Rijkevorsel (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – At a Rijkevorsel running event, the fire brigade staged a fake crash to attract volunteers. Fire Chief Dave De Keyser said many firefighters have retired since 2018, creating shortages.
As VRT News reported, at a running event in Rijkevorsel, a municipality in the province of Antwerp, Belgium, spectators were shocked by a fake car accident. A car appeared to have crashed into a pole, and someone inside was trapped. The fire department arrived quickly and began the job of rescuing the person using special tools.
According to officials, people were very worried, fearing the worst. However, the whole scene was a demonstration. The fire department put it on to show the public what firefighters do and how serious their work is. They mentioned that they wanted to get attention and show the everyday challenges of emergency services, and also to encourage more people to volunteer.
What can a fake crash in Rijkevorsel do for recruitment?
Fire Chief Dave De Keyser said the fire department needs new volunteers. They’ve lost many firefighters since 2018 due to retirement, and it’s hard to find replacements. He mentioned that old ways of finding people, like meetings, don’t work anymore.
Being a firefighter takes a lot of time 2 years of school and a year of training. De Keyser said people now focus on friends and family more, and less on community activities. The fire department hopes this demonstration will get people interested and encourage them to volunteer.
According to Dave De Keyser, being a volunteer firefighter has its problems. It’s hard to balance a job and family. He mentioned that unlike full-time firefighters, volunteers may struggle to get time off for emergencies. Volunteer firefighters don’t always have legal protection. Employers don’t have to let them leave work for calls, which can stop people from volunteering.
The Rijkevorsel fire brigade needed volunteers, so they made a plan. They set up an old car with fake plates near a running event. The fire brigade wanted to show what they do and get attention. They made a fake crash with a “victim” who had makeup to look hurt. They used a smoke bomb to make it seem real. When the fire truck arrived, people were shocked until they realised it was fake.
