Relocating Fire Station 22 – July Update

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This is an ongoing blog posting about the relocating of Fire Station 22. 

See Legeros updates below. See also ongoing Legeros photos. And here’s the official project site from the city.

Contents

  • 8/2/22 – August Update
  • 7/2/22 – July Update
  • 4/2/22 – April Update
  • 10/20/21 – December Update
  • 6/12/21 – June Update
  • 5/29/21 – Walls Going Up
  • 5/7/21 – Building construction started
  • 2/22/21 – Site clearing started
  • 12/23/20 – Construction bid awarded  
  • 9/16/20 – Construction bids started 
  • 6/25/19 – June Update
  • 4/23/19 – Revised Design Drawings / Demolition Fone
  • 3/23/19 – Demolition Starting
  • 2/15/19 – Temporary Quarters Occupied 
  • 10/22/18 – Temporary Quarters Being Installed
  • 12/1/17 – Design Services Selected
  • 8/14/17 – City Council to Approve Project

August Update

August 2, 2022

New Fire Station 22 was activated on August 2, 2022. Engine 22 relocated from their temporary quarters at the water plant on Falls of Neuse Road. They were in quarters by 10:00 a.m. Battalion 1 arrived about 11:00 a.m., relocated from Station 19. Hours later, Ladder 22 and Haz-Mat 22 relocated from Station 25 a bit before 6:00 p.m. They had spent the day at training, at the training center.

July Update Continue reading ‘Relocating Fire Station 22 – July Update’ »

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Wake New Hope Station 1 Has Closed

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This is a blog version of a Facebook posting.

End of an era. At 0800 hours this morning, Friday, July 1, 2022, Wake New Hope Fire Chief Lee Price marked Station 1 at 4415 St James Church Road out of service. Engine 281 and its full-time crew was subsequently relocated to Station 2, at 4909 Watkins Road.

Listen to Chief Price’s radio message.

Also at 0800 hours this morning, the Raleigh Fire Department started their contractual service for areas greater than five miles from Wake New Hope Station 2, e.g. the former response area of Station 1.

Incidents in those areas will receive the same response plans as those in the city, plus with augmented responses for structure fire-related calls. The Raleigh response will include the addition of one Wake New Hope engine and three county tankers.

Continue reading ‘Wake New Hope Station 1 Has Closed’ »

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Wake New Hope Fire Department – Then and Now

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This is a version of an earlier Facebook posting.

Fifty-seven years later. Top is Wake New Hope Fire Department in 1965, as photographed for a News & Observer story titled “Rural Fire Units Have Financial Struggle.” Bottom is New Hope’s fleet today, parked at Station 1 last night, for a dinner and reunion of past members.

They gathered to share fellowship and celebrate the station, which will close on July 1, 2022, when the city takes over the response area, and the full-time crew at Station 1 is moved to Station 2. 

Opened in 1958, the station was one of the earliest fire stations in Raleigh to serve “suburban” unincorporated areas. Continue reading ‘Wake New Hope Fire Department – Then and Now’ »

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Wake New Hope Community Meeting – May 9, 2022

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This is a version of an earlier Facebook posting.

View photos by Legeros

Scenes from a community meeting at New Hope Baptist Church on Monday night, May 9, 2022, to inform and answer questions about a new city-county partnership. On July 1, 2022, the city of Raleigh will begin covering the response district of Wake New Hope Station 1. Wake County Fire Services Director Darrell Alford gave a great presentation on same, and fielded questions along with Wake New Hope Fire Chief Lee Price and Raleigh Fire Chief Herbert Griffin.

The response district dates to 1958, when Wake New Hope FD started service. The current Station 1 service area has undergone dramatic changes since the late 1950s, and most of the area has been annexed by the city of Raleigh.

Less than five square-miles of unincorporated area remain in the Station 1 district. By the numbers, that’s 4.69 square-miles with 1,244 occupied housing units and a population of 3,280 people. The property value is estimated at $489M and it had 247 fire/EMS calls in calendar year 2020. And, of important note, there are five Raleigh fire stations within five miles.

