Forsyth County Fire Department History

Posted by on

This posting was last updated in July 2024, with added history of county rural fire protection before 1951.

Introduction

This posting originated as a Facebook posting in August 2020.

Before 1951 – Part 1

In June 1945, county commissioners appointed George Sheek as Forsyth County Fire Chief. He was notably placed in charge of a rural fire protection program that had installed 17 wheeled chemical engines on the grounds of county schools. < Another was later added at the county farm.

Though housed on county property, the chemical engines were intended for use by rural residents and school employees alike. Each carried 40-gallons of dry chemical plus 100 feet of each. Each weighed 1,110 pounds and could be pulled by a car as fast as 60 miles an hour [!].

By January 1949, Sheek reported that the chemical engines had saved $300,000 worth of insured property over the years. However, in many cases, rural residents had not used the units. He was also aware of the “failure of communication” about the program and despite such attempts at holding community meetings. (“In some places, not a single person turned up.”)

He was also skeptical of the ability to create a “motorized county fire department,” due to (a.) poor roads, (b.) poor telephone system, and (c.) lack of a water supply. Those barriers were soon overcome, however, when Forsyth County FD was created in 1951, as well as the first community fire departments during that time.

The chemical engine initiative spurred some communities to augment the program, such as the Waltertown Lions Club, which bought a second unit. What happened to all those chemical engines and their wee “engine houses” at the schools? To be determined!

Before 1951 – Part 2

Smith Reynolds Airport received new Army Air Force fire and crash truck. Was stationed permanently at the airport and overseen by Fire Chief Sharon Aungst of the First Army Air Force Servicing Department. Was equipped with Foamite, carbon dioxide, and carbon tetrachloride extinguishers, plus 300 feet of hose to be used with water. Plus “various kinds of knives and axes” to access a crashed plane, as well as a “special kind of hook” used to “turn a burning plane” so flames “will not sweep toward” a trapped pilot. [WSJ, 3/9/43]

1951

FCFD was created in 1951. Effort was led by Forsyth County Commissioner Wally Dunham, in response to a growing need for fire protection outside the city limits of Winston-Salem. There were just a handful of volunteer departments operating at the time: Kernersville, Rural Hall, and Triangle.

First fire truck was 1944 Jeep with front-mounted pump and trailer with water tank and booster hose reel. Carried 200 gallons, pumped 250 GPM. Equipped with both 2 1/2-inch and 3/4-inch hose. Delivered around March 10, 1951. Cost about $3,600. [Sentinel, 3/10/51] First housed at WSFD Station 3 on North Liberty Street. Operated by county’s first paid firemen, F. W. Broadstreet and B. W. Atkins. [H&N, 9/2/56]

After a few fires, the Jeep proved inadequate for handling the “serious fire hazard that was continuously facing the rural section” and a new pumper was ordered. [H&N, 9/2/56]

Starting May 1, 1951, the county department had its own telephone and someone on duty 24/7 to answer. The phone number was 4-1770. [Sentinel, 5/1/51]

In June 1951, Commissioner Dunham reported that volunteer fire departments were being organized in seven communities: City View, Clemmons, Lewisville, Mount Tabor, Ogburn Station, Old Town, South Fork, and White Rock. Also, five fire trucks were in use in the county, at Kernersville, Rural Hall, Sedge Garden, and the Hanes Knitting Company. [WSJ, 6/19/51]

In September 1951, the newly organized Mineral Springs School District Fire Department received a new pumper. It was housed along with the county fire truck at WSFD Station 3. In the event of fire, the county fireman on duty would drive the Mineral Springs truck to “Jack Tally’s service station,” where volunteer firemen would man it. [WSJ, 9/28/51]

1952 to 1959

1952, May – New Engine 109 delivered, 1951 Chevy/Bean, 80/600. [WSJ, 5/28/52] Answered its first call on May 27, 1952, automobile fire at Old Town School. [WSJ, 5/28/52]

1952 – Third fireman hired, Reece Baugass. [H&N, 9/2/56.]

1953, Feb – County commissioners created fire districts for each of the volunteer departments. They also established a Forsyth County Fire Districts Commission and established standards and requirements for each district. The latter would allow for financial assistance from the Federal Civil Defense Administration. [TCS, 2/2/53]

1955, Aug – City and county signed agreement to allow the county fire truck to respond to fires in downtown Winston-Salem. [WSJ, 8/7/55]

1955, Sep – By this time, the first civilian firefighting program was started at the airport. It was a fire brigade that operated out of a hangar. [Piedmoniter, 9/1/55, 9/1/65]

Late-1950s – Unit 108 added. Two-ton truck with 35-foot ladder and equipment, also pulled generator trailer.

