New Ladder for Northern Wake

Northern Wake Fire Department took delivery on Monday, May 21, of their new Ladder 35, a 2019 Pierce Impel PUC Ascendant, 1500/500/107-foot.  Once in service, it’ll be housed at Station 3 on Norwood Road. It replaces a 1999 Pierce Dash rear-mounted aerial ladder, 1500/200/20/105-foot.  It’s one of three incoming 107-foot Pierce quints in Wake County, …

Continue reading ‘New Ladder for Northern Wake’ »

Black Auxiliary Firemen in Raleigh, 1942

Found this neat piece of Raleigh history this week, with more details on black auxiliary firemen during World War II. Previously on the Legeros Channel, just a bit of this was known: “A company of black auxiliary firefighters was suggested, or asked about. Some black citizens served as auxiliary firemen, as cited in the September …

Continue reading ‘Black Auxiliary Firemen in Raleigh, 1942’ »

Colored Firemen’s Association Organized in 1890

Found the correct date for the creation of the state colored firemen’s association, formally known as the North Carolina Volunteer Firemen’s Association.[1] It’s been previously cited on my site, and in my writings, as “1888 or 1889.” That is incorrect. The year was 1890. The evidence is a pair of period newspaper articles: Greensboro North …

Continue reading ‘Colored Firemen’s Association Organized in 1890’ »

Air King Rescue Squad History Book – 1974

For your Friday reading, here’s a bit of Forsyth County rescue history. Found on eBay a year or two ago. Vintage, 24-page “yearbook” of the (all-black!) Air King Rescue Squad. https://www.legeros.com/history/library/ They operated from 1962 to 1981, previously as Citizens Radio Club, and subsequently as Southeast Winston Rescue Squad. They ceased operation in 1993. Some …

Continue reading ‘Air King Rescue Squad History Book – 1974’ »

Meet the Vendors – 1987

During the combined meeting of the North Carolina Firemen’s Association and the North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs, held at the Hilton Hotel in Greenville, NC, on August 6-8, 1987, the vendors were invited to introduce themselves at the conference participants. Here’s who they were and what they said, as recorded in the printed proceedings: …

Continue reading ‘Meet the Vendors – 1987’ »

Cary + Apex + Morrisville – New Fire System in Service

Change log. May 10. Evening. New map, updated with response districts instead of municipal and ETJ areas as base map. May 10. Morning. Slight edits. Noting that existing Cary P25 radio system being used. Annotating map, noting that shaded areas are municipal and ETJ boundaries. Etc. Introduction On Tuesday, May 7, the fire departments of …

Continue reading ‘Cary + Apex + Morrisville – New Fire System in Service’ »