One Hundred Milestones of the Chapel Hill Fire Department

Posted by on

Give or take a few, that is.

This list was previously posted to the Chapel Hill Fire Department Retires & History page on Facebook. 

Learn more CHFD history.

1893 to 1924

1893 – First fire hydrants on campus. Twelve are installed.
1896 – Citizens petition town to create fire department. No action taken at time of petition.
1901 – First fire equipment authorized, “hook and ladder outfit.”
1902 – First fire house authorized. For housing hook ‘n’ ladder and two reels to be supplied by UNC.
1902 – First Fire Chief elected, John O’Daniel.
1902 – Fire Commission created. Three members, duties include approving building plans.
1903 – Fire limits created.
1903 – “Hook and ladder outfit” purchased.
1903 – Fire Chief S. W. Andrews elected.
1903 – Fire company organized.
1905 – Fire Chief John M. Markham elected.
1906 – Fire district established.
1908 – Fire Chief Walter W. Pickard appointed. 
1909 – Fire Chief W. A. Lloyd appointed, after Chief Pickard dies off duty.
1910 – New fire station construction approved. Located on Main (Franklin) Street.
1910 – Fire Chief A. A. Pickard appointed. 
1911 – Fire Chief J. L. Foister appointed. 
1916 – First motor fire engine, 1914 Ford hose car. Chassis bought local, body built in Greensboro.
1920 – Fire alarm siren installed, replaces use of church bells.
Continue reading ‘One Hundred Milestones of the Chapel Hill Fire Department’ »

Facebook Comments

Remembering the State Fair Fire Brigade

Posted by on

The Raleigh Fire Museum has added more vintage photos of the State Fair Fire Brigade to their Flickr site. See their photo album of State Fair fire history. 

From the 1960s to 2005, the brigade provided on-site fire protection (and fellowship) during the State Fair. Members were primarily off-duty Raleigh firefighters. They lived on site, and utilized apparatus loaned by vendors.

Thanks to longtime brigade member, retired Captain Paul Averette, for the pictures. Read about their history, in these notes of mine.

2018-10-17-state-fair

Facebook Comments

Twin Tillers Coming to Cary

Posted by on

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.

2018-10-03-cfd

Facebook Comments

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

Posted by on

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

2018-10-03-nfff

Facebook Comments

Hurricane Florence Photo Galleries

Posted by on

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. 

montage-2

Facebook Comments

Raleigh’s New Pierce Fire Apparatus

Posted by on

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:

2018-09-16-rfd1

2018-09-16-rfd2

2018-09-16-rfd3

2018-09-16-rfd4

Facebook Comments

Responding to Fran – September 1996

Posted by on

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.

2018-09-10-fran

Facebook Comments

New Hanover County Fire History – Research Notes

Posted by on

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. 

2018-09-09-nhc

Facebook Comments