Bunkroom Members Ready
1996 Newspaper Article About
Live-In Program

During downtime, most members relax in the HVFD's day room

When the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department is called to service, it answers any hour, any day. Volunteers of the department who live in the station ensure there is staffing at all times, and the other volunteers and career personnel are ready to go any other time.

There are 12 men who live in the second floor bunk room in exchange for providing fire and rescue services to the community. Although there are currently no women living in the station, there are facilities in the bunk room to house up to two.

Any member of the department is eligible to apply to live in the fire station. There is about one opening in the bunk room every six months, according to bunk room proctor Todd Daily. Daily said there is an interview process to evaluate applicants on their level of training, experience, appearance and attitude to determine if they can live in the bunk room.

In addition to training and experience requirements, the members who live in the bunk room are required to be either full-time students or hold a full-time job. There are 10 students living in the bunk room, according to Daily. The close proximity of the fire station to the University of Maryland makes it convenient for students.

Currently the oldest member of the bunk room is 28-years-old and the youngest is under 20-years-old, Daily said.

"It's not your average day when you get home," said Scott Southall, an 18-year-old Maryland student who has lived in the bunk room for one and a half years. "I don't want to live anywhere else. You learn how to get along better with people when you live in the firehouse."

Bunk room members are required to sleep in the station at least four nights a week to ensure staffing of all fire apparatus. They are also assigned to keep an ambulance duty shift from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. one night a week.

"I'm here five nights a week form 5 p.m. to 7 a.m.," said Jeff Werth, a 24-year-old Maryland student who has lived in the bunk room for two years. "You're here because you love what you do." Werth plans on staying until he graduates.

There is no time limit for how long a member can stay. An average stay, according to Daily, is three to five years - some shorter and some longer. And even when the members of the bunk room move out, they do not necessarily leave the department.

For more information on the bunkroom, E-Mail Brunkroom Proctor Dave Hang