Pre-History<\/strong><\/p>\n1952 \u2013 Cary\u2019s only fire engine fails at a building fire just outside the town limits. A new pumper is ordered and the volunteer fire department begins a rebirth and period of expansion, with two new buildings, a pair of shop-built tankers, the addition of Civil Defense rescue services, and more. They hold their first annual fireman\u2019s day in 1953, and soon begin planning for a consolidated central fire station building in 1956. Also during this time, during that decade, the population of the town doubles.<\/p>\n
1954, Nov 1 \u2013 Cary FD incorporated as a private corporation, named Cary Rural Fire Department, Inc. Source: Secretary of State records.<\/p>\n
1957, June 3 \u2013 County Commissioners approve creation of rural fire district for CRFD, which provides a monthly stipend of $100. Source: BoC minutes, 6\/3\/57.<\/p>\n
1958, Nov 3 \u2013 County Commissioners approve changes to the CRFD rural fire district: (a.) redefined boundaries as the fire district had been enlarged, with increased personnel and equipment able to serve the larger area, (b.) renaming the fire district from \u201cCary Rural Fire District\u201d to \u201cYrac Rural Fire District.\u201d (Cary spelled backwards.) The district\u2019s furthermost point is about three miles from the Cary fire station, thus it\u2019s a \u201cthree-mile district.\u201d Source: BoC minutes, 11\/3\/58. [ Note that YRAC is often spelled in all-caps in various citations. ]<\/p>\n
1960, Jun 16 \u2013 Firefighter Vernon Lee Thompson, 28, is killed and Firefighter Willis Edward (Billy) Henderson, 32, is injured when their tractor-drawn tanker overturns near Meredith College.<\/p>\n
Insurance Demanded<\/strong><\/p>\n1960, Jul 7, circa \u2013 Raleigh Times, \u201cCary Firemen Demand Liability Insurance \u2013 Resign Or Be Insured Is Ultimatum\u201d<\/p>\n
At a Town Board meeting about three weeks after Thompson\u2019s death, liability insurance for firemen members is discussed. Town commissioner and FD member Tom Griffis presents a written statement from the fire department requesting endorsement of a policy that provide coverage for firemen answering calls within a 2.5 mile radius of the fire station, except in cases of mutual aid into the county, and other special cases as determined by the Fire Chief.<\/p>\n
Mayor Pro Tem James Hogarth moves that another meeting be held between the fire officers and the full Town Board before any policies are adopted. The board agrees and a special meeting is set for July 13. About thirty minutes later, Assistant Fire Chief Crumpler interrupts Mayor Waldo Rood and presents an insurance policy that department members want \u201cput into force.\u201d The Mayor gives the letter to Commissioner Ed Wiles, for study by the \u201cinsurance committee.\u201d He tells the firemen that the matter will be discussed on July 13. The firemen leave the meeting, \u201capparently satisfied.\u201d<\/p>\n
About an hour later, the eleven firemen return and hand the Mayor a request that the matter be discussed now, or they will resign effective immediately. Said Crumper, \u201cWe don\u2019t want our request handed to a committee and delayed. We want action now.\u201d The Mayor later says that the Board \u201cfelt undue pressure was being applied.\u201d<\/p>\n
After \u201cabout two hours of heated discussion,\u201d the firemen agree to remain on duty until Monday, when Fire Chief J. C. Griffis returned from vacation. Also, a special meeting between a fire department committee and the Town Board will be called as soon as could be arranged, and the Town Board will also select an insurance policy and \u201cget it into effect immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n
The department had 24 members at that time, twenty-three of which were volunteer. One was a paid employee. [ Jack Morris, who was paid $2,900 a year for \u201cnight duty”. ]<\/p>\n
Recommendations<\/b>\u00a0From Mayor<\/strong><\/p>\nIn a two-page written statement dated July 13, 1960, Mayor Rood expressed his thoughts and feelings about the issues facing the town and fire department.<\/p>\n
He notes that several department members had told him that the \u201cpublicity of the happenings\u201d at the last meeting of the Town Board \u201cdid not express the true feelings of the fire department.\u201d He adds, \u201cwords were spoken in haste and when the story of the meeting was told in the newspapers and on the radio, it did not convey to the public\u201d what the department \u201cwanted to put across.\u201d And, he agrees with their request that more insurance is needed \u201cto protect themselves and their families.\u201d Thus, he recommends:<\/p>\n
