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North Carolina State Firefighters' Association HistoryFire College & Drill SchoolLast updated August 9, 2019 Contents
Dates and Locations
College HistoryIn 1929 at the insistence of Mr. A. M. Schoen, an Engineer of the National Board and who had always been very cooperative with the North Carolina [Department of Insurance] Training Program [for firemen], Chief A. L. Duckett, then President of the North Carolina Firemen's Association (later President Emeritus until his death) and the Director of the North Carolina Fire Department Training Program, with the approval of the Executive Committee of the North Carolina Firemen's Association, arranged for an annual statewide meeting of the Fire Departments as an addition to the regular Training Program in force. A Fire College and Drill School Committee consisting of Sherwood Brockwell, Chairman, J. L. Croom, and J. C. Fitzgerald, was appointed by the North Carolina State Firemen's Association and these three are still active though in a limited capacity. This first statewide meeting was conducted in Asheville in and on the new Fire Tower during the last week of April 1929. It was well attended and designated as the North Carolina Fire College and Drill School. Among the guest speakers at this 1929 session were Chief John Evans of New Orleans, then President of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, and Chief Ross B. Davis, of Philadelphia, ex-president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. The 1930 Session was held in Wilmington and the 1931 Session in Durham and for the next decade alternated between these three cities, each having a regulation drill tower and located so as to serve Fire Departments in the West, East, and Central portions of the State. This plan worked well and each year saw increased attendance. As the attendance grew additions to the Fire College and Drill School Committee were necessary. The following graduates of the North Carolina Fire College and Drill School were, during this first decade, added: Charles L. Burkett of Salisbury, later President of the North Carolina Firemen's Association and the North Carolina Fire Chiefs' Association; J. R. Thomas of Rocky Mount, later Chief of Rocky Mount Police Department; and A. Y. Cottrell, later superintendent of the Lenoir Fire Alarm System. Chief Thomas, deceased, upon leaving the Fire Service, was succeeded on the Fire College and Drill School Committee by E. M. Sally of Enka, now general manager of the Enka Corporation. The Charlotte Fire Department (Palmer Memorial) Drill Yard, Auditorium and Drill Tower, the largest and most complete unit in the United States for Fire School purposes only, was completed in 1939. The 1940 Session of the Fire College and Drill School was conducted there. The guest speakers were Chief Samuel J. Pope of Boston; D. W. Brosnan of Albany, Ga.; R. B. Rice, State College, Raleigh, N. C.; and George D. Richardson of Washington, D. C. During the 1943 Session of the Fire College and Drill School the President of the International Association, the Secretary of the International Association, two Directors of the International Association, the Technical Advisor of the International Association, two Ex-Presidents of the International Association and the President of the Southeastern Association were on the platform at one time, forming a Committee to answer questions in the quiz period of the School. This, I believe, has never been duplicated in any other Fire College and Drill School. From 1929 through 1945, the North Carolina Fire College and Drill School had as guest speakers Chief Officers of all the outstanding Fire Departments in the Eastern part of the United states, these including Chief Officers from Boston; New York; Philadelphia; Baltimore; Washington; Annapolis, Md; Columbia, South Carolina; Albany, Georgia; and New Orleans. Beginning in 1942, the School made its facilities available to the personnel of the Fire Departments of the several military posts in the State, many from municipal Fire Departments in the State. During the years of World War II, guest speakers included Captain Scotty Caldwell and Captain Sherwood Brockwell, Jr., officers from the United States Army Post at Aberdeen, Maryland. Several graduates of the North Carolina Fire College and Drill School, including Chief W. E. Holland and Chief C. L. Cox, accepted positions as Chief Officers in the Military Posts Fire Departments while Capt. (now Asst. Chief) Munday, of the Charlotte Fire Department, was called into service to specialize in Fire Department Training in the Army. He was promoted to Major before he left this work and returned to the Charlotte Fire Department. Many graduates of the School, upon entering the Military Service, took over Fire Department duties. Excepted from Official Souvenir Program, 65th Annual Convention, North Carolina State Firemen's Association conference program, August 4, 5, 6, and 7, 1952, Greensboro, North Carolina. Home
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