Notes on Raleigh Response to Durham Explosion on April 10

November 13, 2019 Yesterday, after action reports were released by the Durham Fire Department and the Durham City/County Emergency Management. See blog post.  The documents include the following information about the incident: First Alarm: E1, L3 Second Alarm: FD1, FD2, FD3, FD4, FD5, FD6, FD8, FD20, MS1, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6, E9, E10, E12, …

Continue reading ‘Notes on Raleigh Response to Durham Explosion on April 10’ »

Standard Hose Threads… Statewide? – 1934

In August 1933, the members of the North Carolina State Firemen’s Association went on record as favoring standard hose threads for all fire departments in the state. This would aid in mutual aid situations, so visiting apparatus could connect with a particular town or city’s apparatus and water system. A committee was formed on the matter, …

Continue reading ‘Standard Hose Threads… Statewide? – 1934’ »

North Carolina State Firemen’s Conference Proceedings, 1896

The North Carolina fire service is quite old, and goes all the way back the late 1700s. Artifacts from earlier eras are harder to come by, and anything pre-1900 is a bonafide find. Thus it’s a hysterical historical pleasure to share some early conference proceedings from the North Carolina State Firemen’s Association, from August 1896. …

Continue reading ‘North Carolina State Firemen’s Conference Proceedings, 1896’ »

Tarboro Fireman Dies From Illness After Fire – 1899

Note: This is a version of a posting from Legeros Fire Line on Facebook. See that posting for reader comments and discussion. Found a reference to a Tarboro Fire Department firefighter fatality, and apparently duty-related. From the Proceedings of the North Carolina State Firemen’s Convention in 1899, page 26, from the Secretary’s Report: “Death has …

Continue reading ‘Tarboro Fireman Dies From Illness After Fire – 1899’ »

Durham City/County Fire Merger

July 1, 2018 Durham Fire Department, Expanded, In Service! See also this history chart. Cool things happened at 7:00 a.m. today. The city of Durham Fire Department activated two new stations (Page Road, Seaton Road), and a mess of new units and companies. Some are housed at temporary quarters, as Station 17 on Leesville Road …

Continue reading ‘Durham City/County Fire Merger’ »

Kidd Brewer House (2010)

This is a re-posting of a Blog Archives posting that is no longer available. It was originally posted on June 15, 2010. Contents Introduction Reader Comments Postscript, 2018 – Kidd Brewer Kidnapped Introduction Question from a reader. While walking through the Blue Ridge Road area, he came across Homewood Banks Drive. There, he saw a …

Continue reading ‘Kidd Brewer House (2010)’ »

Raleigh Fire Labor Actions, Activities – Research Notes

Posted this over on Raleigh Firefighters United on Facebook a few months ago, after a retiree asked “hey, do you have history on labor-related things?” Compiled this, and posting here for now. Will later revise and/or expand, and add to my history pages: Research Documents The Hubert Altman Affair – Added September 2020 – PDF Historical …

Continue reading ‘Raleigh Fire Labor Actions, Activities – Research Notes’ »

Swift Water Rescue Teams Leave Raleigh For Texas

Two swift-water rescue teams left Raleigh yesterday, headed to Texas to assist with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. They were part of a five-team deployment requested by Texas emergency officials.  Personnel and equipment from NC USAR Task Force 8 and Task Force 9 departed from the Raleigh Fire Department training center, following a 10:00 a.m. …

Continue reading ‘Swift Water Rescue Teams Leave Raleigh For Texas’ »

Whispering Pines Firefighter Dies Following Fire Call

Belated posting. Whispering Pines Fire Department Lt. Donald “Reid” Key II died on December 27, two days after developing a headache, after returning to the station following a fire call. The headache worsened the following day, and his wife took him  to Moore County Regional Hospital in Pinehurst. After an evaluation, he was airlifted to UNC-Chapel …

Continue reading ‘Whispering Pines Firefighter Dies Following Fire Call’ »