Search results for Chapel Hill

Bob Biggs, Mike Murray, and Restoring Fire Apparatus

Posted by on

In February 2014, Raleigh Fire Captain Nick Murray recounted the following stories of his father, retired Raleigh Fire Captain Mike Hurry and longtime Raleigh Fire Department friend Col. Bob Biggs, retired USAF, and their work restoring numerous antique fire trucks, including Raleigh’s 1926 American LaFrance pumper. Here’s the original blog archives posting: Jay Leno and …

Continue reading ‘Bob Biggs, Mike Murray, and Restoring Fire Apparatus’ »

North Carolina Firefighter Fatalities During Interior Operations

Posted by on

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’ »

Fatal Ambulance Accidents in North Carolina

Posted by on

Research notes on fatal ambulance accidents in North Carolina. Most involve collisions with other vehicles. Sources include newspapers.com, Digital North Carolina Newspapers, the Fayetteville Observer archives via News Bank, and numerous Google searches.  See source documents in this Google Drive. 2020 to 2024  February 13, 2024 – Cumberland County Cape Fear Valley Medical Center ambulance …

Continue reading ‘Fatal Ambulance Accidents in North Carolina’ »

North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Ceremony – May 13, 2023

Posted by on

On Saturday, May 13, 2023, the following names will be 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.   Richard S. Aman – Piney Grove – 2021 Charles Barnett – Asheville – 1891 (not shown) Perry …

Continue reading ‘North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Ceremony – May 13, 2023’ »

Durham County Truck History

Posted by on

This is a blog version of a Facebook posting from December 21, 2019. Top photos from Durham Herald Company Newspaper Photograph Collection, North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Bottom photos by Lee Wilson. First County Pumper – 1948 Mack Durham’s first “county fire truck” was delivered …

Continue reading ‘Durham County Truck History’ »

Durham’s First Black Firefighters

Posted by on

This content first appeared in a Facebook posting on December 13, 2019. Durham Herald Company Newspaper Photograph Collection, North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Here’s a bit of hidden history of the Durham Fire Department. Below is a photo the Bull City’s first black firefighters. They …

Continue reading ‘Durham’s First Black Firefighters’ »

Smallest Active Firehouses?

Posted by on

This is a blog version of a Facebook posting from August 23, 2017. What are some of the smallest active fire station in North Carolina, as of August 2017? 1,040 s.f. – Penderlea Station 2, 363 Watha Road. 1,700~ s.f. – Clinton Station 22.  1,786 s.f. – Durham Station 5, 2212 Chapel Hill Road. Built …

Continue reading ‘Smallest Active Firehouses?’ »

Raleigh Fire Department Recruit Academy 48 Graduation

Posted by on

The Raleigh Fire Department’s largest recruit class ever graduated last night, on Wednesday, December 29, 2022. The ceremony was conducted at the Raleigh Convention Center, with retiring Division Chief of Professional Development David Whitley giving the keynote address. Three awards were given out, recognizing Joseph Harris as Valedictorian, Chase Johnson as Lt. Herman “Greg” Ellis, …

Continue reading ‘Raleigh Fire Department Recruit Academy 48 Graduation’ »

Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 Crash in Charlotte

Posted by on

This is an expanded version of a Facebook posting on November 24, 2022, and a blogs archive posting (PDF) from April 8, 2010. The state’s second-deadliest plane crash occurred in Charlotte near Douglas Municipal Airport on the morning of September 11, 1974. The Eastern Air Lines Douglas DC-9-31 was carrying 78 passengers and 4 crew members. …

Continue reading ‘Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 Crash in Charlotte’ »

Raleigh Rescue Boats, Past and Present

Posted by on

With the remnants of Hurricane Ian reaching Raleigh today, here’s a look at the city’s water rescue vehicles, past and present. Left to right, top to bottom: 1953 wooden rescue boats, originally operated by the Raleigh Emergency Rescue Squad at Station 1. And they’ve survived to this date, presently in storage. Lee Wilson photo, from …

Continue reading ‘Raleigh Rescue Boats, Past and Present’ »