Goldsboro Fire Department History

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Research notes on the history of the Goldsboro Fire Department. Primary sources are cited newspaper articles.

Before 1900

1869 – Notice in newspaper: “Citizens of Goldsboro! Do you want a reliable Fire Company to be composed of white men? If you do, then go, without fail, and attend the meeting at the Court House this evening.” [Goldsboro Daily Messenger, 7/8/69]

1873 – Dr. B. F. Arrington is carrying around a “subscription list” to procure a fire engine for the town. [Goldsboro Messenger, 3/13/73]

1878 – Letter to editor in newspaper from Julius Ash, who has received a fire engine named “Little Giant” and that he proposes to sell to the town, as “there is nothing in this town to extinguish a fire.” Nor is there a fire company. [GM, 5/9/78]

1879 – Town commissioners have “unanimously resolved” to purchase a fire engine. [GM, 8/11/79]

1879 – Town commissions at that last meeting appointed a committee to “solicit subscriptions for the purpose of purchasing a fire engine fore the town.” [GM, 8/25/79]

1879 – Town officials approved purchase of a Silsby steam engine for $3,900, includes 1,000 feet of hose and a hose carriage. [GM, 9/4/79] The purchase was subsequent “rescinded” as town officials didn’t believe a majority of voters would approve the purchase. [GM, 9/25/79]

1880s – Lionel Weil was Chief of Department by this time. He was the city’s first documented fire chief. He served until 1884. [GFD]

1880 – Around this time the market house and fire station was erected on Ash Street. [Goldsboro News, 2/26/28]

1881 – Champion chemical engine has been purchased for $2,220. Named “Goldsboro.” [GM, 3/24/81, 7/28/83]

1881 – Newspaper notice. “The subject of organizing a fire company is now under consideration, and we learn that a meeting to that end is shortly to be held. We hope to see a good company organized.” [GM, 4/7/81]

1881 – City ordnances adopted on June 1, 1881, included a section on “Fire and Fire Companies.” It included the requirement that the board of aldermen annually appoint a Chief of the Fire Department and one assistant. [GM, 6/6/81]

1881 – Newspaper notice: “The chemical fire engine has reached here and a fire company will be next in order.” [GM, 7/11/81]

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Renovations at Raleigh Fire Department Training Center

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In March 2025, renovations were started at the classroom building at the Keeter Training Center in downtown Raleigh.

The project was approved by council on October 1, 2024, with a scope of work to “reconfigure the classroom, a new HVAC system, new kitchen casework, and new fire alarm and lighting.” Plus exterior renovations that include “miscellaneous site lighting, pavement patching, and a new electric car charging station.”

The classroom building opened in 1982 on the site of the 1954 drill tower and training grounds. The classroom building has been expanded and reconfigured in a number of ways over the decades. It’s also been renovated in places and most recently in the upstairs classroom.

Changes to Downstairs Space

Here’s what’s happening. Upstairs, the office spaces will remain as currently configured, but with new windows, new doors, and a new HVAC system overall.

Downstairs, the classroom will be “un-configured” and restored to its original full-length size. (As our academy remembers, Class of 1989. We rocked.) In a recent decade, the rear was walled off and a locker room was created for the recruits. That space—a recruit locker room—will be moved to a modular unit on the upper pad.

Also downstairs, the “large room” will be split in half. (Originally a pair of vehicle bays!) One of the overhead doors has been removed and the space will house two simulators, for virtual pump operation and virtual driving.

Temporary Quarters for Staff

Training center staff vacated their offices last month and have relocated to temporary spaces including at Fire Administration, at Station 14, the basement offices at Station 8, and the training center annex at Station 26.

Interior work should be completed by October or abouts.

