Note that the 1984 history text has been available\u00a0in annotated format<\/a>\u00a0for some time. And here\u2019s a page<\/a> about all four\u00a0of the department’s “yearbooks,”\u00a0produced in 1984, 2002, 2007, and 2012.<\/p>\n Was a Very Good Year<\/strong><\/p>\n The year 1984 provides an excellent snapshot of “early growth” Raleigh Fire Department, and at a time when the organization was undergoing a transformation.\u00a0The First Responder program was a few years old, and a haz-mat team had been created that year. These were the first steps into “all hazards” territory.<\/span><\/p>\n Fire Chief Thomas Kuster, the first Chief of Department hired from outside the city, had a mandate to tighten and “righten” the organization, operationally and otherwise. He was succeeded two years later by Sherman Pickard, another “outside chief.” And he continued that work. Some of those improvements included the Incident System Command and more formalized fireground procedures.<\/p>\n The city was still growing, with four more stations added from 1984 to 1989. Fleet improvements saw aerial apparatus added in 1986, 1988, and 1990, and the end of the service ladder companies. The departments two tankers, dating from 1960, were also taken out service, in 1986. Mini-pumpers were added in 1986 and 1987, as well as the first mobile air unit in 1988.<\/p>\n Other things that happened during the decade: the completion of the Keeter Training Center building in 1982, the creation of an Honor Guard in 1984, the formation of an Explorer Post in 1985, and the re-formation of the local IAFF chapter in 1986. To name a few.<\/p>\n It was a good decade.<\/p>\n By The Numbers –\u00a01983\/84\/85<\/strong><\/p>\n Calls City population City Size Stations With three aerial companies, three service companies, two rescue units, and three district chiefs<\/p>\n Budget \/ Positions <\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"2017-06-21-rfd\"](\"http:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017-06-21-rfd.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
1983 \u2013 6,304
1984 \u2013 7,519
1985 \u2013 8707<\/p>\n
1983 \u2013 167,703
1984 \u2013 183,908
1985 \u2013 180,343<\/p>\n
1983 \u2013 61.84
1984 \u2013 62.29
1985 \u2013 78.815<\/p>\n
1983 \u2013 15
1984 \u2013 15
1986 \u2013 16<\/p>\n
FY83 \u2013\u00a0$6,224,977 \u2013 316
FY84 \u2013\u00a0$7,133,372 \u2013 328
FY85 \u2013 $7,589,706 \u2013 346<\/p>\n