First, that the Town Board \u201ctake insurance to cover the members\u201d of the department while on duty. \u201cThis is to be in addition to Workmen\u2019s Compensation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Second, regarding the \u201creport of the committee,\u201d he doesn\u2019t believe they \u201ccould have worked out a report that\u201d was fair to the town. Why? Because (a.) \u201cno man can serve two masters\u201d, (b.) the town has grown to a point that it needs its own fire department \u201cunder the direction and control of the town\u201d, (c.) if there are too many people in the chain of approval for out-of-town responses [believe that\u2019s what he was saying], the firemen will likely arrive at the fire too late, or \u201cmost of our trained firemen will be out of town for some time, leaving our town without a sufficient number of firemen to man the equipment left in town.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thus, he believes that \u201cany [fire] department that the Town of Cary helps support should direct its full attention to the town.\u201d He notes that in the past eight years, the town has contributed an average of about $8,000 per year to the fire department. And the county has given $1,200 per year, \u201cwhich is only a fraction of the cost of the services to the rural area and which the people in town also pay taxes to support.\u201d<\/p>\n
He writes that the last time he \u201cchecked the records,\u201d more than two-thirds of calls \u201cby our fire department\u201d were made in the rural area, and the town was \u201cpaying over 85 percent of the costs.\u201d And when the fire department was out on those rural calls, he felt that \u201cthere were not enough trained men in town to operate our big pumper truck.\u201d \u201cThe people in the town deserve a better break for their tax dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though the town has had good fire chiefs in the past, it needs a full-time fire chief, one who is \u201cwell trained and properly paid.\u201d He thus recommends an ordinance creating a volunteer department with no less than twenty men, and a \u201cpaid director.\u201d The membership should be approved by the Town Board, and the fire department not respond out of the town \u201cexcept for mutual assistance to other towns.\u201d Also, that their firemen not be members of other departments.<\/p>\n
For budgetary concerns, he recommends the full-time fire chief\u2019s position be combined with that of the Police Chief, and that \u201cone man that is well trained in both fields.\u201d He also recommends, after talking to the Fire Chief and on recommendation of the Public Safety Commissioner, that the town buy a new pumper truck.<\/p>\n
Source: CFD records.<\/p>\n
Difficulties Between The Two<\/strong><\/p>\n1960, Jul 22 \u2013 Raleigh Times, \u201cTwo Cary Groups to Meet to Discuss Difficulties \u2013 On Fire Department Issue.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mayor Rood has confirmed that a meeting will be held between town committees, the fire department, and the Fire Rating Bureau, \u201cin an attempt to iron out the difficulties between the two Cary [FD] organizations.\u201d The meeting will be held in Raleigh.<\/p>\n
Also at the board\u2019s regular Thursday meeting, the Mayor addressed discrepancies between his figures and the fire chief\u2019s figures, relating to financing and fire calls. The Mayor had cited $8,000 as the estimated annual expenses for operating the fire department, which he based on the auditor\u2019s records. [ Had the Mayor requested an audit of CRFD finances? Don\u2019t know. ] The Mayor had also stated that about two-thirds of the calls answered by CRFD have been to the rural area. This was derived by \u201cconsulting the last fire call report given him by the firemen.\u201d<\/p>\n
The fire department, however, said that most of the estimated $8,000 per year \u201cwould be necessary to maintain any department,\u201d and even if the proposed split is approved. The Fire Chief said he believes that the county has paid \u201calmost as much as the town\u201d into their operational budget, which may be shared between the town and rural areas. The Mayor, however, \u201chad maintained that 85 per cent of the costs were made by [paid for] by the town.\u201d<\/p>\n
The fire department also disputed the Mayor\u2019s percentage of calls in versus out of town. They said their records over several years showed only 40 percent of their calls were to the rural area. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Separate Departments to be Established<\/strong><\/p>\n1960, Aug 1 \u2013 Fire Committee Progress Report #1<\/p>\n
The committee, which has six meetings, holds a meeting with three agenda items: (a.) organization, (b.) operations, (c.) division of property. They recommend an organizational structure consisting of a volunteer fire chief who reports to the Safety Commissioner, who reports to the Town Board, who reports to the Mayor.<\/p>\n
Both the town and rural departments will have an Asst. Chief, each overseeing a Captain, each overseeing a Lieutenant. All positions are volunteer, except for two paid Engineer positions for the town department.<\/p>\n
The town department will operate a pumper company with 16 volunteers and the rural department will operate a tanker company with 16 volunteers, plus a rescue company with six volunteers. Each department will also have a secretary.<\/p>\n