More History

Read more history of KTC at https://legeros.com/ralwake/raleigh/stations/ktc.shtml

See detailed research notes on KTC history at https://www.legeros.com/ralwake/raleigh/history/pdf/training-center-history.pdf

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Medical Helicopter Crashes in North Carolina

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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 Fayetteville Street in Durham County, during patient transport
Five people injured with minor injuries.
NTSB ATL86FA203
 
Fatal
AirCare, North Carolina Baptist Hospitals, Winston-Salem
9/23/1986
Crashed while en route to Twin County Community Hospital in Galax, VA, to pick-up a patient, when it crashed into the peak of Horse Knob, a 3,400-high mountain about a half-mile south of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The crash occurred around 12:54 p.m. Witnesses said it appeared to be having mechanical problems before the crash.
Killed Barry Wayne Day, 36, pilot
Killed Karen Simpson, 30, nurse
Killed Barbara Burdett, 28, nurse 
NTSB ATL86FA264

Fatal
East Care, Pitt County Memorial Hospital, Greenville
1/8/1987
Crashed while transporting a three-month-old girl from Camp Lejeune Naval Hospital to the Greenville neonatal unit when it crashed about 9:15 p.m. It had left the hospital at 8:59 a.m. A distress call was heard on a medical radio frequency, with someone saying “mayday, mayday … we have a fire on board and are going down.” The pilot of the Bell 206 LongRanger was apparently trying to land in a clearing in a stand of young pine trees in the Hoffman Forest near Pollocksville, NC. The aircraft crashed in a swampy area of the forest. Marine Corp Air Station New River conducted a search and rescue operation and located the wreckage. All souls aboard were killed.
Killed Perry Lee Reynolds, 39, pilot
Killed Mike Patrick McGinnis, 32, chief flight nurse
Killed Pamela M. Demaree, 28, flight nurse 
NTSB ATL87MA057

Fatal
Medflight, Dare County EMS, Manteo
3/26/1989
Crashed whils returning from an emergency call, and from transporting a small child to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, when their aircraft struck an unlighted cellular tower under construction in Coinjock in Currituck County that was directly in their flight path. There were no lights on the tower, as required by the FAA. The lights were scheduled to be installed the day following the crash. On August 22, 1989, the Dare County Board of Commissioners dedicated the Duvall-Willoughby Hangar at the county airport in there memory, and with a stone memorial marker with their names. 
Killed Claude Clara “C.C.” Duvall II, 53, pilot
Killed Stephanie Willoughby, 34, EMT 
NTSB ATL89FA116

1990s Continue reading ‘Medical Helicopter Crashes in North Carolina’ »

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Goldsboro Rescue Squad – Line of Duty Deaths in 1976

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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 afternoon on the Neuse River at Quaker Neck Dam, located five miles southwest of Goldsboro, four fishermen from Angier launched two “outboard boats” into the water. In one boat were brothers Ronnie Langdon, 23, and Neal Langdon, 22; in the other were brothers Wayne Pope, 26, and Randy Pope, 22.

Continue reading ‘Goldsboro Rescue Squad – Line of Duty Deaths in 1976’ »

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North Carolina Ambulance, Rescue, and EMS Line of Duty Deaths

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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 are listed on the National EMS Memorial Service page.

See this Google Drive folder of research materials.

