History of Wake County Fire Protection and Fire Governance

What’s the history of fire protection in Wake County, as well as the governance of that fire protection? Have been thinking about that this week, in advance of tonight’s Wake County Fire Commission meeting.  Here’s a research document (PDF) with those details. Created in 2016. Looking through the fresh eyes, there are a couple things that …

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Oak Island Fire Departments Family Tree – Long Beach, Yaupon Beach, Oak Island, Southport, Fort Caswell

New history chart!  Fire departments of Oak Island in Brunswick County: Fort Caswell Long Beach Yaupon Beach Oak Island Southport This one’s a little less complete than usual. Done entirely through remote research. And includes a few standing question. Will revise as more info is found. See earlier posting about these departments and their histories.  …

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Charlotte Rescue and First Aid Squad – Annual Report, 1953

From page 51 of the previously posted Charlotte Fire Department annual report of calendar year 1953, here’s a neat summary of the rescue squad organization’s activities, members, and assets. Their equipment included three iron lungs! The Charlotte Rescue and First Aid Squad was a private corporation that was chartered in July 1947. They were one …

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Charlotte Fire Department Annual Reports – 1937, 1953

For your Sunday reading, annual reports of the Charlotte Fire Department for the calendar years 1937 and 1953. Lots of interesting information and great hand-drawn graphics. The 1953 report also includes hand-drawn pictures of each front-line apparatus! Scanned from bound copies at Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina, during a recent visit. Read …

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Chapel Hill Fire Station 2 – History of the Original

Chapel Hill’s new Fire Station 2 was dedicated on Saturday. The two-story, 11,246 square-foot engine house was opened in May. See photos. It’s the ten-years-in-the-making result of a public and private partnership between the town, the county, and a private developer.  Built on the site of the original 1959 fire station on Hamilton Road, it …

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Map of Wake County Fire Districts

Here’s a Wake County GIS map of the current county fire districts (plus RDU). That is, all fire insurance districts that are funded by the county fire tax, and protected by contract arrangements with private and municipal fire departments. Annotated by Mr. Blogger, with larger icons for fire stations, and gray icons added for those handful of “new” …

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The Only Constant is Change

Next week, the Wake County Fire Commission receives presentation from Wake County Fire Services, with a concept for adding a new Garner fire station near Ten Ten Road and Highway 401. Such a facility could provide service to the areas currently served by Fairview Station 2. Whoa. On June 30, Apex EMS ceased operation. Wake …

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Two Alarms on Settle In Lane

Two alarms were struck at 2925 Settle In Lane on Thursday morning, in northeast Raleigh. Dispatched 10:08 a.m. for city companies plus Wake Forest Engine 5 as auto-aid. Wake Forest Engine 5 and B1 were first-arriving at a two-story multi-family residential building, with 1,648 square-feet in unit, and six units in building. Built 2007. Heavy …

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Visual History of Raleigh-Durham Airport Fire Department

For your holiday enjoyment, here’s another Legeros History Chart.  Raleigh-Durham International Airport fire department. AKA, RDU CFR. View as JPG | View as PDF  | See more charts Here’s the landing page. And only one typo spotted so far. The 1979 quick-response truck was a Chevy, not a Ford. Will be updated. Here’s the chart in paper form. Sometimes Mr. …

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Chapel Hill’s First Fire Company – A Chronological Quandary

The Chapel Hill Fire Department was established in 1896. Everybody knows that, right? Says so on their emblem. But what happens when historical records suggest, perhaps, something different? Let’s a look. Our story begins with a “visiting professor.” Enter local fire historian and CHFD friend Mike Legeros. Starting in late spring, he commenced a deep dive …

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