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| pre-history |
1922, Cary Fire Department formed. See timeline
1958, Wake County Board of Commissioners approves redefining and renaming of Cary Rural Fire District" to "Yrac Rural Fire District." (November 3, 1958)fdr
| 1960-1969 |
1960, town creates new Cary Fire Department, with separate sections for answers in the town and in rural areas. Read blog post with detailed account.
1961, residents of rural areas notified of town's plans to change fire protection for rural areas, and/or including adding a fee for rural residents.
1961, members of Cary Rural Fire Department meet at Cary Town Hall and appoint committee to investigate means and methods for continued fire protection for rural residents. (September 13, 1961)fdr
1961, committee's report and recommendations are made at community meeting at Cary Senior High School auditorium. They plan to organize their own fire department, separate from the town. To be named Yrac Rural Fire Department. The department will be run by a Board of Directors, with the board board comprised of the steering committee members. (November 9, 1961)fdr
1961, pledge requests sent to members of community. Initial contribution of $25.00 is suggested. (November 20, 1961)fdr
1961, new department starts service. It's organized by former members of the Cary Rural Fire Department, Inc. Their equipment consists of a single piece of apparatus, a 1944/1956 International/shop-built tanker with a 1500 gallon tank and a 100 GPM pump. They have an assortment of hose, nozzles, ladders, and other equipment. The rest of the assets of CRFD, along with all monies except $1,500, are given to the town. (December 1, 1961)
1961, first Fire Chief is Jackie Hunter. Willie Crumpler is Assistant Chief.fdr
1961, first fire station is rented garage behind Cricket's Service Station at corner Cedar and Ward streets, present site of an auto parts store. Address in 1963 phone book of service station is 421 E. Chatham Street. Rent is $50.00 per month.fdr
1961, May 1 � County Commissioners ordered all rural fire funding to [Yrac FD] be terminated, after reading a letter from the town, informing them of Ordinance #70, and which noted �this department is strictly a town of Cary Fire Department and no other fire departments will be connected with Town of Cary.� Source: BoC minutes, 5/1/61.
1961, Jun 19 � County Commissioners receive a letter and resolution from the Town of Cary, regarding the �consolidation of services by the Cary Rural Volunteer Fire Department and the Town of Cary Fire Department.� No action is taken by the board. Source: BoC minutes, 6/19/61.
1961, Jul 5 � 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 [Yrac FD], and continue until October 31, 1961, or until such time as the Cary FD can contract with the county for this protection, via a �vote of the people in the district for a special levy of taxes.�
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 �circulate and present a petition� to County Commissioners requesting the levy of a special tax, for the Yrac rural fire district.
County Commissioners also request that the Wake County Fire Districts Commission �submit a written report after investigation and study as to the operational status of the [Yrac FD]� and make written recommendation regarding if the $100 per month stipend should be continued or discontinued. Source: BoC minutes, 7/5/61
1961, Jul 12 � The Wake County Rural Fire Districts Board [alternate name] holds a meeting and its agenda includes �findings and recommendations as to the status of the [Yrac FD] and recommended boundary changes of the [Yrac district].� 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:
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 direct ion 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.
