Chapel Hill’s New Engine

Factory photo of Chapel Hill’s new Engine 31, 2016 Pierce Arrow XT pumper, 1500/500. See larger versions via Pierce on Flickr. This only the second Pierce for the college town, after a 2012 Pierce Arrow XT, 1500/500, which is Engine 33. Who has built the rest of their fire apparatus over the years and decades. …

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Local Air Force Aircraft Accidents, 1919 to 1954

Have lately been researching local air crashes, and become increasingly curious about military aircraft incidents. (Have found a couple, including a B-17 crash in Garner in 1944.) Let’s get more exhaustive via this database of Air Force Accident Reports from the Aviation Archaeological Investigation & Research. They’ve indexed USAAF and USAF reports from 1918 to 1955, …

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Salisbury Renovates, Reactivates Historic Fire Station

The Salisbury Fire Department last year re-activated their historic Old Station 2 at 1402 S. Main Street. The 1942 engine house was renovated and restored by firefighters, after being vacated by the city’s Landscaping and Parks and Recreation departments. Let’s chat with Salisbury Fire Chief Bob Parnell about the building (now named Station 5), its …

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Updated – Former Bay Leaf Midi Pumper Found

[ Updated with more info. on the truck’s history. ] From a reader, this former Bay Leaf midi pumper was found in Erwin, TN. Former Unicio FD Engine 3, 1979 Chevrolet C-70/Pierce, 400/400. E0155. (Thanks Micah, for the specs!) Another reader (via our Facebook page) tells that the truck was bought by Fire Chief D. …

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Looking Closely at the Airport’s 1959 Walter Crash Truck

It’s airport week at Blog Central! Time for some time travel… Raleigh-Durham International Airport has operated four Walter crash trucks in its day, the first being a 1959 Class 1500 that was acquired some time around 1970. Below is the closest we have to a posed photo of the thing. Click to enlarge: News and …

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Seagrave Deliveries in North Carolina – 1906 to 1951

June 23, 2019 Here’s a posting about the entire painter’s log, added to my new digital history library: https://legeros.com/blog/seagrave-paint-log-1906-1951. March 20, 2016 What do the pages of the painter’s log look like? Here’s an example: And here’s a page that mentions Tarboro, North Carolina. Page 119, from 1933. The notation says something like “April 18th, …

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New Org Chart for Wake County Fire Services

Wake County Fire Services has implemented a new organizational chart, with two new Deputy Director positions reporting to the Fire Service Director, a new Logistics Manager position, and a couple other changes. Let’s chat with Fire Services Director Nick Campasano for a closer look. The new structure was originally conceived by [prior Fire Services Director] …

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Updated – Details on Renovations of Fire Station 5

December 7 Project updates: Station 5 re-opened on November 10. Station 5 closed on April 11. Engine 5 was relocated to Station 6, as temporary quarters.  March 6 The Raleigh Public Record on Friday posted a story by James Borden, with a detailed look at the Fire Station 5 renovation project. The $950,000 renovation was …

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Vintage Image of Greensboro’s Power Truck

Found on eBay, vintage image of Greensboro’s lighting unit, which appeared in a 1954 ad for Onan. Notes the accompanying ad copy, “built to the specifications of the [department], this power unit incorporates many new ideas. Both sides of the truc, for instance, hold identical equipment. Located in the many steel compartments are four 500-watt …

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