From a blog reader (thanks Greg), the High Shoals Fire Department (Gaston County Station 21) changed their name last year to North Gaston Fire Department.

HSFD was incorporated as High Shoals Volunteer Fire Department Inc. on June 9, 1960. They changed their name to High Shoals Volunteer Fire and Rescue on January 27, 2009.

On August 26, 2015, they changed their name to North Gaston Volunteer Fire and Rescue. And again on October 9, 2015, to North Gaston Volunteer Fire and Rescue Inc.

The reason behind the name change? This Gaston Gazette story from September tells of tensions between the department and the town of High Shoals, after a “bumper sticker disparaging the president was found on the city trash truck.”

What’s the relationship between the two entities? The town provides water and trash services to the fire department, which provides fire protection at no charge.

Here’s the department’s web site. They cover 16 square miles and 52 road miles in Gaston and Lincoln counties. They operate three engines (including a telesquirt), a tanker, a rescue, a brush truck, and a QRV.