Source: BoC minutes, 7/20/61
1961, Jul 20 � County commissioners adopt above recommendations, to restore funding and redefine district boundaries. Source: BoC minutes, 7/20/61
1962, brush fire on railroad right-of-way property. Superintendent of Seaboard Air Line Railroad Company billed for $50.00 (April 25, 1962) fdr
1962, apparatus delivery: 1961 Chevrolet/American LaFrance pumper, 750/500, two-stage pump, registration #1-1-8849. Cost $13,555.55. Ordered January 20. (May 1962) fdr
1962, first annual community meeting held at 8:00 p.m. at Cary Senior High School auditorium. Nine-member Board of Directors elected. New fire truck displayed. (May 12, 1962) fdr
1962, fire department sponsors 10th Annual Cary Fireman's Day. The change in sponsorship becomes permanent. Reports a news story, the department is "wholly responsible for putting on Fireman's Day this year", though "municipal fire department members" participate individually and the town enters "its units in the parade." Proceeds, however, "go to the new department." Parade starts at 3:00 p.m. Street dance is held from 8 to 12 p.m. "at the Winn-Dixie parking lot." Prizes given away include "a Hereford steer, boys and girls bicycles and other items donated by local merchants." A grandstand "for special guests" is set up "in front of the Baptist Church" and Buck Sloan serves as announcer (May 1962) rt
1962, description of Yrac Rural Fire District boundaries:
House fire at 40 Bashford Road. Resident billed on November 1, 1962 for "2 trucks for 2 hours... $100.00." (October 15, 1962)fdr
1962, apparatus placed in service: 1952 Reo tanker, 100/1000, converted from ex-military 6x6. Department now has three trucks, two tankers and one pumper. (October? 1962)fdr
1963, second annual community held at 8:00 p.m. at Cary Senior High School auditorium. (May 7, 1963)fdr
1963, Green Hope Elementary School on Highway 55 near Carpenter gutted. Fire reported about 1 a.m. Responding departments are Apex, Morrisville, and Yrac. Damage is estimated at $400,00 for the 172-pupil school. Arson is suspected due to suspicious car seen minutes before fire is reported (August 15, 1963) no
1964, Dec 12 � Special election held for residents of Yrac fire district, to approve an annual tax for fire protection not to exceed ten cents per $100 of property valuation. Registration is required to participate. All district residents 21 years of age or older, who own personal or real property, are eligible to vote. The registration deadline was November 28.
Notes a November 25 story in the Raleigh Times, if voters approve the tax, those �paying members� of YRFD will �actually pay less.� The new �tax method� will �help spread the burden of financing fire protection,� since only about half of eligible property owners in the district are participating in the YRFD �contribution system.�
The department has three trucks, twenty-four volunteers, and a headquarters in a rented building on Cedar Street. And they�ve just about �depleted [their] financial reserves,� and thus �must turn to a better method� for support. Source: BoC minutes 12/15/64, Raleigh Times, 11/25/64.
1964, Dec 15 � County commissioners affirm that the majority of residents in the Yrac fire district voted in favor of a tax levy for fire protection. There were 103 votes cast, with only one against. Source: BoC minutes, 12/15/64.
1965, Jun 29 � County Commissioners approve a contract between county and YRFD, for country to collect ten cents per $100 of property on January 1, 1965, and for the county to hold and disburse those funds to YVFD, for the purpose of providing fire protection in that district, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. Source: BoC minutes, 6/29/65
[ Note, this may be a contract renewal, with the first partial-year contract established around January 1, 1965. ]
1965, preliminary drawing for fire station presented. Drawing by Holston Steel Structures, Inc., Bristol, Tenn.-VA ("The Biggest Building For The Littlest Money The Quickest.") (July 9, 1965)fdr
1965, at meeting of Board of Directors, committee elected to contact Cary Branch of Bank of Fuquay, for loan of $12,000 to construct new fire station on lot recently purchased on East Durham Road, Cary. (July 27, 1965)fdr
1966, fire department sponsors 14th Annual Cary Fireman's Day (May 7, 1966)1966, new fire station constructed at 325 E. Durham Road, on land donated by M. E. Sutton. (Spring 1966)
