Office of State Fire Marshal
History. Research Notes. North Carolina.
Last updated: May 3, 2022
Contents
Short History
- 1899 - Insurance department created, first insurance commissioner named.
Legislation gives commissioner the authority to investigate fires and create
fire reports.
- 1907 - Legislation makes insurance commissioner a position electd by
popular vote.
- 1914 - Sherwood Brockwell named as state fire marshal, first in the
state.
- 1939 - Legislation creates state volunteer fire department for purposes
of mutual aid. Fire chief is the state fire marshal.
- 1953 - Brockwell dies. Three deputy fire marshals take over his duties
while insurance commission works on naming successor. No future state fire
marshal is apparently named.
- 1955 - Sherman Pickard hired to lead new state fire training program.
- 1957 - Elwood Inscoe hired to assist Pickard.
- 1966 - Inscoe named new supervisor of Fire and Rescue Services,
following resignation of Pickard.
- 1977 - North Carolina Fire Commission created.
- 1985 - Fire and Rescue Services begins publishing Fire & Rescoue
Journal.
- 1985 - Fire commission moved to NCDOI. Tim Bradley hired as executive
director of commission.
- 1985 - Legislation says state fire marshal means the state insurance
commissioner.
- 1994 - Tim Bradley hired to lead Fire and Rescue Division, appointed
deputy commissionor.
- 1998 - OSFM created, renamed from Safety Service, which included Fire
and Rescue and Engineering divisions. Bradley appointed to lead and promoted
to senior deputy commission.
- 2017 - Brian Taylor appointed as senior deputy commission and chief
state fire marshal. (new position?).
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