Remembering the major wildland fire in May 1986, that burned some 73,000 acres in the Holly Shelter area of Pender county, and during a period of severe drought. One of North Carolina’s largest wildfires of the decade, it threatened numerous homes and closed portions of U.S. 17 and N.C. 210. It required extensive use of …
On Saturday, May 9, 2026, the following names will be added to the North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Memorial at the annual ceremony in downtown Raleigh. George T. Parham Gastonia Oct 10, 1953 Suffered a heart attack while assisting with station duties on the second floor of Station 1. He was given artificial respiration by other …
Continue reading ‘North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Ceremony – May 6, 2026’ »
Looking back at the line of duty death of Fayetteville Fire Department Engineer David C. Sharp II on Friday, March 17, 2000. Sharp died after the 1993 Pierce Arrow aerial tower he was driving was struck by a train at the Cumberland Street grade crossing between Orange and Ramsey streets, while returning from an automatic …
Continue reading ‘Fayetteville Firefighter David Sharp Died in the Line of Duty – March 17, 2000’ »
This is a version of a Facebook posting from December 6, 2021. On December 6, 1981, Wrightsville Beach volunteer Lt. Robert M. Wynn, 28, died in the line of duty at the Doak Apartments fire. Also severely injured was volunteer firefighter Jon Dennison, 21, who suffered second and third degree burns. At 1:13 a.m. on …
Continue reading ‘Wrightsville Beach Line of Duty Death – December 6, 1981’ »
Looking back at the natural gas explosion and flash fire in downtown Wilmington August 5, 1987. Timeline On August 5, 1987, Welco Construction and Utilities Company, based in Florence, SC, was excavating in the 4600 block of Market Street. They were installing sanitary sewer lines in preparation for a project to widen Market Street. The …
Continue reading ‘Wilmington Natural Gas Explosion and Fire – August 5, 1987’ »
Research notes on medical helicopter crashes and accidents in North Carolina, both fatal and non-fatal. Pictured is the Life Force crash in Macon County in March 2023. The four crew members all survived with minor to moderate injuries. Photo credit TBD. 1980s Duke Life Flight, Duke University Hospital, Durham 7/21/1986 Crashed near NC 751 and …
Continue reading ‘Medical Helicopter Crashes in North Carolina’ »
LODD rescue history. In 1976, two members of the Goldsboro Rescue Squad died on duty in two separate incidents. On March 28, 1976, James Hickman drowned during a water rescue/recovery. On November 7, 1976, Kenneth Davis died in a vehicle collision. Here are those stories. James Madison Hickman March 28, 1976 – On a Sunday …
Continue reading ‘Goldsboro Rescue Squad – Line of Duty Deaths in 1976’ »
Change Log: Added Paul Boyer, Fort Bragg, who died on 10/22/09. (May 5, 2025) Added Duke Life Flight members who died on 9/8/17. (May 4, 2025) Presenting a list of ambulance driver, rescue squad member, and EMS agency member line of duty deaths, but excludes fire-based EMS agency members (for now). Most of these names …
Continue reading ‘North Carolina Ambulance, Rescue, and EMS Line of Duty Deaths’ »
See photos from the ceremony. On Saturday, May 10, 2025, the following names were added to the North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Memorial at the annual ceremony in downtown Raleigh. See below for narratives and notes, about each member and how they died. John Alexander Bowen – Fayetteville – 4/16/22 Nathan Clark Burgess – Raleigh – …
Continue reading ‘North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Ceremony – May 10, 2025’ »
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 …
Continue reading ‘North Carolina Firefighter Fatalities During Interior Operations’ »