1966, fire department moves into new station. (May 1966)
1966, Fire Chief is Ronnie Stevens.fdr
1969, annual meeting held at fire station at 7:30 p.m. Three members to be elected to Board of Directors. Nominated are Charles Gardner (second term), Bill Hyatt (second term), R.L. Wolfe, and Raymond Sparrow. (May 20, 1969) fdr
1969, memo written noting decision at November meeting of Fire Chief's council to comply with FCC rules when using radios. Main rule requiring compliance is giving call letters of each base station when ending transmission of fire call or test. Also noted is that some radios on cars or possibly base stations are left so children can turn them on to play with. Mobile radios should be wired through the ignition switch so they can only be used when the key is turned. (May 20, 1969) fdr
| 1970-1979 |
1970, apparatus delivery: 1969 Chevrolet C-60/American tanker, 300/1200. Placed in service prior to May 19, 1970 annual meeting. Alt. capacity 1050 gallons from sale announcement, News & Observer, August 25, 1979. fdr
1970, annual meeting of Cary Rural Fire Department held at Cary Rural Fire Station at 7:30 p.m. Three people in district to be elected to serve Board of Directors for three-year terms. Nominated are Charles Fox, Sr. (second term), A. P. Valotta (second term), and R. S. "Dad" Dunham. To call fire department, the number is 828-3443. This is Central Station in Raleigh and they can set off the sirens at the Cary Rural Fire Station by radio. (May 19, 1970) fdr
1970, tax rate reduced by two cents. Occurs prior to May 18, 1971 annual meeting.fdr
1971, annual meeting of Cary Rural Fire Department held at Cary Rural Fire Station at 7:30 p.m. Three people in district to be elected to serve Board of Directors for three-year terms. Nominated are James Atkins, W. A. Jones, and W. A. Brown. Firefighters have contributed $1,200 toward a brush truck, hoped to be in operation within next two months. More than half of fire department alarms are grass and brush fires. (May 18, 1971) fdr
1971, J. P. (Jack) Hunter is Fire Chief and W. E. Edwards is Assistant Chief. (May 1971)
1972, apparatus delivery: 1971 Chevy/Darley brush truck, 30/200. In service and paid for by time of May 16, 1972 annual meeting. fdr
1972, annual meeting of Cary Rural Fire Department held at Cary Rural Fire Station at 7:30 p.m. Three people in district to be elected to serve Board of Directors for three-year terms. Nominated are Daniel O. Rhew, Macon Harris, and James R. Gates. (May 16, 1972) fdr
1973, fire calls for fiscal year 1972-73
1974, meeting note: "Do not drive over ten miles per hour speed limit at any time." (October 24, 1974) fdr
1974, Christmas banquet held at McGregor Downs. Cost $6.25 per person. (December 19, 1974) fdr
1975, meeting note. Vote on By-Law revision "active members of the fire company shall be limited to thirty-five (35), no including lifetime memberships (whether active or inactive)." (January 9, 1975) fdr
1975, meeting note. Six district signs ordered at $9.30 each. Locations:
1975, Fire Chief is David Weaver. Howard Finch is Assistant Chief. (August 1975)
1975, meeting note. Chief Weaver reports old Army tanker sold for $2,000. (September 16, 1975) fdr
1976, meeting note. Chief Weaver reports that grading, yard, and gravel drive in rear of building is result of fireman Alex Cooper. Alex obtained over 180 tons of gravel without charge and got members to provide tractors and labor free. (February 17, 1976) fdr
1976, brush fire burns 40 to 50 acres of land "between NC 54 and Hillsborough Road from the WPTF towers to Wayside Furniture" reports the March 3 edition of The Cary News. Nine fire departments assist Cary Rural Fire Department while Cary City and Apex respond to another woods fire "in the 900 block of West Chatham Street." Cary Rural Fire Department Fire Chief David Weaver believes first fire was actually "five different fires which were ignited by sparks from the brakes of a passing train." (March 3, 1976)
1976, meeting note. Motion made in meeting to take $1,200 out of savings account and combine with proceeds of 1976 Fireman's Day not to exceed a total of $3,000 to purchase a new Chief's car. Old Unit 100 to be sold and money placed back in Social Fund. Passed 19 to 1. (May 6, 1976) fdr
