Archive of posts filed under the History category.

North Carolina Firefighter Fatalities During Interior Operations

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On March 29, 2024, Lexington Fire Department Captain Ronnie B. Metcalf, 54, died after being injured during an interior fire attack at a house fire on March 26. What’s the historical perspective of other firefighters in North Carolina, who were killed during or from injuries sustained during interior operations? That list includes the following: Theodore …

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Dare County Fire Departments – Past and Present

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Research notes on the histories of fire departments and fire stations in Dare County, North Carolina. Last updated March 31, 2024.  Former fire stations. Left to right, top to bottom: Manteo, Nags Head, Kitty Hawk, Kitty Hawk, Southern Shores (demolished), Southern Shores (demolished), Avon, Buxton, Salvo (Demolished).  Fire Department Histories See these research notes (PDF) …

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Fatal Ambulance Accidents in North Carolina

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Research notes on fatal ambulance accidents in North Carolina. Most involve collisions with other vehicles. Sources include newspapers.com, Digital North Carolina Newspapers, the Fayetteville Observer archives via News Bank, and numerous Google searches.  See source documents in this Google Drive. 2020 to 2024  February 13, 2024 – Cumberland County Cape Fear Valley Medical Center ambulance …

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Charlotte Fire Museum History

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Left, news photo from 1979 via eBay. Right, Legeros photo from December 2008. This posting is a series of research notes. See source documents in this Google drive. Read a history of Charlotte’s former and historic firehouses.  First Iteration (Failed), Old Station 2 1969, January – Plans to open a fire museum are announced at …

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Renovations Started at Cary Station 4

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On January 19, 2024, personnel at Cary Fire Station 4 at 1401 Old Apex Road were relocated from their 1987 engine house to a temporary facility added at the front of the building. Engine 4 was moved into a metal shelter beside a modular living unit. The other unstaffed units at Station 4, including a …

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Major Fires of 2023

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Looking back at last year, these were the major fires plus a couple other notable incidents. 1/21/2023 1100 Logger Court Offices 2 alarms Dispatched 10:02 p.m. Controlled 10:43 p.m.  Blog post | Legeros photos 2/4/2023 4707 Walden Pond Drive Townhomes 2 alarms Dispatched 11:51 p.m. Controlled ~12:27 a.m. Blog post | Legeros photos 2/5/2023 9401 …

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From August 2011 – Wake County Fire Service Leadership Overview / FAQ

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This was originally posted to the old blog in August 2011 and is being reprinted here, for easier of newer readers to find.  As a public service to our readers, Mike Legeros, A. C. Rich, and Lee Price present an overview of fire service leadership in Wake County. The information is delivered in the format …

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Visual History of Raleigh Aerial Apparatus

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Updated November 24, 2023 – Added picture of new Ladder 22 plus all service ladder trucks of yore. Presenting a new infographic, this time with a visual history of Raleigh Fire Department aerial apparatus, sorted by manufacturer. And, in the case of Pierce, further sorted by apparatus type.  View JPG version. Very PDF version. See …

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History Mystery – North Carolina State Fire Marshal

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This is a blog version of a Facebook posting originally posted November 4, 2023. Time for a history mystery. When did the role of the state fire marshal merge into the position of the commissioner of insurance? Have seen some conflicting references. Let’s dig a bit. The position of state fire marshal was created in 1914[1], …

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