1956, summer – At the airport, a Hennis Freight Lines D-18 caught fire during take-off. The craft was a total loss and two people were injured. Responding fire units took five minutes to reach the airfield. [Sentinel, 7/4/57]

1957 – Snapshot of airport fire protection.

  • The airfield has no fire apparatus, but the county has plans to build a fire station to “house two trucks, four or five men, radio and rescue equipment, and a kitchen.”
  • Currently, the county fire trucks serve as the airfield’s crash trucks, along with units from Mineral Springs VFD. [Sentinel, 7/4/57]

1957 – New Engine 109 delivered, 1957 GMC/Howe, 500/___.

1959, Apr – Committee asks county commissioners to add funding in the coming budget for a centrally-located fire station for the county fire department. It is presently housed in Winston-Salem Fire Station 3. It’s currently used by the three paid firemen, who work eight hour shifts. They have one fire truck. Another paid man serves as prevention inspector. [WSJ, 4/19/59]

1960 to 1969

1961, Apr – Need for airport fire protection noted by airport manager, after the results of a national survey of crash-fire-rescue equipment were released. The airport had only push-cart extinguishers and “a jeep fire truck.” Nor did they have full-time crash-fire-rescue personnel on duty. Instead, they relied on Mineral Springs VFD and the county fire truck at WSFD Station 3 for fire protection. Both can arrive within five minutes after being called. The airport manager had recently raised the need for an airport fire station to the Forsyth County Airport Commission, and had plans to present a proposal at the next meeting. Construction of a fire station had been presented several times in the past, but those plans would fall through. [WSJ, 4/4/61]

1961, May – The need for the county fire department was questioned a meeting of the county commissioners, with one asking “don’t we have enough fire fire protection from the several volunteer departments.” The issue was debated but no action was taken, with a review of the county department to be perhaps conducted soon. [WSJ, 5/23/61]

1961, June – Special committee discussed fire protection needs at meeting of county commissioners, notably:

  • Need for a fire station at the airport, and with questions if the city, county, or both should finance and build?
  • Problem of radio communications with county fire trucks, only 21 of the 42 pieces of apparatus are equipped with radios.
  • Last month, the role of FCFD was discussed by county commissioners, answering recent criticisms that started arguments that the county fire truck should be discontinued in favor of a more rigorous training program for the volunteer firefighters. But many of the 700 volunteers favored continuing the county fire truck. Thus the county firefighter’s association drafted a recommendation that (a.) the county appropriate money for the airport fire station and a radio tower and (b.) continue the operation of the county fire truck, and (c.) that the FCVFA be allowed to appoint the fire commissioner.
  • Sources: WSJ 5/28/61, 6/7/61.

1962 – Snapshot of county fire department:

  • Housed at Winston-Salem Station 3.
  •  Apparatus consists of one pumper and one automobile for use by the fire inspector.
  • Four full-time firefighters and one full-time radio dispatcher.
  • New fire station to be erected at the airport, which would provide at least one full-time firefighter on duty at all times.
  • Sources: WSJ, 6/20/62; WSJ 12/20/62

1963, May – New county fire station opened at Smith Reynolds Airport. The $40,000 building was turned over to the county on April 30. Will house both FCFD and at least one crash truck of the 9305th Air Force Reserve Recovery Squadron. [Sentinel, 4/25/62, 4/30/63]

  • Cost $48,000. [WSJ, 2/16/64]
  • Funded in the 1961-62 budget, along with a radio tower. [WSJ, 5/28/61]

1964, Mar – By that time, a new radio system was installed in the fire station, connecting FCFD and the 18 volunteer fire departments. Superseded the prior city-county radio system and added a new frequency for county units. [WSJ, 3/12/64]

1965 – Fire training tower completed in Winston-Salem, joint financed by the city and county. [WSJ, 3/20/66]

1965, June – New Engine 109 delivered, 1965 International/Howe, __/800 plus foam. Old Engine 109 sold to Belews Creek VFD. [TCS, 6/22/65]

1965, August? – Crash truck delivered, American LaFrance O-10, former Air Force.