1976, total of 45 meetings from July 1, 1975 to May 13, 1976: fdr
| Drill meetings with instruction | 32 |
| Business meetings | 3 |
| Clean-up drills | 6 |
| Social events | 4 |
| Drill hours | 483.5 |
| Hours outside schools | 280.0 |
| Hours clean up | 222.5 |
| Total Hours | 1986.0 |
| Average men per drill | 22 |
| Average hours per man | 90.3 |
1976, annual meeting of YRAC Rural Fire Department held at YRAC Fire Department Headquarters at 8:00 p.m. New tanker recently placed in service. Cost of truck and equipment $43,500. There are 32 active firemen and 5 lifetime members. During the year, 9 members resigned and 5 new members were added. (May 18, 1976) fdr
1976, meeting note: "Do not overload portable generator. Cost $45 to repair." (October 21, 1976) fdr
1976, Board of Directors meeting. Chief reports that all trucks are equipped to run on regular gas. Cary Oil Company is to fill tank each month on the 20th. (November 16, 1976) fdr
1976, Christmas party at Jordan Hall. Starts at 6:30 p.m. Food is catered by Charlie Brown. Special guests are R.S. Dunham and wife, Haywood Lane and wife, and Lib Leggett and husband. (December 9, 1976) fdr
1977, Board of Directors meeting. Chief Dennis White reports 15 alarms since January 18, 1977: fdr
1977, meeting note: "Trucks do not go out of firehouse unless alarm is activated or request[ed] by officer]. (March 31, 1977) fdr
1977, Board of Directors meeting. "Siren located at Town Fire Station has been removed. Chief is checking with CP&L on getting 3 phase power to run siren at YRAC station. Southern Bell loop has been canceled." M. Denning, giving Chief's report, also notes "one fourth of total time fighting fires is used on railroad grass fires." (August 16, 1977) fdr
1977, Board of Directors meeting note: "Location has been found on Cary Street for the big siren. Chief to contact Railroad about placing wire on Railroad poles." (November 19, 1977) fdr
1978, meeting note: "Effective on this date, no active fireman shall be active member of any other volunteer emergency service organization." (February 8, 1978) fdr
1978, Board of Directors meeting. Chief reports
1979, apparatus snapshot and notes, from March 26, 1979, county apparatus inventory:
1979, apparatus bid: Atlas Steel Products Company, 1818 New Hope Church Road, Raleigh, submits bid for 1500 gallon tanker with a 450 GPM pump and mounted on 1979 Chevrolet C-70 chassis. Cost $34,657.00. (May 17, 1979) fdr
1979, meeting note. New apparatus numbering system adopted. (September 1, 1979) fdr
1979, Board of Directors meeting note. 1969 Chevrolet tanker sold for $11,000.00. (September 18, 1979) fdr
| 1980-1989 |
1980, Fire Chief's car raffled off. (March 15, 1980) fdr
1980, training conducted at Raleigh-Durham airport burn pit, 9:00 a.m. (April 4, 1980) fdr
1980, annual meeting. Fire Chief reports following information, covering July 1, 1979 through April 30, 1980:
1980, Christmas banquet. Invitation reads:
To: All Firemen and Directors Date: Thursday, December 11, 1980 Time: 7:30 p.m. Place: The Beef Barn 815 W. Chatham Street Cary Bring your wives and girlfriends to our 1980 Christmas Banquet. The meal will consist of your choice of a 9 oz. Ribeye steak or Prime Rib with potato, salad bar, bread, tea or coffee. Follow- ing dinner we will have a short meeting and awards presentation. Fire meeting for that night will be canceled. |
1980, Chevrolet Suburban purchased for Fire Chief. oh
1980, Mickey Denning is Fire Chief oh
1981, fire calls from July 1980 to April 1981:
1981, Walter Bowles becomes Fire Chief oh
1982, Board of Directors meeting. Old business excerpt: Chief Zglinski reports that department has used $174.69 of air for SCBA bottles during time of July through December. He proposes that department leases four bottles on five-year lease and fill them in Raleigh at a considerable savings. Motion is made to purchase the bottles, which is carried. (January 19, 1982) fdr
1982, Board of Directors meeting. Chief Kennedy presents some improvements the firemen have suggested for the building. These include paneling the walls, dropping the ceiling to 8 feet with a suspended ceiling, installing an electric heat pump, adding duct work, carpeting the meeting room, building a desk along the bay station wall, and putting curtains in the windows. The firemen want to do the work. Member suggests a committee of firemen be formed to get prices on the improvements and present them to the Board for consideration. (November 16, 1982) fdr
