Vintage Photo of Wilkinson Boulevard Ambulance, 1976

Found this in the November-December 1976 issue of Hose & Nozzle magazine. Ambulance operated by Wilkinson Boulevard Fire Department in Mecklenburg County. [ Was that typical or atypical of Meck departments at the time? Operating squads? ] WBFD was one of the first rural fire departments in North Carolina. They operated from 1943 to 1984, when they …

Continue reading ‘Vintage Photo of Wilkinson Boulevard Ambulance, 1976’ »

Chapel Hill Town Minutes – 1896 to 1922

Presenting a deep-dive into Chapel Hill FD history, via a transcription of town minutes excerpts [both exact and paraphrased]**, originally recorded in typewritten form. Date of original unknown. Likely compiling all references to fires and fire protection, from the first decades of the town’s governance. Photographed from a copy in the CHFD archives, with optical character …

Continue reading ‘Chapel Hill Town Minutes – 1896 to 1922’ »

Chapel Hill Airport Burns – January 11, 1941

From the Daily Tar Heel, January 12, 1941, via Digital NC / North Carolina Newspapers: Airport Burns; Seven CAA Planes Destroyed Defective Wiring Attributed Cause By Bucky Harward All ten airplanes and the hangar at the University airport were completely demolished last night between 7 and 8 o’clock by a fire which resulted from a …

Continue reading ‘Chapel Hill Airport Burns – January 11, 1941’ »

Wake County Fire Commission Meeting – April 26, 2018

The Wake County Fire Commission meets on Thursday, March 26, at the Wake County Emergency Services Training Center,  220 S. Rogers Lane, Suite 160. Meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. See supporting documents in the agenda packet. View agenda packet.  Agenda Meeting Called to Order: Chairman Chief McGee Invocation Pledge of allegiance Roll of Members Present Items of …

Continue reading ‘Wake County Fire Commission Meeting – April 26, 2018’ »

Contract for New Chapel Hill Fire House – August 1921

From excerpts of town minutes, as recorded as a nine-page typed document for the fire department.  Aug. 9, 1921 – P.154 Contract for  new Fire House with  J. T.  Squires for  $3,988. 18  X   40  ft. inside. Wall foundation  to  be 21″ thick;  1st story 13″ thick; 2nd  story 8″ thick. 1st floor to  be 4″  …

Continue reading ‘Contract for New Chapel Hill Fire House – August 1921’ »

Remembering the Raleigh Riots, April 1968

This month marks a grim anniversary–fifty years since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968. He was shot at a motel in Memphis and pronounced dead at 6:05 p.m. EST.  Riots soon erupted across the state* and nation**. It was the greatest wave of social unrest in the United States …

Continue reading ‘Remembering the Raleigh Riots, April 1968’ »

Chapel Hill’s New Platform Ladder… And Other News… And Some History

Chapel Hill’s new platform ladder was delivered last week. Tower 72 arrived on Thursday, March 29. Photographer Lee Wilson was there, and took these photos. See that album. ‘Tis a 2018 Sutphen Monarch, 1500/300/100′, with a one-off grey-over-Carolina-blue color scheme. (Grey to blend with the boom color.) It’ll be placed in service at Station 3, and replace Tower …

Continue reading ‘Chapel Hill’s New Platform Ladder… And Other News… And Some History’ »

Raleigh Adds Fifth Haz-Mat Station

On January 6, 2018, the Raleigh Fire Department activated a fifth haz-mat station. On that date, personnel and equipment were transferred to Station 18 at 8200 Morgan’s Way. Haz-Mat 5 and the foam trailer were moved there. They are a 2002 International/SVI medium-duty rescue truck re-purposed as a spill control unit, and a 2012 Combat Support …

Continue reading ‘Raleigh Adds Fifth Haz-Mat Station’ »