Sanford and Lee County Rescue and Ambulance History

Research notes on Sanford and Lee County rescue and ambulance history. See Google Drive of source articles.  1950s 1952, Apr – Visiting civil defense rescue truck was displayed in Sanford, and viewed by members of the Sanford Municipal Civil Defense Council and other local officials. The town, however, planned no purchase of such a truck. …

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Pender County Planned Merger

Report from Pender County. On June 19, 2025, the county board of commissioners, in a 3-2 vote, approved a plan to bring EMS and fire protection services by four (or three) private agencies under country operation. Shown is the timeline in the proposed merger plan, from this document (PDF). The proposed plan will create a …

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Bald Head Island Major Fire – November 20, 2021

This is a blog version of a Facebook posting from June 17, 2025. Looking back at the North Bald Head Wynd Fire AKA the Lighthouse Landing Fire, and which contributed to the reasons for purchasing the new apparatus. It occurred on Saturday night, November 20, 2021, and was one of the largest fire events in …

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Bald Head Island Major Fire – September 30, 1993

This is a blog version of a Facebook Posting from May 4, 2020. Photos by Bonny Banas (top) and [goes here] (bottom). Looking back at the largest fire in the history of Bald Head Island in Brunswick County, NC. It destroyed ten buildings with 38 units at the Swan’s Quarter Condominiums on Wednesday night, September …

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Navy Jet Crash in Hertford – February 21, 1957

This is a blog version of a Facebook posting on June 15, 2025. Looking back at the close call of all close calls, when a Navy jet fighter crashed within 200 yards of Perquimans County High School in Hertford, NC, on the morning of February 21, 1957. Two people were killed and a third person …

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Quads in North Carolina

This is a blog version of a Facebook posting from September 28, 2023. Shown are Hickory, Wilmington, Concord, Sanford, Morganton, Hendersonville, Henderson, and Morehead City. Here’s a master list of quadruple combinations or quads that have served in North Carolina.  Concord 1949 Mack 75, 750/250 – Reg #75-2-2349 Henderson  1940 American LaFrance 575 CDO, ___/___ …

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The History of Cecil’s Rig – Rescue Pull and Lift Frame

This is a blog version of a Facebook posting from June 8, 2025. For today’s rescue history, let’s take a trip to Stanly County (NC) . The date is October 15, 1965. On that Friday night at 10:26 p.m., a 1963 Chevy Impala lost control on the curve at Pee Dee Avenue and Tenth Street …

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Norwood City Fire Department History

This is a blog version of a Facebook posting from June 8, 2025. Looking back at the Norwood City Fire Department, that operated from the 1920s to 2016. Today, the Town of Norwood NC is protected by Center Rural Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department. Below are assorted milestones and other citations from the local newspaper. …

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Asheville-Henderson Army Airfield Fire Department

Morning airport history. From Western North Carolina, top left is a crash truck at Asheville-Henderson Army Airfield, a former airport that was located in Fletcher. Today, it’s the site of an industrial park. AHAA opened as a civilian airfield in 1938 and was operated by the Army from 1943 to 1947. By the late 1950s, …

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North Carolina Shipbuilding Company Fire Department

This is a blog version of a Facebook posting from May 24, 2025. Let’s go back to World War II and and the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company, which was located at the current site of the state port. It built 243 ships from 1943 to 1946. They had their own fire department and at least …

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