Invoice D’Andrea with an ambulance he has retrofit because the automobile for his cell RV restore corporate – RV EMTs. D’Andrea began the industry two years in the past, and travels inside a couple of one-hour radius of Studying to lend a hand RV house owners short of trainer upkeep. (Picture Courtesy RV EMTs)
All over his greater than 40-year occupation as a grasp qualified RV technician and RV dealership proprietor, Invoice D’Andrea knew there was once a necessity for cell restore techs.
He would get calls from individuals who wanted upkeep and couldn’t get any individual to come back to the place they had been.
D’Andrea’s father owned Circle of relatives Tenting Outlet on West Top Side road in West Pottsgrove Township. Invoice D’Andrea joined the company as provider supervisor in 1981, in the long run buying the industry together with his sister 8 years in the past. The pair bought the industry two years in the past.
Two months into his retirement, D’Andrea of Exeter Township stated he learned he was once too younger to retire so he started making plans a brand new industry undertaking.
“You understand how it’s, you suppose you’re going to retire, however going from operating 80 hours per week to a lifeless forestall — I needed to do one thing,” D’Andrea stated.
He stated he all the time loved the provider side of what he did at Circle of relatives Tenting Outlet.
As he thought of his subsequent bankruptcy, D’Andrea mirrored again to the calls he used to obtain from pissed off RV house owners in search of lend a hand. After speaking it over together with his spouse, Sharon, D’Andrea put his plan into movement, launching RV EMTs in November 2021.
Now, D’Andrea is going the place he’s wanted — touring to campsites and houses to fix or take care of RVs — offering cell products and services for the whole thing trainer similar.
“It’s a kind of issues that you know the will for, and I believed if I had a possibility, it could be a excellent industry to begin,” he stated. “The timing was once proper and I knew there could be a excellent marketplace for it.”
It was once one thing he had thought of when he owned the dealership however didn’t have the technicians to spare to be strictly cell.
D’Andrea’s RV EMTs handles the rest associated with a motorhome trainer — electric, plumbing, home equipment, electronics and fuel.
“The entire stuff they use once they get to the campsite,” he stated.
D’Andrea does now not paintings on engines or force trains, pronouncing he go away that paintings to people who have that have.
D’Andrea stated as soon as he made the verdict to transport forward with RV EMTs, it didn’t take too lengthy. He purchased a crimson and white ambulance and were given the licensing he had to get the industry underway.
The ambulance, he stated, already had nice cupboards and area.
“Within all I truly did was once take one bench seat out to make room for a few gear cupboards. That’s it,” he stated.
He went to Fortunate Squirrel Printworks in Amity Township to get arrange with emblems and decals for the automobile. After greater than 40 years within the industry, he already had the gear, so as soon as he ordered portions D’Andrea was once able to hit the street.
“It’s superb how a lot consideration it attracts. It will get spotted,” he stated of the ambulance. “I have some occasions the place it can be within the store for an oil exchange or one thing, and I take my pickup truck to visit a scheduled activity and you spot the glance of virtually unhappiness, like ‘The place is the ambulance?’”
D’Andrea limits his paintings to inside a couple of one-hour radius of Studying. He has carried out no promoting past visiting some campgrounds and sharing his industry card.
“There are moderately a couple of campgrounds within the house, so the hour’s distance covers a large number of floor,” he stated.
He doesn’t prebook a large number of appointments, who prefer to go away the day open so he can lend a hand any person who wishes lend a hand in an instant.
“I sought after so that you could react and lend a hand them,” he stated, including that any other products and services would possibly prebook after which be booked for 3 or 4 weeks. “And that doesn’t lend a hand.”
D’Andrea stated he will get calls right through the day and may have a complete day from 8:30 to 7 or 9 at evening, 6 days per week.
“I’m able to react to other folks’s issues that they’re having in actual time,” he stated.
RV EMTs may be very busy as D’Andrea is again to operating just about 80 hour weeks once more no less than for a part of the yr. Trade truly slows down, he stated, between November and March, when the calls are a lot much less common.
“I’m nonetheless operating as regards to that, however I do know I will be able to have 4 months off, which is truly great,” he stated.
All the way through the iciness, he’ll on occasion get a choice from any person who wishes lend a hand with their warmth.
“However what I’m playing is I now have that day without work,” he added. “I’m playing being with my youngsters and grandkids.”
D’Andrea and his spouse bought their very own fifth-wheel RV, he stated, however they’re taking into consideration purchasing some other one to do a little touring in that off time and cross the place it’s hotter.
RV EMTs is solely D’Andrea at this level, and he admits he’s beginning to take into consideration what he would possibly do for your next step, whether or not to enlarge or stay the industry as it’s.
“I used to be going to retire. I did this as a result of I sought after to, now not as a result of I needed to,” D’Andrea stated. “I’m in fact playing serving to other folks as a result of I wish to lend a hand other folks.”