Summary

Date Name Agency City Cause Listed on
NEM?
6/8/1933 Arthur C. Funderburk Jr. Douglas & Sing Funeral Home Charlotte MVC, Ambulance  
7/15/1949 Zell J. Watson Yelverton Funeral Home Raleigh MVC, Ambulance  
1/12/1953 John H. Miles High Point Rescue Squad High Point MVC, Non-Ambulance  
4/23/1959 Robert L. Battle Raleigh Emergency Rescue Squad Raleigh Drowning  
3/28/1976 James M Hickman Goldsboro Rescue & EMS Goldsboro Drowning Yes
11/7/1976 Kenneth Lee Davis Goldsboro Rescue & EMS Goldsboro MVC, Ambulance Yes
12/20/1979 John A. Pierce Enfield Rescue Squad Enfield MVC, Non-Ambulance  
9/25/1984 Stephen Gray “Steve” Richey Forsyth Rescue Squad Winston-Salem Air Crash Yes
9/23/1986 Barry Wayne Day AirCare, North Carolina Baptist Hospitals Winston-Salem Air Crash  
9/23/1986 Karen Simpson AirCare, North Carolina Baptist Hospitals Winston-Salem Air Crash  
9/23/1986 Barbara Burdett AirCare, North Carolina Baptist Hospitals Winston-Salem Air Crash  
1/8/1987 Perry Lee Reynolds Pitt County Memorial Hospital East Care Greenville Air Crash  
1/8/1987 Mike Patrick McGinnis Pitt County Memorial Hospital East Care Greenville Air Crash  
1/8/1987 Pamela M. Demaree Pitt County Memorial Hospital East Care Greenville Air Crash  
10/10/1987 Elaine Pruitt Lyda Clarkton Rescue Squad Clarkton MVC, Non-Ambulance Yes
3/26/1989 Claude Clara “C.C.” Duvall II Dare County EMS Medflight Manteo Air Crash Yes
3/26/1989 Stephanie Willoughby Dare County EMS Medflight Manteo Air Crash  
3/16/1991 Carl E. “Buggs” Hensley Piedmont Triad Ambulance and Rescue High Point Cardiac Yes
5/2/1991 Harvey Jennings “Butch” Lamm Mt. Pleasant Rescue Squad Bailey Cardiac Yes
7/21/1991 Wayne Dale Rice Dallas Rescue Squad Dallas MVC, Non-Ambulance Yes
3/3/1992 Eddie Jones, Jr. Harrells Rescue Squad Rose Hill Cardiac Yes
4/22/1994 Michael Travison AirCare, North Carolina Baptist Hospitals Winston-Salem Air Crash Yes
4/22/1994 Anthony Barbee AirCare, North Carolina Baptist Hospitals Winston-Salem Air Crash Yes
4/22/1994 Donna L Eaton AirCare, North Carolina Baptist Hospitals Winston-Salem Air Crash Yes
4/22/1994 Karen L Canada AirCare, North Carolina Baptist Hospitals Winston-Salem Air Crash Yes
2/9/1995 Michael R Jackson Mid-South Ambulance Service Smithfield MVC, Ambulance Yes
3/29/1999 Gentry Randall Blevins Helton Volunteer Ambulance Lansing MVC, Non-Ambulance Yes
10/16/2000 John A Holland Duke Life Flight Durham Air Crash Yes
5/8/2001 John G Rhodes Randolph County EMS Asheboro Cardiac Yes
8/19/2002 John Lynn Moore Ellerbe Rescue Squad Ellerbe Struck at Scene Yes
12/31/2005 Larry Doughton Crouse Alleghany County EMS Aurora Cardiac Yes
2/12/2007 Joseph “Joe” Austin Jones Pilot Mountain Rescue Pilot Mountain Cardiac Yes
5/14/2009 Bonnie McNeil Union Rescue Squad Willard Cardiac Yes
10/22/09 Paul I. Boyer III Womack Army Medical Center Ambulance Services Fort Bragg MVC, Ambulance  
1/14/2015 William “Billy” Lawrence McKinney Jr. Rockingham County EMS Wentworth Struck at scene Yes
9/8/2017 Jeff Burke Duke Life Flight Durham Air Crash  
9/8/2017 Crystal Sollinger Duke Life Flight Durham Air Crash  
9/8/2017 Kris Harrison Duke Life Flight Durham Air Crash  
7/9/2017 Frank Roy Echevarria Cumberland County EMS Fayetteville Cardiac Yes
7/22/2020 Dennis Lamont Hardy Bertie County Emergency Services Windsor COVID Yes
12/3/2020 Donald “DP” R. Paul FirstHealth of the Carolinas Critical Care Transport Pinehurst COVID Yes
12/22/2020 Milton Earl Reel Farmville Rescue & EMS, Inc. Farmville COVID Yes
8/10/2021 Vanessa Lynn Burris Cumberland County EMS Fayetteville COVID Yes
9/6/2021 John Thomas “Thomas” Ring Wilkes County EMS North Wilkesboro COVID Yes
9/22/2021 Donna Maria Barrett Cagle Bladen County EMS Bladenboro COVID Yes

Before 1960 Continue reading ‘North Carolina Ambulance, Rescue, and EMS Line of Duty Deaths’ »

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Old Salisbury Road Shootings – July 18, 1988

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View Google Drive folder of clippings.   

Early on the night of Sunday, July 18, 1988, gunshots were heard in the vicinity of the shop, at 7:00 p.m. and again at 10:20 p.m. No calls were placed to law enforcement. Witnesses also saw a man walking around his front yard with his rifle at 8:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. No calls were placed to law enforcement.

