Early Charlotte Fire Department History

Also found these last week, very early Charlotte news stories about their first fire engine and fire company. They’re dated between 1834 and 1845. Plus an 1856 story about a public meeting held for the purpose of organizing, or perhaps re-organizing, the fire department. Good breadcrumb trail for anyone interested in pursuing. From newspapers.com via …

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Wilmington Fire Department Organized – 1842

Found these last week. Newspaper article about an early iteration of the Wilmington Fire Department in 1842. Might be the original or first “formal” version of WFD. Plus an editorial from the year before, with detailed suggestions for same. Plus an account of the great 1840 fire, that they reference. From newspapers.com via free access …

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Was Charlotte’s 1866 Hand Engine Named… Crazy Hannah??

Here’s something interesting. Couple stories from 1874-75 suggesting that the Charlotte Fire Department’s famous 1866 Jeffers hand engine–see in recent years at special events statewide–was once named “Crazy Hannah.” The articles are attached below. See what you think. CFD reacquired the engine on March 28, 2012. It was originally purchased by the city in 1866, and …

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Heat Map of State Convention Locations

With the South Atlantic Fire Rescue Expo starting next week in Raleigh, here’s a visual history of the prior conference locations. In the style of a heat map.  Needs a little work. Starting with a better base map. Also, Winston (2) and Winston-Salem (9) are merged into one, with Winston-Salem (11). Also, also, tournaments were …

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North Carolina Pump School

Question from reader Dave Parker, asking the age of this North Carolina Pump School booklet, that someone at his station received from a retired guy some time ago. Answers Legeros, it likely dates from between 1953 and 1966. Those were the years that the North Carolina State Firemen’s Association conducted an annual pump school separate …

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Two Alarms on Millbrook Road – August 2

Notes for the archives. Two alarms were struck on August 2, 2019, at Crossroads Fellowship Church at 2721 E. Millbrook Road. Dispatched as an automatic fire alarm at 11:03 p.m. for Engine 19 and Ladder 2. Units arrived at a one-story, concrete, warehouse-type building with 220,000+ square-feet. Nothing showing on arrival on Engine 19. As …

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Montage of Raleigh Ladders

For your Friday enjoyment, here’s a montage of Raleigh Fire Department aerial apparatus. Every one from the beginning but not complete. The gaps start after the 2004 tiller.  Photo credits are Raleigh Fire Department, Lee Wilson, Mike Legeros, Jeff Harkey, Joel Woods, Tommy Rich, and Elizabeth Reid Murray. See more photos in this Flickr collection …

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