A Journey of Service: Assistant Chief Kurt Bolland Earns OWL Life Member Status

For Assistant Chief Kurt Bolland, the path to the fire and rescue service began long before he ever donned a uniform.

As a child, visits with his aunt and uncle often included a special stop: his uncle’s volunteer fire station. Those early trips left a lasting impression. Climbing on fire apparatus and seeing firefighters at work sparked a fascination that stayed with him for years.

Ironically, Bolland’s first encounter with the OWL VFD came not as a firefighter—but as a patient. In 1987, while a student at Gar-Field High School, an injury required a 911 call and a ride to the hospital in the back of an OWL ambulance.

After graduating from high school, Bolland left Northern Virginia to attend college before returning to begin his professional career in Washington, D.C. While living in Fairfax, he finally had the opportunity to pursue the dream that had followed him since childhood: becoming a volunteer firefighter and EMT.

When he moved back to Prince William County in 2002, Bolland continued volunteering in Fairfax for several years before stepping away briefly from the fire service. But the break didn’t last long.

“Every time I heard sirens or saw a fire apparatus—or even an ambulance—I missed it,” Bolland recalls.

Eventually he asked himself a simple question: Why am I volunteering in Fairfax when the community I live in relies even more on volunteers?

That realization led him to OWL VFD. Encouraged by his friend and OWL Life Member Karl Fippinger, Bolland applied for membership with the department.

Originally hoping to simply ride as a firefighter, OWL quickly recognized the depth of experience he brought with him. When Bolland submitted his certifications—enough to fill a three-inch binder—he was immediately assigned to a crew. After completing OWL’s internal training, he continued to advance through the ranks.

Before long, Bolland was elected Fire Captain while also qualifying to assist with Battalion Chief staffing.

In 2014, he was elected Assistant Chief—a role he has proudly served in for more than a decade.

Over the course of his career at OWL, Bolland has had the opportunity to serve under four department chiefs: Ricky Arrington, Jim McAllister, Rick Michael, and Wayne Haight. Along the way, he has worked alongside countless dedicated leaders and members committed to the same mission.

His advice to those entering the fire and EMS service reflects the values that have guided his career:

“Never stop learning. I don’t care what position you serve in, the uniform you wear, or the color of the apparatus you ride in. We are all family. And like family, we have our differences, but we all have the same goal: provide the best fire and emergency medical services possible to the citizens and visitors of Prince William County.”

At OWL, earning Life Member status requires 20 years of active service—a milestone that reflects dedication, passion, and perseverance.

At the February 2026 Company Meeting, Assistant Chief Bolland’s request for Life Membership was unanimously approved, recognizing two decades of commitment to the department and the community it serves.

A moment well deserved.
A journey more than twenty years in the making.

Congratulations to OWL Life Member Kurt Bolland.