Handbook of Civilian Defense – 1942

New addition to the Legeros history library, the Handbook of Civilian Defense – What every loyal American can do to help the United States win the war. By Lt. Robert H. Rankin, St. John’s Military Academy and published 1942. https://legeros.com/history/library Scanned from copy in personal collection. Wee hardcover with 95 pages. Includes such “keys to …

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Black Auxiliary Firemen in Raleigh, 1942

Found this neat piece of Raleigh history this week, with more details on black auxiliary firemen during World War II. Previously on the Legeros Channel, just a bit of this was known: “A company of black auxiliary firefighters was suggested, or asked about. Some black citizens served as auxiliary firemen, as cited in the September …

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Colored Firemen’s Association Organized in 1890

Found the correct date for the creation of the state colored firemen’s association, formally known as the North Carolina Volunteer Firemen’s Association.[1] It’s been previously cited on my site, and in my writings, as “1888 or 1889.” That is incorrect. The year was 1890. The evidence is a pair of period newspaper articles: Greensboro North …

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Air King Rescue Squad History Book – 1974

For your Friday reading, here’s a bit of Forsyth County rescue history. Found on eBay a year or two ago. Vintage, 24-page “yearbook” of the (all-black!) Air King Rescue Squad. https://www.legeros.com/history/library/ They operated from 1962 to 1981, previously as Citizens Radio Club, and subsequently as Southeast Winston Rescue Squad. They ceased operation in 1993. Some …

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Meet the Vendors – 1987

During the combined meeting of the North Carolina Firemen’s Association and the North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs, held at the Hilton Hotel in Greenville, NC, on August 6-8, 1987, the vendors were invited to introduce themselves at the conference participants. Here’s who they were and what they said, as recorded in the printed proceedings: …

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Correction Sheets for Raleigh & Wake County Firefighting Books

Attention book fans, get yer correction sheets right here!  www.legeros.com/books Remember Raleigh & Wake County Firefighting, both volumes, published fifteen years ago by Arcadia Publishing? They contained the odd error, and the oops have been long listed on the author’s web site. Recently realized that a printable version was needed. Thus presenting these downloadable correction sheets. Just …

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Wilmington Fire Department History Book – 1985

https://legeros.com/history/library For your Tuesday reading pleasure, here’s another vintage North Carolina fire department history book that’s been scanned. This one’s from my personal collection. Slowly building a digital library for everyone. Will be adding more over time, Durham, Greensboro, Winston-Salem. Each is a PDF document and a bit reduced in size. Large but not voluminous.

Not a Fire Chief’s Car From Dunn

This is a blog version of this Facebook posting.  A friend found this one: Hemmings offering for a 1917 Simplex Touring Car that the seller notes was delivered as a fire chief’s car for Dunn, NC.  That’s probably wrong. If you search the SPAAMFAA Peckham ALF registry, you’ll get this hit, which was a combination hose/chemical …

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