunteer and paid staff. The Fire and Rescue Association (FRA) is the policy-making and governing body. Currently, Mary Beth Michos is the Chairman and Brian Hickerson (Chief, Nokesville Volunteer Fire Department) is Vice Chairman. The FRA oversees the Fire and Rescue Department (the career members) and 12 volunteer companies. The companies are organized into battalions; for example, Battalion 1 is comprised of Nokesville, Gainesville, Evergreen, Stonewall and Yorkshire. The chiefs of the volunteer fire departments, as well as the chief of the Fire and Rescue Department, also make up the Board of Directors of the FRA.

Within the stations, there is little distinction between paid and volunteer; they are all members of their respective volunteer fire departments. In particularly urgent situations, all members may respond, regardless of their status.

Mary Beth Michos has held the positions of Chairman, PWC Fire and Rescue Association and Chief, Fire and Rescue Department for seven years. Chief Michos believes the PWC Fire and Rescue Service is a more effective and more proactive organization than other combination systems. For example, she recently participated in the development of the County Strategic Plan. The planning session, conducted every four years, brings together various elements of county services, such as public safety, economic development and transportation, to develop strategies and objectives for their areas of concern. The draft strategic plan is then sent to the County Board of Supervisors. The approved plan is sent to the departments/agencies for action. Chief Michos and the fire department heads have created a service plan in order to meet the recommendations of their portion of the County Strategic Plan.

Also contributing to the Service’s national exposure is the fact that career and volunteer personnel work well together. Says Chief Michos, "We have a common objective and that’s service to the community."

The Nokesville Volunteer Fire Department (NVFD) is certainly a contributing factor in why other fire and rescue departments look to Prince William County. Brian Hickerson has been its chief since 1984 (with a short break in 1991) and was recently honored as the Grand Marshall of the Nokesville Day parade. In addition, he is Vice Chairman, PWC Fire and Rescue Association and Chairman, Budget Committee of the FRA. These positions make him the highest-ranking volunteer in the county. He’s always had a very good relationship with the career staff. "We are a family," he says. Chief Hickerson’s staff includes a Deputy Chief, Assistant Chief, Fire Captain, Rescue Captain and four duty crews. The NVFD consists of eight paid and 63 volunteer members.

In addition to handling local emergencies, NVFD members were prepared to assist at two recent disaster scenes; the Pentagon attack and the LaPlata (MD) tornado site. On 9-11, all PWC volunteers and career staff reported in case they were needed. Twelve units were moved to Arlington and a few of NVFD members provided logistical support at the Pentagon. NVFD staged at OWL VFD, ready to respond to the tornado damage in early May. Currently, the NVFD is conducting disaster training, revising respiratory protection methods, and switching its means of communications to prepare for any future major disasters.

Prince William County residents can take pride that their emergency service is a model service for the nation.

(July 2002)