Archive of entries posted by Mike Legeros

Fairview Fire Starts First Responder – Carolina Rural Firemen, April 1982

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Vintage article from a publication called Carolina Rural Fireman, in April 1982. Thanks to our friend Joseph Zalkin for finding in his archives. About the first county fire department First Responder program implemented by the Fairview Fire Department. Other early implementations included the City of Raleigh (1977, first field use; 1980, city-wide), Raleigh-Durham Airport (1978), …

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Vintage Film – A Will and a Way, 1975 – The Story of the NC EMS System

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From his archives of retired Wake County EMS veteran Joseph Zalkin comes this 19-minute short film, A Will and a Way – The Story of Emergency Medical Services in North Carolina.  Produced by the North State Office of EMS with a grant from the North Carolina Association of Insurance Agents, it describes the evolution of the …

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Lebanon’s New Engine… And Other Notes

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The Lebanon Fire Department in Durham County has taken delivery of a 2016 Pierce Enforcer pumper-tanker, 1500/1250. New Engine 511 replaces a 2002 E-One Typhoon, which has been disposed to Smith Chapel FD in Duplin County. Should be in service any day now. It’s also a rare Pierce for Durham County, maybe only the second …

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Farewell Open Houses at Chapel Hill Fire Station 2

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The town of Chapel Hill is preparing to demolish Fire Station 2 on Hamilton Road. It will be rebuilt as part of a commercial development on the site. Engine 2 will move to temporary quarters in a modular home at 204 Finley Golf Course Road. They’ll be moving around the end of the month. Construction will …

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Durham Adds Pair of Pumper-Tankers

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The Durham Fire Department has taken delivery of two 2016 Sutphen Monarch pumper-tankers, 1500/1000. The new Engine 8 and Engine 15 were delivered on December 8.  The engines are the first pumper-tankers for the city, and will serve at stations on the edge of the city that respond to areas without fire hydrants. They answer calls with county …

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The Five Faces of Fire Station 2

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This week, Engine 2 moved into temporary quarters at the old city radio/signals/sign shop on South Wilmington Street, in preparation for the renovation of their Pecan Road engine house. See this earlier blog post for information on the “down to the walls” rebuild. This makes the fifth location for Station 2 since the career fire department …

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New Pierce Aerial Ladder For Cary

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The Cary Fire Department has ordered a new aerial ladder, a Pierce Enforcer 1500/300/105-foot rear-mount. Believe this is planned for a new ladder company in the area of Station 7 or Station 8. Click to enlarge: From this Facebook posting by Atlantic Emergency Solutions, the features include: Enforcer chassis with a 10” raised notched roof TAK-4 …

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Thousands Evacuated, Dozens of Homes Burned – Western NC Wildfires of April 1985

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What have been the worst wildfires in our state’s history? Either in recent decades or way back when? Below is a “worst one” from 1985.  Let’s look back at another series of huge wildfires in western North Carolina. From the Raleigh Times on April 5, 1984, found while doing some local fire department research. List format, …

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Party Rock Fire – Massive Mutual Aid – Photos, Notes, and More

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Update – The fire was declared 100% contained as of December 1. The fire burned 7,142 acres. The cause remains under investigation. On Friday, November 11, 2016, fire departments around North Carolina were requested to help fight a wildfire in the western part of the state. A blaze had started six days earlier at Chimney …

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Vintage Photo of Cleveland Community Engine

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This was recently posted to the SPAAMFAA group on Facebook, 1956 (?) Chevrolet 6400 home-built pumper that served the Cleveland Community Fire Department in Rowan County, from 1975 to 1980. Dave Schlosser provided and/or took the picture. Bruce Anderson in the group notes the truck’s fascinating history, which we’ve bullet-ized here: Originally served Colmar, PA. …

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