Historical Fire Department and Fire Protection Laws

General North Carolina Laws - 1745 to 1924 / Rural Fire Protection Acts - 1939 to 1951

Last updated February 14, 2019

Note: This collection of documents has been newly expanded, with legislative law excepts dating back to the 1740s.

View the Documents

Introduction

This site presents a "grab bag" of historical laws in North Carolina pertaining to fire protection, enacted between the 1740s and 1920s, plus rural fire protection legislation between 1939 and 1951. These digitized versions of the original documents were obtained from:

• Session Laws of North Carolina (1777 to present),
• Colonial and State Records of North Carolina, index (transcriptions of early session laws)

Notes

• Town charters are mostly omitted. Many contain language about fire protection. Just a couple are included here. Researchers should consult the two indexes (1900-1946, 1947-1967) available on Session Laws site, and search specific charters as needed.
• Later laws are largely ignored. Most of these laws were passed before 1900, with none included later than 1924, except for later-era rural fire protection laws. Researchers should consult the aforementioned indexes, to further search for later laws.
• Documents containing "private" or "private-local" in the file name are excerpted from Private law collections, or Private and Local law collections.

List of Documents

Rural Fire Protection

• 1939 - State volunteer fire department
• 1945 - County fire departments
• 1945 - Guilford County rural fire protection
• 1951 - Rural fire protection districts

General

• 1829 - Firemen exempt from militia duty
• 1830-31 - Preventing burning of public buildings
• 1847 - State Capitol fire safety
• 1869 - Insane Asylum fire protection
• 1889 - North Carolina State Firemen's Association - Incorporation
• 1891 - North Carolina State Volunteer Firemen's Association - Incorporation
• 1891 - Relief fund for disabled firemen
• 1893 - Prevent careless exposure of children to fire
• 1899 - Investigation of incendiary fires
• 1901 - Chief of Fire Department in cities and towns
• 1905 - Fire protection at state buildings and institutions
• 1905 - Protect wood and timber lands
• 1905 - Preventing fire waste - Amendment
• 1907 - Relief fund, also fire departments
• 1909 - Fire escapes
• 1915 - Forest fires
• 1919 - Protection outside city limits
• 1921 - False alarms
• 1921 - Forest fires
• 1921 - Burning insured property

Beaufort

• 1867 - Oceanic Hook and Ladder Company, charter
• 1909 - R. E. Lee Fire Company - Incorporation

Bethania (Forsyth County)

• 1839 - Authorizing formation of a fire company

Charlotte

• 1831-32 - Charlotte Fire Engine Company, incorporation
• 1833-34 - Better regulation of the fire company
• 1835 - Firemen exempt from military duty - Repealed
• 1849 - Charlotte Fire Engine Company - Incorporated
• 1871 - Independent Hook and Ladder Company #2, incorporation
• 1872 - Firemen exempt from certain public duties
• 1872 - Hornet Fire Company #2, incorporation
• 1876 - Pioneer Steam Fire Engine and Hose Company #2, incorporation
• 1881 - Firemen exempt from jury duty

Durham

• 1909 - Board of Police and Fire Commissioners

Edenton

• 1766 - Cities required to keep chimneys swept, also fines for fires in dwellings or stores. Also, homeowners required to have ladders.
• 1787 - Commissioners required to repair fire engine, and purchase equipment for fire engine, and citizens required to help fight fires, and penalties for false alarms.
• 1791 - Edenton Fire Company incorporated.
• 1801 - Citizens required to help fight fires
• 1819 - Commissioners empowered to appoint fire company
• 1851 - Albemarle Fire Engine Company - Incorporation
• 1852 - Fire protection

Elizabeth City

• 1816 - Commissioners empowered to collect tax for purpose of purchasing fire engine
• 1824 - Commissioners empowered to appoint fire company
• 1829-30 - Authorization to form fire company
• 1832-22 - Authorization to form fire company - Amendment
• 1834-35 - Fire company renamed Union Fire Company
• 1845 - Phoenix Fire Company - Incorporation
• 1855 - Firemen exempt from poll tax - Repealed
• 1903 - Elizabeth City Fire Company #1 - Incorporation
• 1903 - Elizabeth City Fire Company #1 - Amendment
• 1905 - Elizabeth City - Town charter