1983, Wayne Kennedy becomes Fire Chief. oh
1983, Board of Directors meeting. The trucks are having various problems. The clutch on truck 297 is wearing out again and the department has been advised to contact Chevy about it. Haywood Atkins volunteers to look into it. Truck 291 had the left rear brake lock up and it is being repaired at Williams Automotive in Garner. Truck 292 has been taken to Jack Slagle's in South Boston, Virginia, for repair on the pump section and leaking values. No costs have been provided for these repairs. The quick dump needs welding to prevent leakage and Slagle would not warranty it, so the work will be done locally. Truck 297 has tank damage from the dry cleaning fluid that was cleaned up with a mutual aid call with Cary on the chemical spill. Susan Winstead will bill the company responsible for the spill for $819 plus UPS charges to replace the tank. (March 15, 1983) fdr
1985, annual meeting held at Yrac fire station at 7:30 p.m. Chief Matthews reports that there have been 106 fire calls from July 1, 1984 to May 20, 1985:
Chief Matthews also reports
1985 (?), apparatus delivery: 1985 Simon-Duplex/Grumman Firecat F-10 pumper/tanker, 1000/1000. Placed in service as Engine 292.
1986, Board of Directors meeting. Chief Matthews reports that the Shallot Fire Department has paid a deposit of $500 for purchase of the fire truck with a sale price of $32,500. They will pay the balance on January 30th when they pick up the truck. The new truck could be delivered at the end of February. It is his feeling that mutual aid is working well so the department being without the truck for at least a month will not effect the department's performance. (January 21, 1986) fdr
1989 (?), apparatus delivery: 1989 Simon-Duplex/Grumman Firecat F-10 pumper/tanker, 1000/1000. Placed in service as Engine 293.
| 1990-1998 |
1991 (?), apparatus delivery: 1991 Simon-Duplex/Grumman Firecat F-10 pumper/tanker, 1000/1000. Placed in service as Engine 297.
1996/97, extrication tools added. Board approved purchase of equipment in mid-1996. They were placed in service in December 1996 or January 1997 and carried on Engine 293. They were the first Holmatro tools in Wake County and were different than Cary FD, which had Hurst tools acquired from Cary Area Rescue Squad. Source: OH.
1998, merges with Fairgrounds Fire Department to create Western Wake Fire Department. (July 1, 1998)
| Application For Membership |
NAME: _________________________________________________________ ADDRESS: ______________________________________________________ AGE: ______________ TELEPHONE: _______________________________ BUSINESS ADDRESS: _____________________________________________ TYPE OF BUSINESS: _____________________________________________ BUSINESS HOURS: _______________________________________________ OCCUPATION: ___________________________________________________ SECONDARY SKILLS: _____________________________________________ PHYSICAL CONDITION: _____________ PHYSICIAN: _________________ HOW LONG AT PRESENT RESIDENCE: ________________________________ PREVIOUS FIRE EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: ________________________ EXPLAIN: ______________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ WHY DO YOU DESIRE TO JOIN THE YRAC RURAL FIRE DEPARTMENT? ________________________________________________________________ APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY HOURS WOULD YOU DEVOTE TO FIRE DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES PER WEEK? ________________ HOBBIES: ______________________________________________________ RETURN TO: FIRE CHIEF YRAC RURAL FIRE DEPARTMENT, INC. BOX 274 CARY, NORTH CAROLINA |
Yrac Remembered
May 29, 2008 - Source
The pending planned closing of Western Wake Station 2 on July 1 (egad) is also an opportunity to remember the Yrac Fire Department, which originally constructed and occupied the facility from 1966 to 1998. They then merged with Fairgrounds Fire Department, which itself was a reborn version of the Western Boulevard Fire Department, which disbanded after city annexations. Let's begin our Yrac tribute with an open thread for personal memories. Post 'em if you got 'em. I'll add historical bits as we go.
