Raleigh/Wake Firefighting Blog  -

On November 10, 1883, the News & Observer recounted a prior day's exhibition by the Victor Fire Company. The volunteer firemen operated a 1873 hand engine built by Rumsey & Company. Catalog drawings of a Rumsey hand engine and Rumsey hose reel are below. The engine is 16 feet long, with 31-inch and 37-inch diameter wheels. The wheels of the hose reel are probably 60-inches diameter. Click to enlarge:

"The Victor with twelve men at the engine made a run of 470 yards, laid 300 feet of hose, and had a stream of water on the imaginary fire in five minutes. The engine started from the intersection of West Martin and South Salisbury Streets at 7.34 ½ o'clock p.m. At 7.36 ½ the hose reel reached the cistern at the intersection of West Lenoir and South Salisbury streets; at 7.37 [a total of] 300 feet of hose had been laid and the nozzle attached; at 7.38 the engine arrived, and at 7.39 ½ had a stream of water upon the fire. Who can beat that record?"

Let's log 'em, since it's Saturday. Residential structure fire at 114 Baytree Street in Fuquay-Varina, dispatched about 8:55 a.m. Laundromat fire in 300 block of East Owen Avenue in Wake Forest, reported by Stony Hill member about 12:30 p.m. Apartment fire with two alarms at 434 Westcliff Court, dispatched about 10:25 p.m. Engine 8 first on scene with heavy fire showing from a two-story, wood-frame structure with 6,468 square-feet. Ladder 20 raised but not needed. Dispatched units included Engine 8, 20, 14, 1, 16, 13, 6; Ladder 20, 1; Rescue 14, 7; Battalion 3, 4; Car 5, 20; Air 8; EMS 4, 8, 82, 11, District 1, District 2, Truck 1
 

It's head-shaving season in the big city, reports the New York Times. "It is not easy to shave a head," notes one barber, "because the razor edge is square — and the head is round." When heat 'n' humidity is high, there's nothing as nice as a close-cropped top.
 

This week’s Wake County Fire Commission meeting included a presentation on the status of the land search for the planned southeastern Wake County fire station. Included was this concept drawing of the proposed site on Spaceway Court. Click to enlarge:
 

Notes on the presentation.

The Orange County Rescue Squad has been asked to stop responding to emergencies until county officials can review their operations. WRAL had this story, while the News & Observer ran a small a story today. The paper's initially reported about the issue originated Wednesday, with OCRS dispatching discontinued on June 27 by the county Emergency Services Director in response to safety concerns. What do you think of the coverage? One-sided? Sensational? The squad's side of the story has yet to be surfaced. Reader comments, such as these, provide the JSP¹ (Joe Six Pack) perspective².

Congratulations to new Wake Forest Fire Chief Freddy Lynn, whose appointment was announced Thursday night. The Wake Weekly has the breaking news story. Chief Lynn is a retired member of the Raleigh Fire Department, last a Battalion Chief who led the Training Division. He's also a veteran member of the Six Forks Fire Department, and was Fire Chief for five years. WFFD received over 40 resumes for the position, the article notes. They also hired a new Administrative Deputy Chief.
  

Lee Wilson photo

Yours Truly is travelling next week, destination Baltimore by way of Atlantic City and Philadelphia. Should be a scenic drive, with planned stops on the Boardwalk and the Philly fire museum. See you on the Fire Expo exhibit floor Friday and Saturday. Look for the guy in the tropical shirt. I'll bring back photos.

As was indicated at last night's meeting, there's a vacant citizen seat on the Wake County Fire Commission. You interested? Read more about the commission, then submit an application on this Web page. Regular meetings are held every other month. Committees, such as facilities, apparatus, and staff, meet on a more regular basis. For more information (correct?) contact the Wake County Fire-Rescue Division.

Everyone's an armchair detective, as evident in the reader responses WRAL's coverage of the Cary slaying. Their discussion forums have proved popular for many months now, and are an interest study of online conversation. Such as the 330+ responses to the story yesterday.

Found on the Firehouse Forums, here's a video of a burning RV in southern California that commences to roll backwards. Its movement is checked by a patrol car, perhaps intentionally. Can't quite tell. Something you don't see every day...
 

Here's a preview of the coming Raleigh Fire Department yearbook. The pictures show the cover and title page, a portrait spread, an action photo spread, and a station photo spread. The book will be 160 full-color pages with over 1,100 pictures. The price for ordering online is still $50. Delivery is expected in September. Click to see more:

Do you shoot with two or more cameras, and want to display the digital images in the order they were shot? Here's one way to do it. First, synchronize the time and date settings on all your cameras. Second, install a program called Flash Renamer.
 

WRAL has incident details: truck stop at 932 Johnston Parkway Road off Interstate 95. Tractor-trailer truck leaking silicon tetrafluoride. Vapor cloud created around the vehicle. Driver transported to hospital. Surrounding businesses evacuated. Incident time about 3:30 a.m. North Carolina Hazardous Materials Regional Response Team 4 from Raleigh on scene. They rolled with Haz-Mat 15, Haz-Mat 22, Haz-Mat 8, and Car 72.
 

WRAL photo

Call meeting to order

• Invocation
• Roll of members present
• Approval of Agenda

Click to enlarge...

Found posted to the Firehouse forums, here's fire photojournalism at its finest. Spencer Weiner shot this compelling photo, which can be found on many other sites. High-shutter speed, obviously. No blur to the propellers. Perhaps digital with ISO, due to the grain. Great composition, and cinched with two people standing on the deck. Click to enlarge:
 

Effective July 1, they are now named Garner Volunteer Fire-Rescue, Inc. The corporation was formed on August 15, 1952 as Garner Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. Learn more about GVFR.

Here's a nifty photo of Station 14 from back in the day, circa 1974 or 1975. That was the tenth of the familiar building style. Engine 14 is a 1951 American LaFrance Series 700. Tanker 14 is a 1960 GMC 4000/Alexander, capacity 1,500 gallons. Click to enlarge:
 

WRAL has a detailed account of the reported circumstances leading to this morning's fatal motor-vehicle accident on Glenwood Avenue at Lynn Road. The two-vehicle collision killed a 17 year-old passenger. The 19 year-old driver of the other vehicle faces charges including provisional driving-while-impaired and felony death by vehicle. Just one more tragedy on roads already stained with too much blood. Someday we'll realize a solution. There has to be a way.

The Raleigh chapter of the Red Knights Motorcycle Club is sponsoring a benefit ride on Saturday, August 16, to raise money for the family of a Raleigh firefighter, and whose son was born in September with a rare genetic disorder. Registration and starting point is Ray Price Harley Davidson in Raleigh. The destination is Holly Springs Fire Station 1. View this flyer for more information. Learn about Raleigh's Red Knights. Thanks for your support.
 

Random historical artifact, a Wake County Map from 1887. Three sizes, scanned from photo copy. Quite a few familiar names on roads, creeks, and communities! The only fire department in the county at that time was the volunteer Raleigh Fire Department. The city's fire equipment could be transported by rail car, for assistance outside Raleigh. Such as in 1885 (Fayetteville), 1895 (Durham), and 1908 (Cary).