Fayetteville

• 1791 - Fire company chartered
• 1820 - Water supply
• 1820 - Commissioners empowered to organize fire engine companies
• 1825 - Commissioners empowered to organize fire engine companies - Repeal
• 1834-35 - Authorization to form fire engine company
• 1845 - Commissions authority over fire companies - Repeal
• 1866 - McLean Fire Engine Company #1 - Incorporation
• 1869 - McLean Hook and Ladder Company #1 - Incorporation
• 1870 - McLean Hook and Ladder Company #1 - Amendment
• 1871 - Fayetteville Independent Bucket Company - Incorporation
• 1873 - Friszell Citizens Fire Company - Incorporation
• 1875 - Reorganization of fire department

Greensboro

• 1828 - Commissioners empowered to collect tax for fire protection
• 1849 - Greensboro Fire Company - Incorporation
• 1901 - Eagle Hose Company #7 - Incorporation
• 1905 - Hook and Ladder Company #1 - Incorporation

Greenville

• 1897 - Hope Fire Company - Incorporation

Hillsborough

• 1777 - Every household required to have buckets and a ladder.

Jacksonville

• 1907 - Bonds for purpose of fire protection

Kinston

• 1879 - Kinston Fire Company #1 - Incorporated
• 1897 - Dread Not Hook and Ladder Company #1 - Incorporated

Lincolnton

• 1816 - Sale of property to be applied to purchase of a fire engine
• 1817 - Commissioners authorized to purchase a fire engine
• 1821 - Lincoln Fire Engine Company - Incorporated

Little Rockfish (Cumberland County)

• 1843 - Franklin Fire Company - Incorporated

New Bern

• 1773 - Commissioners empowered to collect tax for fire protection, and to procure fire equipment, and to organize a fire company. Also, every household must have two buckets and a ladder.
• 1791 - Commissioners empowered to collect tax for fire protection, and to procure fire equipment, and to organize a fire company.
• 1798 - Commissioners authorized to organize fire companies, to compel residents to have buckets, and that residents must assist with fighting fires, and that commissioners are empowered to destroy buildings to help control fires.
• 1806 - Commissioners authorized to hire fire wardens
• 1820 - Commissioners empowered to organize fire engine companies
• 1847 - Atlantic Fire Company No. 1 - Incorporation
• 1847 - Neuse Fire Company - Incorporation
• 1849 - Atlantic Fire Company #1 members exempt from jury duty.
• 1866 - New Berne Steam Fire Engine Company #1 - Incorporation
• 1867 - Consolidation of fire companies
• 1868 - Holden Hook and Ladder Company #2 - Incorporation
• 1868 - Atlantic Fire Company #1 - Change name to Atlantic Fire and Hook and Ladder Company
• 1870 - Reliance Bucket and Ax Company #1 - Incorporation
• 1871 - Reliance Bucket and Axe Fire Company - Incorporation
• 1871 - Reliance Bucket and Axe Fire Company - Members exempt from jury duty
• 1872 - Holden Hook and Ladder Company #1 - Change name to Mechanics Hook and Ladder Company #1
• 1887 - Consolidation of fire companies
• 1887 - Atlantic Fire and Hook and Ladder Company - Change name to Atlantic Steam Fire Engine Company #1
• 1889 - Rough and Ready Fire Company - Amendment
• 1895 - Misdemeanor to cause false fire alarms
• 1895 - Reliance Engine Company #1 - Amendment
• 1915 - Entertainment for North Carolina State Firemen's Association

Raleigh

• 1801 - Commissioners authorized to stop fires by any means necessary, including destroying buildings.
• 1804 - Creating a Mutual Insurance Society
• 1813 - Commissioners authorized to stop fires by any means necessary.
• 1821 - Citizens forming fire companies
• 1826 - Fire protection
• 1830 - City Guards exempt from fire company duty
• 1830 - Preservation of public buildings
• 1870 - Rescue Steam Engine Company #1 - Incorporation
• 1871 - Raleigh Hook and Ladder Company #1 - Incorporation
• 1872 - Victor Fire Company #1 - Incorporation
• 1873 - Raleigh Bucket Company #1 - Charter
• 1899 - Investigation of incendiary fires
• 1905 - W. R. Womble Hook and Ladder Company - Incorporation
• 1913 - Establish civil service for fire department

