Twin Tillers Coming to Cary

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The Cary Fire Department has placed an order for two, count ’em two, identical Pierce Enforcer Ascendant tractor-drawn aerial ladders, or tillers. 

From this Atlantic Emergency Solutions Facebook post, the spec includes: 

  • 60″ cab 
  • TAK-4 Independent Front Suspension
  • Detroit DD13 525hp engine
  • USSC Valor Seating
  • HiViz LED scene lighting
  • Harrison 6kW generator

And needed the ability to back-fill stations, Cary has added:

  • 1500 GPM Waterous pump
  • 200 gallon tank
  • 40″ pump house, all while maintaining a short, 169″ wheelbase.

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North Carolina Fallen Firefighters to be Honored at National Memorial – October 7, 2018

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This post originated as a Facebook posting on Legeros Fire Line.

The 37th National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, October 7, 2018, at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, MD.  The ceremony will honor the lives of 80 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2017 and 23 firefighters who died in previous years. They include four firefighters from North Carolina, listed below.

The names of the firefighters will be read, and their loved ones will receive an American flag that had been flown above the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial and the U.S. Capitol Dome. They will also be presented with a red rose and a special personalized badge. During the ceremony, a bronze plaque bearing the names of the fallen will be officially added to the national memorial. 

The service begins at 10:00 a.m. and is open to the public. The fallen firefighters will be remembered at a Candlelight Service at the same location on Saturday, October 6, 6:30 p.m.

Visit https://www.firehero.org/ for more information, including the 2018 Roll of Honor. 

Rufus E. Brinson Jr.
Reelsboro FD
Died 6/6/08
Collapsed during training

Jason Keith Hensley
Triple Community FD
Died 10/9/17
Vehicle collision while responding to call

Donald “Reid” Key II
Whispering Pines FD
Died 12/27/16
Became ill after returning home from fire station

Eric Durean Lacewell
Wilmington FD
Died 11/4/14
Injuries from accident at station on 3/31/11

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Hurricane Florence Photo Galleries

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Here are my galleries on SmugMug, of pictures before, during, and after Hurricane Florence, as things happened around Raleigh.

Ergo, lots of pics of preparations, and after-storm actions. Exactly one incident, wires on fire, during the worst of the local weather. 

And may add a few more bits and pieces, in the coming weeks, as other interesting things are spotted around town. 

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Raleigh’s New Pierce Fire Apparatus

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Four new pieces of Pierce fire apparatus have arrived or are arriving in Raleigh.

  • 2018 Pierce Arrow XT aerial ladder, 107-foot. First pump-less ladder since 1986.
    Production complete, delivery soon.
  • 2018 Pierce Arrow XT heavy rescue, walk-in body, two-person cab. First walk-in heavy rescue since 1953.
    Delivered August 24. Still getting tags, and equipment mounted. 
  • 2018 Pierce Enforcer pumper #1 of 2, 1500/500/20.
    Delivered July 12. Placed in service August 2. 
  • 2018 Pierce Enforce pumper #2 of 2, 1500/500/20.
    Delivered July 12. Placed in service August 2. 

Factory photos are below, from the Pierce Flickr page. See that site for larger versions. Click to enlarge:

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Responding to Fran – September 1996

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As Hurricane Florence approaches, many in Raleigh are remembering Fran from 22 years ago. The storm struck the city with hurricane-force winds on Thursday night, September 5, 1996. 

During a three-day period, the Raleigh Fire Department answered nearly 700 calls, with call types ranging from fires (46) and medical emergencies (142), to flooding (33) and trees on buildings or people (33), to electrical (163) and fuel hazard (97), to false alarms and false calls (121).

Effects of the storm were felt in Raleigh starting around 11:00 p.m., with a tornado watch for the entire state issued after 1:00 p.m. The airport recorded 8.8 inches of rain over 24 hours, which broke the 1929 record of 6.66 inches. It measured wind gusts as high as 79 mph.

By daybreak, the storm had passed over the city. Almost all of Wake County was without power, and none of the city’s 420 traffic lights was working. Damage was reported across all of the county’s 891 square miles. It produced 3.5 million cubic yards of debris. Four people were killed in Wake County, among the 24 killed in North Carolina. The storm did $2.3 billion damage in the state

Here’s a retrospective that’s been on the back burner for a while, with a list of calls and log book entries. Plus related links. It’s a firm reminder to be prepared.

Read the retrospective.

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New Hanover County Fire History – Research Notes

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Wrapped another squirrel chase! This one started as a question: what’s the origin story of New Hanover’s county fire department? How did a system of community (or “rural”) volunteer fire departments (Castle Hayne, Myrtle Grove, North Wilmington, etc.) evolve into a career, county-run department?

It’s story told in two parts. First, in 1950, with the creation of a one-man county fire department, that operated for two years, first from the airport, and then in a garage used by the Maffitt Village VFD, south of the city.

Fast-forward to 1993 and the closure of the North Wilmington VFD. That left a district along Highway 421, north of Wilmington, without a nearby fire station. The long response times compelled the county fire commission to recommend to county commissioners that a new department be organized. Thus begat the first county-operated fire station. And the beginnings of the current New Hanover County FD. 

Those stories and many others are told in Mike’s newest collection of research notes. They also include explorations of South/North Wilmington VFD, and Winter Park VFD. Plus a ton of other notes, maps, graphics, and more. Visit the site at https://legeros.com/history/new-hanover. 

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Vintage Rigs – Garner, Pink Hill, West of New Bern

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Found for sale on eBay. Readers can add makes/models/years. Look like (bad) scans of physical prints. Maybe some of Tony Kelly’s postcard pics, from back in the day? Click to (slightly) enlarge:

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Wilmington-New Hanover County Fire Protection Report – 1971

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Random historical artifact, by way of the New Hanover County Library’s North Carolina Room. 

Technical report on the county (and city) fire protection. Includes a four-page response from the volunteer fire departments, clarifying and refuting some points.

Includes some nifty details of the time, including a Wilmington FD org chart, and a list of all volunter FD apparatus and specs. (Though from a 1969 report, a footnote notes. Thus some equipment may have been upgraded by the time of this report.)

There were 36 of these reports that were created by the Wilmington-New Hanover Charter Commission. Search the library catalog for the full listing of reports.

View the document (PDF).

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Before and After Floor Plans – Winston-Salem Station 7

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The Winston-Salem Fire Department recently re-dedicated their Fire Station 7, after completing a two-year renovation project. Below are some details of the project as well as before and after floor plans. Thanks to the Fire Chief’s office, for sharing. 

Located at 100 Arbor Road, the “Buena Vista Fire Station” was opened in 1951. It houses the department’s rescue company, and also serves as an educational center for inter- and extra-departmental training. And it’s the city’s oldest active fire station.

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David Rolfe/Winston-Salem Journal photos

The $2M project extensively renovated the engine house, adding 4,200 of additional feature and new features including a laundry area, separate bathrooms to accommodate female firefighters, and a larger apparatus bay that can house bigger and wider equipment.

It’s the third of three station renovation projects, part of a 2014 bond package. Station 8 and Station 9 also underwent renovations. Read more in this Winston-Salem Journal story.

Floor Plans

Left is before, right is after. Top is first floor, bottom is second floor. Got it?

Click to enlarge as JPG images or view as PDF.

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