1960, Aug 1, circa \u2013 Raleigh Times, \u201cSeparate Cary Fire Department to be Established.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mayor Pro-Tem Hogarth says that the \u201cchief of the fire rating bureau\u201d will recommend that the town establish its own fire department. The Town Council and members of the department have \u201crecently tangled over liability insurance\u201d for the firemen. In the wake of that discussion, Mayor Rood has suggested that the town establish its own FD. The town then went to the fire rating bureau, for information on how to \u201chold down the town\u2019s fire insurance rates.\u201d Said the Mayor Pro-Tem, \u201cwe\u2019re not going to jump into this overnight.\u201d The Mayor has appointed a special committee to study the problem and make a recommendation. The new department will be funded solely by the town, and the existing CRFD will serve residents outside the town.<\/p>\n
1960, Aug 6 \u2013 Raleigh Times, \u201cCary Group Seeking Joint Fire Departments.\u201d<\/p>\n
The first report of a town-appointed committee, created to \u201csolve the problems of the Cary Fire Department,\u201d has recommended the creation of \u201ctwo cooperating departments, one town and one rural.\u201d Both to be run by a single \u201cvolunteer coordinating officer\u201d who will report to the \u201csafety commissioner, the board of commissioners, and the mayor.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Town Board receives the report on August 4 and votes unanimously in its favor. They also instruct the committee to \u201ccontinue its study\u201d and \u201cwork out further details\u201d of the \u201cnew operation.\u201d<\/p>\n
The proposed new departments will have separate members and separate financing, but both be under the supervision of a single fire chief. Mayor Rood adds the suggestion that they request that the county Board of Commissioners call an election, to provide a tax for the rural district, so the rural members won\u2019t have to \u201cwork like dogs to raise money to finance their operations.\u201d<\/p>\n
The committee\u2019s recommendations differ from the earlier proposal by Mayor Rood in at least \u201ctwo major ways.\u201d The Mayor had asked for (a.) employment of a paid fire chief, who would also serve as town fire chief, and (b.) for a complete split in operation, with only a town-operated FD overseen by the fire chief. He also wanted current firemen to have the opportunity to choose which department to work with. The firemen raised objections to the plan, most notably \u201cthe idea of having to work under a paid chief.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n
Volunteers with Objections<\/strong><\/p>\n1960, August [?] \u2013 Raleigh Times [?], \u201cVolunteer Group Feels It Has Grown With the Town\u201d<\/p>\n
Both the current and former fire chief agree that Cary will need \u201ca fire department of its own sometime in the future.\u201d But it should be a gradual thing, not the \u201cdefinite split that is proposed now.\u201d They note that the town has doubled in size in the past ten years\u2014current population is 3,400\u2014and they feel that the fire department has \u201cgrown right along with the needs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Their volunteer members are mostly those who \u201cgrew up before the growth spurt\u201d and in a time when \u201cnobody paid any attention to the town limit sign.\u201d And even now, they feel that the municipal limits shouldn\u2019t have anything to do with \u2018their right to protect friends and neighbors just outside town.\u201d<\/p>\n
This partly explains why some are reluctant to join a \u201ctown department which would forbid them going outside town limits to fight fires.\u201d Their louder objection is being asked as volunteers to work under a \u201ca paid chief\u201d who is operating in a \u201cdual capacity.\u201d Said one, \u201cVolunteers should not be ordered when and how they are to spend the time they\u2019re willing to give.\u201d<\/p>\n
The two chiefs feel that the firemen might feel better if a Cary native could be hired, like Assistant Chief Lee Matthews of the Raleigh Fire Department, and who has \u201cassisted the Cary department in many unofficial ways.\u201d But they agree that \u201cit will be impossible to find a man trained in both police and fire work at a salary Cary could afford to pay.\u201d [ This appears to have been demonstrated by the turnover of paid fire chiefs, during the first years of the position. ]<\/p>\n
They give specific citations about their disagreement with the Mayor\u2019s figures on monies and proportions of calls in versus out of town. They notably note that the \u201cbig pumper owned by the town\u201d has never been taken out of town except by direction of the Town Board. And when that has happened, the firemen are in \u201cconstant contact with the fire station and the county reporting system through their radio system.\u201d They say that they\u2019ve \u201cnever lost a Cary building\u201d since the CRFD was organized in the early 1950s.<\/p>\n
The two chiefs also question how fire department property will be split. They say of the major items, the town FD would get the 1953 Seagrave and the 1931\/1954 Chevy\/Pirsch, as well as the \u201ccounty radio system\u201d and \u201cseveral thousand feet of hose.\u201d The rural FD would get three trucks, including the shop-built rescue truck and a shop-built tanker. [ What was the third truck? Possibly the wrecked tractor-drawn tanker, and whose trailer was likely salvageable. ]<\/p>\n
New Department(s) Start<\/strong><\/p>\n1960, Sep 10 \u2013 Raleigh Times, \u201cControversy Over Cary Fire Dept. Is Nearing End.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Town Board has announced that a newly organized Cary Fire Department will begin operating effective September 15. They have appointed officers of the two new departments, and a \u201cvoluntary chief\u201d to direct the activities of both. Pete Murdoch, former chief of CRFD, has been appointed as Cary Fire Chief. Leading the town FD is Asst. Chief Paul Matthews, and leading the rural FD is Asst. Chief Willie Crumpler. The twenty-four members of the old CRFD have been divided equally between the two sections. But the Town Board has been told that \u201cmore men are needed to build up both departments.”<\/p>\n
Chief Murdoch is \u201cresponsible\u201d to the Town Board. Personnel and equipment \u201cbelonging the town\u201d are available at all times to the town. Members of the respective town and rural departments will answer calls \u201conly in their own department except for mutual aid\u201d and, even then, town members and equipment can only leave the town limits \u201cat the direction of the town board.\u201d<\/p>\n
Two paid firemen are to be hired by the town, so that \u201cat least one well-trained fireman be on duty in town at all times.\u201d No other paid personnel will be used. Pending is the division of property. Some of the equipment used by the old CRFD is owned jointly by the town and rural departments. Both are \u201cexpected to fall short of necessary equipment when properly divided.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n
1961, Apr 20 \u2013 Town Board adopts Ordinance #70, \u201cOrganization of the Cary Fire Department.\u201d The action creates a single administrative fire department, with \u201ctwo separate operations for fire protection\u201d and one of which serves the Yrac Fire District. Source: BoC minutes, 5\/1\/61, 7\/5\/61.<\/p>\n
[ What was the specific language of the ordinance, and how did it differ from the Town Board actions in September 1960? TBD. The current town ordinances as available on the web, and sections relating to the fire department, seemingly date to 1976 at the earliest. \u00a0]<\/p>\n
Rural Funding Interrupted<\/strong><\/p>\n1961, May 1 \u2013 County Commissioners ordered all rural fire funding to CRVFD be terminated, after reading a letter from the town, informing them of Ordinance #70, and which noted \u201cthis department is strictly a town of Cary Fire Department and no other fire departments will be connected with Town of Cary.\u201d Source: BoC minutes, 5\/1\/61.<\/p>\n
1961, Jun 19 \u2013 County Commissioners receive a letter and resolution from the Town of Cary, regarding the \u201cconsolidation of services by the Cary Rural Volunteer Fire Department and the Town of Cary Fire Department.\u201d No action is taken by the board. Source: BoC minutes, 6\/19\/61.<\/p>\n
1961, Jul 5 \u2013 County Commissioners hear from Col. John Thorne of county Civil Defense, Cary Mayor William Justice, and Cary Town Commissioner and fireman Tom Griffis. They request that the $100 monthly appropriation resume to CRFD, and continue until October 31, 1961, or until such time as the Cary FD can contract with the county for this protection, via a \u201cvote of the people in the district for a special levy of taxes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The County Attorney cites a law regarding a county contracting with a municipal department, and how authorization of levying a special tax for fire protection requires a petition to the county by the residents of that district. The Mayor is shown the section of law, so that the Cary FD may \u201ccirculate and present a petition\u201d to County Commissioners requesting the levy of a special tax, for the Yrac rural fire district.<\/p>\n
County Commissioners also request that the Wake County Fire Districts Commission \u201csubmit a written report after investigation and study as to the operational status of the Cary Rural Fire Department, Inc.\u201d and make written recommendation regarding if the $100 per month stipend should be continued or discontinued. Source: BoC minutes, 7\/5\/61<\/p>\n
Rural Funding Restored<\/strong><\/p>\n1961, Jul 12 \u2013 The Wake County Rural Fire Districts Board [alternate name] holds a meeting and its agenda includes \u201cfindings and recommendations as to the status of the Cary Rural Fire Department, Inc. and recommended boundary changes of the [Yrac district].\u201d They recommend that the $100 monthly maintenance fee be reinstated, and those payments that were withheld since May 1, 1961, be paid in full. They also designate new boundaries for the district, needed as related to the creation of two new fire departments, Fairgrounds and Swift Creek, and potential overlapping service areas. The text description of the new boundaries:<\/p>\n
