Call the Cops The 27th Most Trusted Site in Public Safety
Michael Drexler was recently appointed chief of the Berryville fire department. His first order of business, the repainting of all fire apparatus from blue to red. Chief Drexler feels red is the only acceptable color for a fire engine.
Blue Fire Engines are being repainted Red in Berryville.
“Cops do blue, this is a fire department we do red” was the chief’s answer to why he needed to repaint the fire engines. “The fire service is full of tradition. A red fire vehicle is a major part of the tradition.”
Berryville has traditions also. The city is named in honor of area farms that grow bountiful berry crops. Blueberries are a main crop at many mega farms close to the city. One area farm is the largest producer of blueberries for a well known jam and syrup brand.
“Our fire trucks are blue to honor the hard working residents of this community,” said former Mayor Chet Locke. The current Mayor was not willing to go on record. All members of the city Council also declined to comment.
The repainting cost nearly $80,000. For a small city, that just added the costs of paying for full time firefighters, that money leaves a major hole in the budget. The new Chief feels this is necessary.
“I am still trying to hire full time guys. I am trying hard to recruit highly skilled and already trained veteran firefighters to relocate here.” The chief goes on to claim, “A couple of the guys I recruited got one look at the blue trucks and said no. That red pain is an investment that will bring in better fire fighters to work here.”
Currently half the fleet has been repainted. To maintain safety and readiness standards only one vehicle at a time can be taken out of service for painting.