  • Bought by county from federal government surplus. Repairs complete on truck by August 19, and it was being painted. Training started on that date for volunteers from city, county, Mineral Springs FD, and Piedmont Airlines. They would be trained in the use of the equipment by Asst. Fire Chief Carl Vaughn and Staff Sgt. Dwight Shelby from Seymour-Johnson AFB at Goldsboro.
  • Staffed by members of FCFD, plus members of WSFD, MSFD, and Piedmont Airlines.
  • Alternate: Staffed by 22 employees of Piedmont only. They responded for for Alert I (actual crash), Alert II (possible crash), Alert III (military crash).
  • Source: H&N, Sep-Oct 1965; Piedmoniter, 9/1/65; WSJ, 8/19/65

1967 – Snapshot of county fire system, from the Sentinel, 1/9/67.

  • FCFD plus 18 volunteer stations and around 800 members. Most stations have three pieces of equipment.
  • City annexations are impacting fire districts, such as the 1964 annexation, with claimed 14 square miles of area covered by the volunteer departments.
  • City has contracted with volunteer departments to cover annexed areas until city services are installed and started.
  • FCFD has eight full-time members: three truck captains, three radio dispatchers, deputy fire marshal Tom C. Andrews, and fire marshal Reece Bauguess.
  • FCFD has three pieces of apparatus: military surplus airport crash truck, pumper equipped for rural firefighter, and a command post truck.
  • County fire station has dayroom with kitchen, living quarters for the men on duty, and a garage for housing the three trucks.
  • Also two active organizations, Fire Chiefs Council and Forsyth Volunteer Fireman’s Association.

1967 – Snapshot of airport crash crew, from The Piedmoniter, 2/1/67.

  • Crash crew had 22 members, all Piedmont employees.
  • O-10 crash truck carried 500 gallons water, 50 gallons foam.
  • Crew had just received six “aluminized” rescue suits, purchased by FCFD.

1970 to 1979

197_ – CFR 2 added, 1970s GMC pick-up with twin-agent foam/Purple K system.

1971? – Air and light trailer added, provided by county fireman’s association. Equipped with generator and six tanks for refilling SCBA bottles. Operated/later operated by FCFD. Source: H&N magazine.

1974, Apr – County commissioners passed a fire prevention code on April 15, 1974. [WSJ, 1/28/75]

1974 – Communications system expanded. Two additional frequencies added, to eliminate “crowded conditions” on existing channels. Two telecommunicators and a supervisor on duty 24/7. [WSJ, 1/28/75]

1975 – Specialized rescue/equipment unit placed in service. Named Unit 109. Operated 1975 White/Saulsbury walk-in rescue. Had a 671 Detroit, five-speed, straight-tooth transmission, with a 250 GPM PTO pump and 200 gallon booster tank. Staffed with minimum of two county firefighters each day, with room in back for more. Dispatched to all structure fires and vehicle collisions with subjects pinned. Carried specialized equipment that the volunteer fire departments did not: rescue tools, salvage equipment, air packs and spare bottles, basic medical supplies. Plus hose and appliances. Other equipment included an A-frame for hoisting, which attached to the front, and a Probeye, an early version of the TIC. And two Jet Axes, shaped explosive charge designed to blow a hole in a concrete block wall for ventilation. Source: Oral histories. 

1975, Dec – New airport crash truck delivered, 1975 Oshkosh M1500, 1200/1500/180F. Delivered December 24, 1975. [ Sentinel, 12/24/75 ]

1980 to 1999

198_ – Unit 109 received 1980s GMC rescue.

198_ – Unit 209 added, unstaffed support unit, 1980s Chevy van, also pulls air trailer.

1990 to 1999

199_ – Unit 109 received 1990s Chevy Suburban.

199_ – Unit 109 received 1990s Chevy “Squad 51” style truck.

1990 Ford/E-One crash truck delivered.

1993 International/Mickey box truck delivered. Donated by FCFRA in December 1994.

2000 to Present

200_ – Unit 209 changed to staffed unit, second manpower unit.

200_ – Unit 309 added, third manpower unit

2001 – County awarded bid for new QRV to Emergency Vehicles, Inc., on 6/25/01. Source: BoC minutes.

2007 Oshkosh Striker 1500 crash truck delivered.

2010 Ford F-250/A.R.E. delivered – Unit 309.

2015 Ford F-550/Northwestern Emergency Vehicles light-duty rescues delivered – Unit 109, Unit 209.

Fleet Roster

See this document (PDF).

Sources

Photo Credits

  • Hose & Nozzle Magazine
  • Andrew Messer
  • Keith Shepherd
  • The Sentinel
  • Tad Byrum
  • Winston-Salem Journal
Facebook Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *