Nine North Carolina Fallen Firefighters To Be Honored at National Memorial Service on Sunday, October 8

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Press release. The 36th Annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service will honor nine firefighters who died in the line of duty from North Carolina. They are among the 75 firefighters who died in 2016 and 20 firefighters who died in previous years who will be remembered at the official national service at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, MD, on Sunday, October 8, 2017.

Click to enlarge:

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  • David Kevin Britt
    Fire Chief, age 54
    Severn Volunteer Fire Department
    Died June 18, 2016, after suffering a heart attack at his home several hours after responding to a motor vehicle accident.
     
  • John M. Davis, Jr.
    Firefighter, age 45
    Kenly Fire Department
    Died May 7, 2016, after experiencing chest pains within 24-hours from assisting with a patient extrication at the scene of a motor vehicle accident.
     
  • Bradley Steven Long
    Captain, age 28
    Sherrills Ford-Terrill Fire and Rescue
    Died June 6, 2016, while diving at Lake Norman to recover the body of a man who drowned the day before.
     
  • Richard Michael Sheltra
    Firefighter, age 20
    Pineville-Morrow Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue
    Died April 30, 2016, during a lightning-sparked commercial structure fire at a strip mall.
     
  • Prentice Jay Tyndall
    Firefighter, age 45
    Hugo Volunteer Fire & Rescue
    Died May 12, 2016, after falling ill following his response to a mutual aid structure fire on May 8, 2016.
     
  • James Ronald Varnell
    Firefighter, age 53
    Bakertown Volunteer Fire Department
    Died February 2, 2016, after becoming ill immediately following his participation in department training.
     
  • Joshua Lee Warren
    Firefighter, age 33
    Alexis Fire Department
    Died June 16, 2016, after participating in department-mandated physical fitness training.
     
  • Joshua M. Woods
    Firefighter, age 24
    Siler City Fire Department
    Died January 12, 2016, from injuries sustained in a crash while responding to a call for a reported cardiac arrest.
     
  • Tommy Wright
    Firefighter, age 20
    Blowing Rock Fire and Rescue
    Died March 21, 2010, after a car accident on the way back from training.

Their names will be added to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial on the Academy grounds. The national tribute is sponsored by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) and the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Fire Administration.

Thousands are expected to attend the service, including families and friends of the fallen firefighters, members of Congress, Administration officials and other dignitaries.

Families will receive flags flown over the U. S. Capitol and the National Memorial. Members of the fire service, honor guard units and pipe and drum units from across the country will participate in this national tribute. For a complete list of fallen firefighters being honored and live streaming of the event, visit weekend.firehero.org.

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Raleigh Fire Department Announces Annual Hiring Process

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The Raleigh Fire Department has announced a new annual hiring process, with application periods to be conducted each year from November 1 through November 30. Selected applicants will start the annual fire academy in late spring.

Hiring Process

The hiring process takes approximately six months to complete and includes accepting applications, written exams, physical agility testing, background checks, interviews, drug test, physical examinations, and psychological evaluation.

The academy is scheduled to begin each year in April and with graduation scheduled for November. The hiring timeline will be also be evaluated each year, to determine if the department needs are being met.

All interested candidates must visit www.raleighnc.gov/employment to complete an online application during the month of November. 

Requirements

Firefighters must be thoroughly fit in order to meet the rigorous physical demands of the job. They must also be able to think and act quickly in emergencies.

Before a new firefighter recruit is employed, hiring officials must be sure that he or she is capable of learning to operate complex mechanical equipment, as well as safely working in hazardous situations.

Each prospective member must also meet high character standards; since he or she will be entrusted with the safety and property of citizens and co-workers. Applicants must be able to work as part of a team.

For more information, contact Captain James Hill, james.hill@raleighnc.gov.

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Raleigh Recruit Academy 42 – Videos

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October 3
Also posted is this City of Raleigh video of last week’s graduation ceremony. Meet the recruits in this earlier blog post:

September 29
This was shown at the graduation ceremony this week of Raleigh Fire Department Recruit Academy 42. Great footage, great editing! Created by Krahe and Stepp Videos.

With day drone footage from Yours Truly, and numerous stills from myself and Lee Wilson. Meet the recruits in this earlier blog post:

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Meet Raleigh’s New Firefighters – Recruit Academy 42 Graduates on Wednesday

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October 3
Update. See these photos and video recordings:

September 24
On Wednesday night, September 27, thirty-six new firefighters will join the ranks of the Raleigh Fire Department. Recruit Academy 42 will graduate in a ceremony at 7:00 p.m. at the Fletcher Opera Theater in the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. South Street.

The new firefighters have completed over 1,000 hours of classroom, practical and physical fitness training. Each of them will be certified by the State of North Carolina as a Firefighter Level II, Emergency Medical Technician, and Hazardous Materials Responder I.

Their 32-week academy started on February 20. And in a change from prior academies, fire training preceding EMT training, instead of following it. Most of their instruction was conducted at the Keeter Training Center in downtown Raleigh. Click to enlarge:

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Mike Legeros photo

Names and Faces

Back row, left to right: Continue reading ‘Meet Raleigh’s New Firefighters – Recruit Academy 42 Graduates on Wednesday’ »

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As a Friend of First Responders… Thank You

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Thank you to the Greater Raleigh Chamber, for this morning’s honor of being named the 2017 Friend of First Responders, at their annual First Responders Appreciation Breakfast. 

It remains my privilege and great pleasure to be the “keeper of history” for our local emergency services. For fifteen years now, I’ve been playing photographer and blogger and historian and author, and it’s been a blast. And I’m a proud member of so many families.

Fire and EMS and law enforcement… they are the stories that I tell, and theirs is the support that has made my work possible. Thanks, all, for your support, and for what you do. You are the ones with the heavy lifting. Mine is an easier task, just watching, and recording, and telling the stories. See you on scene.