About 8:20 p.m., a passing motorist and his wife were confronted by the same man, who had thrown a rock at their vehicle. The man appeared mentally unwell, and the couple quickly drove away. After contacting Davidson County deputies, they were directed to contact the Forsyth County Sherrif’s Department. The couple, they later said, decided to wait until the morning to pursue the matter.

The shootings started between 11:15 p.m. and 11:25 p.m. The first call to police was made at 11:25 p.m. A neighbor said that a man, about 19 to 25 years old, was walking in the street with some sort of firearm. He was yelling at cars. The caller had been stopped by the man and threatened. The man with the gun said if the caller came back, he was going to shoot his truck.

The Winston-Salem Police Department received that call at 11:25 p.m. call and, seven minutes later, completed the transfer of the call to the Forsyth County Sherrif’s Department. [ Check this. Did they transfer the first caller or the second caller, the stepfather?] As the WSPD dispatcher was processing the first call, the WSPD dispatcher received a call from the gunman’s stepfather, who said (a.) his stepson had been shooting at cars, (b.) his stepson said that there was a person lying in the parking lot, and (c.) his stepson said that he was going to kill another person.

Continue reading ‘Old Salisbury Road Shootings – July 18, 1988’ »

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Wake County Fire Commission Meeting – April 10, 2024

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The Wake County Fire Commission met on Thursday, April 10, 2024, at 6:00 p.m., at the Wake County Emergency Services Education Center, 221 S. Rogers Lane, Raleigh, NC 27610.

View agenda and meeting documents.

View recordings of fire commission meetings on this web site. 

 

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Winston-Salem and Forsyth County Ambulance and Rescue History

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Presenting research notes on ambulance, rescue, and EMS history in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.

See Google drive of source articles.

See web page with assorted research notes. 

1930 to 1949

  • 1937 – Winston-Salem Rescue Squad organized. First rescue squad in the state. They performed rescue functions but no transport services.

1950 to 1959

  • 1958 – Winston-Salem Light Rescue Squad organized. Operated from May 1, 1958, until 1959 or abouts. 
  • 1958 – Mount Tabor Light Rescue Squad organized. They operated until 1960 or abouts. 
  • 1959 – City-county Civil Defense Rescue Service started. Rescue trucks placed at Lewisville VFD (1959) and Beeson Crossroads VFD (1960). 
  • 1959 – Forsyth Rescue Squad organized. Added ambulances in later decade. 
  • 1959 – King Rescue Squad operating by this time. [WSJ, 8/14/59]

1960 to 1969 Continue reading ‘Winston-Salem and Forsyth County Ambulance and Rescue History’ »

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Greensboro and Guilford County Ambulance and Rescue History

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Presenting research notes on ambulance, rescue, and EMS history in Greensboro and Guilford County.

See Google drive of source articles.

Read research notes.

Timeline

Pre-History

  • 1910 – First ambulance was a horse-drawn unit, operated from 1910 to 1915. Sold to a woman’s group, likely the Greensboro Ambulance Association. They mounted the carriage on a truck and donated it to the fire department. The ambulance was housed at the fire station for a year, but rarely ran calls and was removed, or so the story was remembered decades later. 
  • 1918 – By that time, the first funeral home ambulances were operating. 

1940 to 1959

  • 1940 – Snapshot. Funeral homes with ambulance services listed in Hill City Directory: Forbis & Murray, Hanes.
  • 1944 – Greensboro FD placed first rescue truck in service. Later received a resuscitator and related equipment. They were also equipped with an iron long. 
  • 1947 – Greensboro Life Saving and First Aid Crew organized. The GFD rescue truck was transferred to them.
  • 1950 – Life Saving Crew received new rescue truck, a panel van. By that time they also had two boats and trailer and about 40 volunteers.  
  • 1952 – First iteration of the High Point Rescue Squad organized by the High Point Fishing Club. Created as a water rescue group. Operated until at least 1958.
  • 1958 – City council approved the city taking over the Life Saving Crew. The private volunteer organization had asked the city to take over its assets due to financial troubles. 
  • 1959 – Hanes-Lineberry Funeral Home started operating a rescue unit. They were the only ambulance service in the city that provided additional rescue services. 

1960 to 1969 Continue reading ‘Greensboro and Guilford County Ambulance and Rescue History’ »

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