Rutherfordton

• 1924 - Bonds for building City Hall and fire station and purchase fire equipment

Salem

• 1842 - Authorization to form a fire engine company.
• 1866 - Authorization to form a fire engine company - Amendment
• 1868 - Salem Fire Engine Company - Incorporation
• 1874 - Rough and Ready Fire Company #1 - Incorporation

Salisbury

• 1770-71 - Households required to have two buckets and a ladder.
• 1818 - Commissioners empowered to organize fire engine companies
• 1821 - Commissioners empowered to organize a fire company
• 1829 - Salisbury Vigilant Fire Company - Incorporation
• 1881 - Salisbury Hook and Ladder Company #1 - Incorporation

Smithfield

• 1901 - Smithfield Fire Company - Incorporation

Smithville (Brunswick County)

• 1804 - Commissioners empowered to collect tax for purposes of acquiring fire equipment. Also, homeowners required to have ladders.

Tarboro

• 1820 - Commissioners empowered to organize fire engine companies
• 1859 - Commissioners powers expanded to organize a fire engine company
• 1877 - Hook and Ladder Company #1 - Incorporation
• 1881 - Fulton Fire Company - Incorporation
• 1899 - Firemen exempt from poll tax

Warrenton

• 1874 - Plummer Hook and Ladder Company #1 - Incorporation

Washington

• 1792 - Washington Fire Company incorporated.
• 1843 - Neptune Fire Company - Incorporation
• 1847 - Neptune Fire Company members exempt from certain public duties
• 1847 - Fire protection
• 1859 - Firemen exempt from jury duty
• 1871 - Neptune Fire Company - Incorporation
• 1879 - Ocean Fire Company - Charter
• 1881 - Salamander Fire Company - Incorporation
• 1891 - Phoenix Hook and Ladder Company #1 - Incorporation
• 1903 - Volunteer Reel Team #1 - Incorporation

Wilmington

• 1745 - Fire hazards. Also Commissioners empowered to collect tax for  for purposes of acquiring fire equipment.
• 1754 - Fire hazards. Also Commissioners empowered to collect tax for for purposes of acquiring fire engines.
• 1768 - Commissioners required to repair fire engine. Also, add two wells with pumps in the street. Also, households required to have buckets. Also, commissioners empowered to organize a fire company.
• 1771 - Building codes for fire prevention. Also, households required to have buckets. Also, commissioners empowered to organize a fire company.
• 1791 - Wilmington Fire Company incorporated.
• 1801 - Citizens required to help fight fires
• 1806 - Commissioners authorized to hire fire wardens
• 1820 - Commissioners empowered to organize fire engine companies
• 1822 - Authorization of two or more fire companies
• 1859 - Howard Relief Fire Engine Company - Incorporated
• 1865 - Firemen exempt from jury and militia duty
• 1866 - Wilmington Hook and Ladder Company - Incorporation
• 1869 - Wilmington Steam Fire Engine Company - Incorporation
• 1869 - Joseph C. Abbott Fire Relief Association - Incorporation
• 1869 - Wilmington Hook and Ladder Company - Amendment
• 1870 - Firemen exempt from jury duty
• 1871 - Wilmington Steam Fire Engine Company - Incorporation
• 1871 - Wilmington Hook and Ladder Company - Incorporation
• 1872 - Mechanics Hose Company - Incorporation
• 1876 - Hook and Ladder Company #2 - Incorporation
• 1887 - Cape Fear Steam Fire Engine Company - Incorporation
• 1891 - Phoenix Hose Reel Company - Incorporation
• 1893 - Misdemeanor to cause false fire alarms
• 1897 - Firemen exempt from poll tax
• 1901 - Howard Relief Fire Engine Company - Amendment
• 1909 - Wilmington town charter - Amendment
• 1913 - Pension for disabled and superannuated firemen
• 1924 - Pension payments for widows of firemen

Wilson

• 1889 - Phoenix Fire Engine Company - Incorporation

Winston

• 1885 - Winston Fire Company #1 - Incorporation

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