Deadliest Light Plane Crashes

Searches were suspended on Wednesday for the light plane with eight souls aboard that crashed off the coast of Carteret County, NC, on Sunday. The remains of all eight occupants had been located, along the plane’s fuselage. The expansive search started Sunday afternoon, after ATC at MCAS Cherry Point saw the craft disappear from radar. …

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SAFRE 2021 – The 100 Year Report

One-hundred years and two weeks ago, the 34th annual convention of the North Carolina State Firefighter’s Association opened in Gastonia (pop. 12,871 in 1920). The three-day event was preceded by a reception for delegates and visiting tournament teams on Monday, August 22. The convention formally opened at 11:00 a.m. the following day, at the Gaston …

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Cancelled Due to War Conditions – NCSFA Event Histories

Note: This posting is also available as a PDF document. Download. (2.4M) Introduction On May 6, 2020, during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic,  the North Carolina State Firefighters’ Association (NCSFA) announced the cancellation of their annual conference. The South Atlantic Fire Rescue Expo was scheduled to take place in Raleigh on August 12-15, …

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When Iron Lungs Were Added

Long before COVID crashed out shores, our fire departments and rescue squads assisted with another national health crisis. During the polio outbreaks of the 1940s and 1950s, they added iron lungs to their emergency equipment. Here’s the Durham Fire Department receiving one, as photographed by Charles Cooper for the Durham Morning Herald and/or Sun on …

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Five-Hour Search For Downed Plane at Raleigh-Durham Airport, 1978

Found these plane crash photos from 1978 by Jim Thornton in the Herald-Sun photo collection at Wilson Library at UNC. Here’s the story behind them.  On Monday night, February 13, 1978, a twin-engine Aero Commander 600 approaching Raleigh-Durham Airport disappeared from radar at 8:00 p.m. Six souls were aboard. The plane apparently struck a tree …

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Air Ambulance Crash in Oxford, 1949

This is a blog version of a pair of earlier Facebook postings on Legeros Fire Line. Here’s a photo and a news clipping about an early air ambulance crash in our area. Converted Cessna five-seat plane crashed near Oxford on August 25, 1949. Three aboard, the pilot and two nurses. Two died at the scene …

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Durham Rescue Trucks in 1974

For your Friday enjoyment, here’s a vintage picture of Durham’s early rescue trucks. Left is the city-county rescue squad’s second truck, a late 1960s GMC van procured after the original late 1950s Civil Defense rescue truck was wrecked in November 1966. Right is the squad’s third and newly repaired rescue truck, with a new Ford …

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Orange County Rescue Histories

Let’s build a timeline. Histories of rescue services in Orange County. To be updated over the coming days and weeks. Based on this Facebook posting. See also this Google drive folder of research documents.  1963 to 1969 1963, Apr – Class project started by UNC Air Force ROTC cadets, for a civilian defense “operational survival …

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The State Association Fire Truck – 1926

In July 1926, the North Carolina State Firemen’s Association acquired a fire engine. At the annual convention and tournament, held that year in Morehead City, they took delivery of a new American LaFrance Type 40 combination chemical hose wagon. The truck was presented as a personal gift from the southern manager of American LaFrance, Mr. …

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