Continue reading ‘Wake New Hope Community Meeting – May 9, 2022’ »

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Cary as Nexus of the Career Fire Service

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As we celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Cary Fire Department this year, let’s look at the many connections between CFD and other career departments around Wake County and else in North Carolina. Here’s a new infographic:

View  JPG |  View as PDF

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Wake County Fire Commission Meeting – June 2, 2022

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The Wake County Fire Commission will hold their regular meeting on Thursday, June 2, 2022, at 6:00 p.m., at the Wake County Emergency Services Education Center, 221 S. Rogers Lane, Raleigh, NC 27610. However, the meeting may be moved to virtual or postponed, due to some COVID issues within the office and departments.  

The agenda and meeting documents are below. Information on submitting public comments and access for viewing/listening are posted on the Wake County Public Meetings Calendar. 

View Meeting Documents

Agenda

  • Meeting Called to Order: Chairman Keith McGee
    • Invocation
    • Pledge of allegiance
    • Roll call of membership
    • Adoption of Minutes for January 20, 2022 Regular Meeting
    • Adoption of Minutes for April 14, 2022 Special Called Meeting
    • Approval of Agenda
  • Public Comments:
    • Long Range Plan Data Analysis Presentation
    • Appointment of Fire Commission Chair
    • Appointment of Fire Commission Vice ChairRegular Agenda
  • Information Agenda
    • Fire Tax Financial Report – Budget Analyst Aaron Brown
    • Standing Committee Updates
      • Administrative
      • Apparatus
      • Budget
      • Communications
      • Equipment
      • Facility
      • Health & Wellness
      • Training
      • Volunteer Recruitment & Retention Committee
    • Chair Report
    • Fire Services Report
      • Recognition for Chief McGee’s retirement
      • Recognition of Members who are serving their final term – Ed Brinson and Mark Matthews
  • Other Business
  • Adjournment – Next Meeting – July 21, 2022
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Three Alarms on Water Oak Drive

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Three alarms were struck in north Raleigh on Monday, May 11, 2022, at 3900 Water Oak Drive. Three-story, wood-frame apartment building with 12,760 square-feet and 16 units, if reading tax records correctly. Dispatched 8:49 p.m. with Engine 19 first-arriving, with heavy fire in the front of the structure. Second alarm requested within a couple minutes.

See photos by Mike Legeros | Listen to radio traffic

Transitional attack, with crews going inside after knocking down the exterior flames. Two occupants rescued. As heavy fire conditions extended to and through the roof, crews were evacuated while aerial operations were set-up. Ladder 4 (on reserve) deployed to rear of structure, with master stream to the roof. Ladder 15 later deployed from west side of building, for roof access.

Mike Legeros photo

Two hydrants were caught on New Hope Road, one just east of Water Oak, and another closer to Louisburg Road. One engine each boosting pressure, plus a third engine supplying Ladder 4, if memory serves correctly. Third hydrant was caught on Water Oak, north of the fire building, but wasn’t charged.

Units staged on both Water Oak and New Hope road, the latter of which was closed between Capital Boulevard and Louisburg Road.

Third alarm dispatched about 9:49 p.m. Seventeen residents displaced. Controlled at 10:37 p.m. Thanks to Lee Wilson for real-time incident updates. Photographer arrived about 10 minutes into incident. Google for the various news reports.

Mike Legeros photo

Run Card

Fire:
1st alarm: E19, E15, E27, E21, L15, L12, R16, B1, B5, SO14
Working fire: DC1, INV1, A10, B2
Added: E11
2nd alarm: E28, E9, L4, L1, Sq7
3rd alarm: E26, E25, E2, L23
Also: Operations Chief, Logistics Chief, Chief Fire Investigator, Chief Safety Officer

Medical:
EMS30
EMS31, D6
EMS11, EMS12, D3
EMS48, EMS50, EMS52, EMS78, D9, Chief 200
EMS43
EMS52
EMS61

^ Transcribed from radio dispatches. Excluding EMS T1 and EVAC1, which did not respond. Corrections welcome!

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Greensboro Rescue History

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Introduction

This page presents research notes on the history of rescue squad vehicles in Greensboro and notably as operated by the Greensboro Life Saving squad and the Greensboro Fire Department and originally compiled in 2022. 

