Suburban Fire Department To Sell Ads On Its Fleet

PALATINE, Ill. (CBS) -- A suburban fire department has found an innovative way to raise some much-needed revenue.

WBBM Newsradio's Regine Schlesinger reports the Palatine Rural FireProtection District has decided to sell ads on its trucks and ambulances.

"They'll be tasteful," said Chief Hank Clemmensen.

Listen to Suburban Fire Department To Sell Ads On Its Fleet

The PRFPD lost $300,00 in revenue last year, and then last week, voters rejected a referendum that would have created new revenue for the district through a special tax increase.

So Clemmensen has had to look for creative ways to cut costs and raise revenue. He said the ads won't be for anything inappropriate.

"It would be like, maybe for a smoke detector, or for a medical center, or something that's related to fire/EMS services possibly," he said.

The PRFPD is believed to be the first fire department in the state to sell ad space on its fleet.