--
First time I saw the Yrac station was around 1968. My
father and I were on an �out and about� trip and as we passed by the
�62 Chevy/ALF was outside and a member was inside waxing his car. We
stopped by and it turned out him and my dad knew each other. While we
were there they got a call for a woods fire at the old Kildaire Farms
(yes, there WAS a Kildaire Farm). They rolled all three trucks they
had at the time- the ALF, the deuce-and-a-half tanker, and another
tanker that I think was on a late 40�s-early 50s Ford chassis, with a
rectangular tank (they sold that truck later to Kildaire Farms- I
remember seeing the tank sitting on blocks in the mid 70s).
By
the time I became a member in 1979, Mickey Denning was chief and
Howard Finch was assistant chief. The fleet included the yellow truck
pictured above, the �62 ALF, the �71 Chevy brush truck, and a tanker
that I am pretty sure was on a �69-�72 Chevy chassis (latered sold to
a department in Hoke County). They had a sizable district then, but it
was getting smaller.
DJ - 05/29/08 - 10:00
--
What�s the origin of Yrac?
The origin of the name
is easy, it�s Cary spelled backwards.
The origin of the fire
district dates to 1958, when the Cary rural fire district was renamed
as the Yrac rural fire district. That�s when the first rural fire
insurance districts were forming in Wake County. Since a Cary fire
district already existed for the town proper, the rural district was
renamed to something similar. This happened all over Wake County, such
as the Apex fire district in town, and the Hipex fire district out of
town.
The origin of the fire department is a longer story,
starting in 1922 with the town�s first fire department. The volunteer
firemen operated a Ford/ALF Model T chemical car purchased by the
town. This method of operation was used in several Wake County towns,
with volunteers starting up with town-funded equipment.
In
1954, the town�s volunteer firefighters incorporated as the Cary Rural
Fire Department, Inc. Two years later, Boyd Wilson Morris became the
first paid Cary firefighter. The town continued to provide funding, as
did the volunteers, through highly successful Fireman�s Days and other
fund-raisers. The CRFD also received money from the county. The
department was soon equipped with a pair of stations, and a rescue
truck and two tankers, in addition to their two pumpers.
By the
end of the decade, the town was increasingly interested in greater
control of the fire department. In 1960, Mayor Waldo Rood suggested
the town establish its own department, which would be a volunteer
group directed by a paid chief. Said chief would be both fire and
police chief. The town board adopted a resolution supporting the
Mayor, but both firefighters and townspeople disagreed with the
proposal. So the issue was sent to committee.
One point was
rural protection. More than two-thirds of their calls were to the
rural area, and the town was paying over 85% of the cost. And when
firefighters were out on a rural call, there were few left in town for
municipal calls. So the Mayor�s proposal included a recommended
restriction on the town fire department volunteers, don�t answer calls
out of town except as mutual aid to other towns, and don�t volunteer
with other departments.
(The CRFD had been providing fire
protection to a rural area as wide as Morrisville to Method. That was
shrinking, though, with MFD forming, and soon Western Boulevard, and
later Raleigh covering the west side of Raleigh.)
On September
15, 1960, the town�s fire department split into two entities. CFD,
newly created, serving the town, and CRFD serving unincorporated
areas. Pete Murdoch was appointed Chief of both departments, with Paul
Matthews as Asst. Chief of CFD, and Willie Crumpler as Asst. Chief of
CRFD.
This split department didn�t last. The Cary Rural Fire
Department was reorganized on December 1, 1961. Or maybe it resumed
operation, just changing the address of the corporation. The elected
officers and directors were Clyde Keisler (President), Ed Sturdivant
(Vice President), M. P. Harris (Secretary), J. M. Maxwell (Treasurer),
and Haywood Atkins, R. S. Linville, and W. T. Cooper (Directors).
The first Chief was Jackie Hunter, and the department operated out
of Cary Fire Station 2 on Cedar Street. They soon commenced operation
out of a rented garage ($50 per month) behind Cricket�s Service
Station at the corner of Cedar and Ward streets. The lot is presently
occupied by an auto parts store.