Beginning at the junction of N. C. Highway #54 and Trinity Circle and going thence for about one half mile in a southerly direction on the west side of Trinity Circle to U. S. Highway #1; thence in an easterly direction about one half mile on both sides on U. S. #1 to Bashford Road; thence in a south-easterly direction on both sides of Bashford Road to the City limits of Raleigh; thence in a southerly direction following Swift Creek Fire Department boundary and Raleigh City limits to the junction of Buck Jones Road with the Cary-Macedonia Road; thence in a south-westerly direction along the new bypass U. S. #1 for about 2.3 miles to an overpass bridge on Kildare Road; thence northwesterly for about 2.5 miles to a service station. (Formerly Hoods Service Station) on U. S. #1 about 2.8 miles southwesterly of the Cary Fire Station; thence northwest for about two miles to a bridge of the Cary-Green Hope Road, which said road bridge is about two miles from the old Apex-Cary Road; thence in a northeasterly direction for about 1.7 miles to N. a. Highway #54 about .8 mile northwest of the junction of said Highway #54 with the Evans Road; thence continuing in a northeasterly direction for about 3 miles to the junction of Reedy Creek Road and Umstead State Park; thence in a southerly direction about two miles to the point of beginning.<\/p>\n
Source: BoC minutes, 7\/20\/61<\/p>\n
1961, Jul 20 \u2013 County commissioners adopt above recommendations, to restore funding and redefine district boundaries. Source: BoC minutes, 7\/20\/61<\/p>\n
Separation From Town<\/strong><\/p>\nOn September 7, 1961, a letter is distributed to all households and businesses with CRFD memberships that reads:<\/p>\n
\u201cDear Member, it appears that the Cary Rural Fire Dept. will cease to operate in about 30 days. If you are interested in saving this dept. please attend a meeting at the Cary Town Hall on Sep. 13, at 8:00 p.m. At this meeting we will try to explain what steps can be taken to save it.\u201d Signed, J. C. Murdock, Chief.<\/p>\n
On September 13, a meeting is held for rural residents \u201cin the interest of continued rural fire protection.\u201d A committee is appointed to make a report and recommendations. On October 13, the committee meets and agrees that (a.) a rural fire department be created, separate from the Cary FD, (b.) CFRD be commended for their rural service for the past years, (c.) to thank the Town Council and Mayor for their help, and (d.) that they request that Cary FD \/ CRFD continue to provide rural protection, until the new department is operating, around January 1.<\/p>\n
On November 9, the steering committee presents their recommendations at a public meeting to some 100 rural residents. The meeting is held at the Cary Senior High School. The rural residents approve the proposal to form their own fire department, rather than \u201cpay the Cary Fire Department $6,300 for fire protection,” reported the November 10 issue of the News and Observer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Though not cited in the news story, the amount presumably reflects per-household fees that the town was planning to impose, as a means of funding the rural department operated as part of the Cary Fire Department.<\/p>\n
The new fire department expects to operate for \u201cconsiderably less\u201d once they have been operating for three to five years. The rural residents had taken issue with the fact that, in prior years, they had previously received fire protection for free, via the \u201cvolunteer firemen working with the Cary municipal department.\u201d Source: YRFD records; N&O, 11\/10\/61.<\/p>\n
Letter to Residents<\/strong><\/p>\nOn November 20, 1961, a letter is distributed to the \u201cpatrons of the Yrac fire district.\u201d It notes that the \u201ccitizens of the rural area surrounding the city of Cary\u201d had met \u201cin an open meeting\u201d and they voted to \u201coperate and support\u201d a \u201cseparate rural volunteer fire department\u201d for the rural areas surrounding the town.<\/p>\n
The department will be named \u201cYrac Rural Fire Department, Inc.\u201d and financed by volunteer contributions. The business affairs of the corporation will be handled by a Board of Directors. The initial board will be comprised of the steering committee that was appointed to set up the new department. They\u2019ve rented a building to house the equipment, and started a campaign to raise money for equipment.<\/p>\n
The letter includes a \u201cpledge card\u201d, and recommends an initial average contribution of $25 per family. If that amount is made by each family in the district, noted the letter, another truck can be added to the present department. Also, all contributions are tax deductible. Please mail checks to P.O. Box 274, Cary.<\/p>\n
The First Year<\/strong><\/p>\n1961, November – Cary’s rural fire department moves to a separate location, into a rented garage behind Cricket\u2019s Service Station at the corner of Cedar and Ward streets. This leaves the town department operating from Station 1 on Chatham Street and Station 2 on nearby Cedar Street. Source: YRFD records<\/p>\n
1961, Dec 1 \u2013 YRFD begins operating as the new department, though comprised of members and some assets of the old CRFD. They have a single piece of apparatus, the 1956 shop-built International tanker that was previously part of the CRFD fleet. The full inventory of equipment, reported at a meeting on November 22, includes:<\/p>\n
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