Two Alarms on Aileen Drive

Pre-arrival picture via Joel Brown on Twitter @JoelBrownABC11, of last night’s two-alarm apartment fire in Raleigh at 3121 Aileen Drive. Dispatched 6:00 p.m. Engine 20 arriving with heavy fire showing, and people “jumping out of windows” said radio traffic. Second alarm at ~6:09 p.m. Plus two EMS alarm assignments, for potential for numerous patients. Controlled …

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Help Wanted – Old, Old Conference Proceedings

History peeps, who can help me locate pre-1910 conference proceedings from the North Carolina State Firefighter’s Association? Anyone have any of these small paperback booklets in hand? Making an inventory, and my findings are below. Plus a link to some scans of these, for your reading pleasure. 1888 – Greensboro History Museum 1889 – ?1890 – …

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Guilford County Fire System, 1966

Introduction Here’s a historical perspective on Guilford County’s fire system in 1966, including dispatch procedures, unit numbering, radio signals, and run cards. Plus a pair of incident details. This was presented at the North Carolina State Firemen’s Association annual meeting that year, held in Carolina Beach on August 1 and 2, and is copied from …

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Standard Hose Threads… Statewide? – 1934

In August 1933, the members of the North Carolina State Firemen’s Association went on record as favoring standard hose threads for all fire departments in the state. This would aid in mutual aid situations, so visiting apparatus could connect with a particular town or city’s apparatus and water system. A committee was formed on the matter, …

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Durham Fire Chief Dies – November 1946

Found this while doing other research last week. We first discussed on the Facebook side. Memo to self: add to fallen firefighters database. On November 26, 1946, Durham Fire Chief Frank W. Bennett died at Watts Hospital. His death was duty-related. Chief Bennett became ill on November 6, while supervising a fire at the Durham Mattress …

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Bring Out Your Buckets! – Hillsborough, 1777

In 1777, the state legislature passed an Act for the Regulation of the Town of Hillsborough, which included that every household have two buckets and one ladder, and keep them “in continual readiest” in case of fire. This pre-dates by decades the 1848 references in town minutes to fire equipment. See that history here, by …

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Two Alarms on Crossroads Arbor Way

Evening update: See Legeros photos. Two alarms were struck yesterday at 1723 Crossroads Arbor Way. Two-story, garden-style apartment building with sixteen units and 10,656 square-feet. Built 1999. Dispatched 2:19 p.m. Upgraded to working fire while companies were en route, based on caller information. Swift Creek Car 1 first-arriving, followed by Swift Creek Engine 1. Fire found …

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Fire and Fire Control in Colonial Wilmington – 1975

Yes, it’s history month at Blog Central. Was shown this last week, from a fellow research. The story of fire protection in Colonial Wilmington, from a May 1975 article in the Lower Cape Fear Historical Society Bulletin.  Includes details on what was likely North Carolina’s first hand engine, delivered circa 1756. Plus a few details on …

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Fiftieth Anniversary of the Salem Fire Department – 1893

Here’s a vintage booklet about the Salem Fire Department, printed for the occasion of their fiftieth anniversary, celebrated on September 16, 1893. The twenty-page booklet includes a history of the department going back to the Moravian settlement of 1766, and first fire protection laws in 1773. It’s presented courtesy of Duke University’s David M. Rubenstein Rare …

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