Remembering the State Fair Fire Brigade

The Raleigh Fire Museum has added more vintage photos of the State Fair Fire Brigade to their Flickr site. See their photo album of State Fair fire history.  From the 1960s to 2005, the brigade provided on-site fire protection (and fellowship) during the State Fair. Members were primarily off-duty Raleigh firefighters. They lived on site, and …

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Twin Tillers Coming to Cary

The Cary Fire Department has placed an order for two, count ’em two, identical Pierce Enforcer Ascendant tractor-drawn aerial ladders, or tillers.  From this Atlantic Emergency Solutions Facebook post, the spec includes:  60″ cab  TAK-4 Independent Front Suspension Detroit DD13 525hp engine USSC Valor Seating HiViz LED scene lighting Harrison 6kW generator And needed the …

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North Carolina Fallen Firefighters to be Honored at National Memorial – October 7, 2018

This post originated as a Facebook posting on Legeros Fire Line. The 37th National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, October 7, 2018, at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, MD.  The ceremony will honor the lives of 80 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2017 and 23 firefighters who died …

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Hurricane Florence Photo Galleries

Here are my galleries on SmugMug, of pictures before, during, and after Hurricane Florence, as things happened around Raleigh. Ergo, lots of pics of preparations, and after-storm actions. Exactly one incident, wires on fire, during the worst of the local weather.  And may add a few more bits and pieces, in the coming weeks, as …

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Raleigh’s New Pierce Fire Apparatus

Four new pieces of Pierce fire apparatus have arrived or are arriving in Raleigh. 2018 Pierce Arrow XT aerial ladder, 107-foot. First pump-less ladder since 1986. Production complete, delivery soon. 2018 Pierce Arrow XT heavy rescue, walk-in body, two-person cab. First walk-in heavy rescue since 1953. Delivered August 24. Still getting tags, and equipment mounted.  …

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Responding to Fran – September 1996

As Hurricane Florence approaches, many in Raleigh are remembering Fran from 22 years ago. The storm struck the city with hurricane-force winds on Thursday night, September 5, 1996.  During a three-day period, the Raleigh Fire Department answered nearly 700 calls, with call types ranging from fires (46) and medical emergencies (142), to flooding (33) and trees …

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New Hanover County Fire History – Research Notes

Wrapped another squirrel chase! This one started as a question: what’s the origin story of New Hanover’s county fire department? How did a system of community (or “rural”) volunteer fire departments (Castle Hayne, Myrtle Grove, North Wilmington, etc.) evolve into a career, county-run department? It’s story told in two parts. First, in 1950, with the …

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