Ambulance and EMS agency history is presently not included. May expand at a later and add. 

Summary 

  • 1944 – GFD placed first rescue truck in service.
  • 1947 –  Greensboro Life Saving and First Aid Crew organized, GFD rescue truck donated to new group.
  • 1951 – By this time, GFD is housing the life saving crew’s rescue truck and staffing with one or two firemen and supplemented by life saving crew volunteers as needed.
  • 1958 – Life saving crew asks city to take over its assets due to financial trouble.
  • 1959 – Hanes-Lineberry Funeral Home started operating a rescue unit.
  • 1960 – Greensboro-Guilford County Rescue Squad created, operated by GFD. Adds new vehicles over next two years, including a Civil Defense heavy rescue truck.
  • Later – Civil Defense truck later disposed to county, for fire marshal’s office. GFD added three squads in 1977, maxi-pumpers also used for fire suppression. Decades later, heavy rescue companies returned to GFD. 

Timeline

1942, October – Greensboro Daily News on October 7, 1942, reported that city-county civil defense officials will use money from the sale of donated scrap materials to purchase a rescue truck for Greensboro FD and to be used both in the city and throughout the county.

1944, June – City-county civil defense organization purchased a used Army ambulance at Fort Bragg, for conversion into a rescue truck.

Continue reading ‘Greensboro Rescue History’ »

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Salem’s Circa 1850s Hand Engine

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We’ve been solving a history mystery this month over in the private SPAAMFAA group on Facebook, in a posting about the origins of Salem’s surviving circa 1850’s hand engine. Here’s a photo from Old Salem Museum and Gardens, where the engine sits in storage. See more photos.

Original Documentation

We entered the fray with this knowledge, from an 1893 anniversary history of SFD:

Our Findings

The origin of the engine:

  • Originally served Watchman Fire Company in Baltimore, MD.
  • Watchman FC was organized in 1840 and housed on Light Street and later E. Montgomery Street. The latter building survives to today. 
  • This hand engine was very likely (but not definitively) by Rodgers & Sons of Baltimore. 
  • Characteristic details, noted by Josiah Wagener, include use of leaf springs (surprisingly rare on Philadelphia style engines), the use of wavy carved trim (almost unique to Rodgers engines), the slightly curved end boards on the tub, and the spring loaded hooks to secure the brakes from rocking during transport (common on Rodgers engines and rare among other manufacturers). 
  • In March 1849, the assets of Watchman FC included three suction engines, one hose carriage, and 500 feet of hose.
  • The Watchmen Fire Company was disbanded in January 1860, following the creation of the Fire Department of Baltimore City in 1859.
  • At the time they disbanded, their assets consisted of one large suction engine and two hose reels.  

It’s delivery and use:

  • It arrived in Salem by December 10, 1858, the date that it was tested for the first time.
  • It was the town’s first suction engine–it could draw water from wells, ponds, or other sources–and could supply two hose streams. The town’s earlier hand engines relied on water supplied by bucket brigade.
  • It was known as the Fries Engine, as it was purchased by Messers. F. & H. Fries and the town commissioners together.
  • It had a picture of General Zachary Taylor on it, for a time. (Maybe when purchased?)

Historical perspective:

  • 1785 – First fire engines delivered, two hand engines from Europe, one hand-carried and one with wheels. They have survived to present day, see photos.
  • 1832 – Newer hand engine delivered from Philadelphia, 200 GPM capacity, built by Merrick & Agnew. Also equipped with two-inch hose, first fire hose for town.
  • 1855 – Four-wheel hose carriage added, used for about 30 years.
  • 1858 – Newer hand engine purchased, from Baltimore’s Watchman Fire Company.
  • 1859 – Larger 1785 hand engine retired.
  • 1884 – Button hand engine purchased. The earlier engine, bought in 1858, was retired. Reported the People’s Press on May 8, 1884, the new engine was “out on trail” the past Saturday. It “throws two streams of water” and “of the latest improved pattern.” Some 30 men can operating the engine at one time, “ranging alongside the engine.” And “it pulls heavy.”
  • 1886 – Hand engine exchanged for Button steam engine.

Related

From the Weekly Raleigh Register on May 25, 1859.

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