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Wake County Fire Commission Meeting – Thursday, September 21

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The next meeting of the Wake County Fire Commission is Thursday, September 21, 2017, at the Wake County Emergency Service Education Center, 221 South Rogers Lane. The meeting’s in Suite 160, the large conference room. Starts at 7:00 p.m.

Agenda is below. View the meeting documents.

  • Meeting Called to Order: Chairman Billy Myrick
    • Invocation
    • Pledge of allegiance
    • Roll of Members Present
    • Barry Doyle Proclamation
  • Items of Business
    • Approval of Agenda
    • Adoption of Minutes for July 20, 2017 Regular Meeting
  • Public Comments
    • Comments from the public will be received at the time appointed by the Chairman of the Fire Commission for 30 minutes maximum time allotted, with a maximum of 3 minutes per person. A signup sheet for those who wish to speak during the public comments section of the meeting is located at the entrance of the meeting room.
  • Regular Agenda
    • Volunteer Recruitment and Retention Request
  • Information Agenda
    • Fire Tax Financial Report
    • Standing Committee Updates
      • Administrative
      • Apparatus
      • Budget
      • Communications
      • Equipment
      • Facility
      • Staffing and Compensation
      • Steering
      • Training
    • Chair Report
    • Fire Services Director Report
  • Other Business
  • Adjournment
    • Next Meeting November 16, 2017
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More Vintage Wallops Flight Facility Fire Apparatus

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By way of a this thread in the Facebook group Fire & Rescue Apparatus 25 Years And Older, from Aaron Moore and originally photographed by someone at WFFFD, here are vintage rigs NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility fire department.

They’ve been added to my department profile and Antares rocket explosion recap, which originated as a blog post in April 2015.

Pictured are:

  • 1970s (?) Yankee/Walter crash truck
  • 1970s (?) Oshkosh MB5 crash trucks (2)
  • 1978 ______/Swab ambulance
  • 1980 Pemfab/PTI pumpers, 1000/500/40 (2)
  • 1980 White Commander II/Almont Welding Works runway foamer, 650/7000/1200

Click to enlarge:

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Raleigh Adds Third Tiller

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The Raleigh Fire Department placed their third tiller in service today. Ladder 8 at Station 26 has received a 2010 Pierce Arrow XT tractor-drawn aerial ladder, 1500/300/100-foot. 

Formerly Ladder 4 at Station 1, it has replaced a 2006 Pierce Arrow XT rear-mounted aerial ladder, 1500/300/105-foot. 

This is the city’s third tiller, joining Ladder 4 (2017 Pierce) and Ladder 9 (2015 Pierce). All three are equipped with 1500 GPM pumps, 300 gallon tanks, and 100-foot ladders.

Raleigh’s the first city in the Carolinas to operate three tillers. In North Carolina, tractor-drawn aerials include:

  • Cornelius-Lemley (Mecklenburg County) – Seagrave
  • High Point – Pierce
  • Raleigh – Pierce x 3
  • Wilmington – Pierce
  • Winston-Salem – KME (in production)

Thinking there’s one or two others. Readers?

2017-09-08-rfd
Lee Wilson photo

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Vintage USAF Crash Rescue Instructions For Local Responders

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For your holiday weekend reading pleasure, a “crash rescue guide” for local responders, prepared by Field Training Detachment 205A at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. Undated and found in the archives of a local fire department.

Contains information on (a.) telephone numbers for reporting crashes, (b.) types of information to provide when calling, (c.) instructions for assisting injured personnel, (d.) instructions for when injured or deceased military personnel are moved from the scene, (e.) notes on prohibition on release names of deceased personnel, (f.) instructions about security matters and allowing pictures to be taken, and (g.) instructions for safety of civilian population.

 Click to enlarge:

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Swift Water Rescue Teams Leave Raleigh For Texas

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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. press conference that included remarks from Governor Roy Cooper and Mayor Nancy Macfarlane. 

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Mike Legeros photos

Personnel and equipment from Chapel Hill and Durham fire departments arrived at the training center after 8:00 a.m. Crews prepared the Task Force 8 vehicles, which included:

  • Two four-door utility trucks/water rescue, pulling trailers with boats and rescue equipment
  • Two pick-ups with camper shells, one pulling a logistics trailer that includes a UTV
  • Box truck/communications unit, pulling a generator, lighting, and antenna trailer.

The Fayetteville team from Task Force 9 arrived around 10:00 a.m., with a similar vehicles and equipment. 

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Mike Legeros photos

News media, local officials, and Mr. Blogger also gathered at the training center that morning. They interviewed and photographed the firefighters. Google for news stories. Also search Twitter for stories, pictures, and video. 

See more Legeros photos. Or watch this short clip:

Five Teams From Across The State

The five teams consist of 92 personnel from the following agencies, each part of a larger North Carolina Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Task Force:

  • Task Force 9 – Fayetteville FD, Fayetteville PD, Cumberland County EMS and Lumberton Rescue & EMS
  • Task Force 8 – Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill fire departments
  • Task Force 6 – Greensboro FD
  • Task Force 3 – Charlotte FD
  • Task Force 2 – Henderson County Emergency Services, Blue Ridge FD, Etowah Horse Shoe FD, Fletcher FD, Henderson County Rescue Squad, Saluda FD, Valley Hill FD

The Greensboro, Charlotte, and Henderson County teams departed from the Charlotte Fire and Police Training Academy, also on Friday morning. 

The five teams are part of the state’s swift-water rescue program, which is organized by North Carolina Emergency Management. There are 30 teams positioned across the state. They meet national standards and can be deployed locally, regionally, or across the country.

Read this NC DPS press release for more background.

 

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