They had two vehicles; an
International tanker (1,500/300) and a Ford F-8 truck. Plus, a mess of
equipment, including hose, nozzles, a couple of ladders, a portable
pump, and two coats and four helmets. The rest of their tangible
personal property, now used by CFD, had been given to the town. A lot
and its contents had also been given to the town, likely Station 2 on
Cedar Street.
In 1962, CRFD changed their name to Yrac Rural
Fire Department, Inc. They held their first annual community meeting
at Cary Senior High School in May 1962. They also sponsored the 10th
Annual Cary Fireman�s Day, wholly handling organization of the event
that included participation of CFD. They also received all of the
funds raised at the event. In future years, fundraising benefited both
CFD and YRFD, with proceeds split between the two.
Within a
year, YRFD had 24 volunteers, a new Chevy/American LaFrance pumper,
and an additional 1,000-gallon tanker. Residents in the district were
requested to pay membership fees, along the lines of $10 per home.
Business establishments received pro-rated fees. Paid members were not
charged for fire calls. Non-members were charged a $50.00 minimum.
Fires were reported by calling HO-7-9200 or VA-8-3443.
YRFD
answered 29 calls its first year.
Legeros - 05/29/08 - 20:24
--
My beginnings in the fire service were at YRAC. I saw them at a working fire (back then it was code 2 condition red) one night (around 1991) and stopped to check out the commotion. I ended up knowing several of the guys and was eventually invited to stop by the station and �check it out�. I thought the whole idea was pretty cool and signed up. Although I havent been around East Durham Rd in several years now I will never forget the sound of the tones dropping and the siren winding up! I also remember thinking that 299 was the best looking (and working) brush truck in the county.
firedriver - 05/29/08 - 21:56
--
YRAC was my first official affiliation in public safety back in May
1986. What a great way to spend my first summer home from college. I
learned a lot of lessons about firefighting, especially real basics,
because we trained hard every Thursday night. We had to as I think we
only ran like 60 calls that year. Every week we either flowed water,
laddered buildings, or trained on SCBA (old SurvivAir with the
low-pressure hose). I�ll never forget my first ride in a jump seat on
292 (the new one) or riding tailboard down Maynard Rd on 291 dodging
bugs coming over the roof of the cab (it sucked being 6�5� tall).
Before I moved East in 1994, it was clear that times were changing and
that the YRAC we all had loved was indeed not going to be around
forever.
Thanks to those back then that took the time to teach
newbies like me the basics that have kept us safe through all these
years � Sam Matthews, Craig Zglinski, Matt Kuyla, Tim Bannister, Steve
and Phil Richards, Tim Murphy, and the rest that I�m forgetting.
I hate to see it end, but I�ll be there to grab a brick or two one
day when they eventually raise the building. I�ll always have my
original 660 helmet as a memento, too.
Olson - 05/29/08 - 23:28
YRAC was the first fire station I
was a part of. I remember walking down the railroad tracks when I was
young and seeing one of the guy�s mowing the grass on that crazy hill.
I told my buddy that one day I would be a fire fighter out there
cutting the grass and washing the trucks. As soon as I was able to I
joined YRAC, I was still in High School. My first ride on a apparatus
was 299.(firedriver, I agree with you, It was the best Brush truck in
the county!!) My stay was not long about a year, I joined the Army,
but when I left the Army in 2003 I went right back up and got back on
the department. Things are a lot different now but I still keep in
contact with the guys who are no longer on YRAC and I still look up to
them just like I did back in the day. It�s a little weird but I can
still walk into the station and remember the smell the same way I did
when I was younger. It always brings back memories. The nick name�
Yea, that�s from the guys at YRAC and it stuck ever since.
Kermit -
05/29/08 - 23:37
Oh, how I remember the training on Thursdays.
Olson�s right, we ALWAYS did something- some sort of practical drill.
And many times we were timed- how fast we could get the SCBA on out of
the box (they were the old Scott IIa�s at that time- we had a couple
of the Survivairs), or how fast we could advance the 1 1/2 or 2 1/2
line from the time the pumper stopped. That is the kind of stuff you
don�t see much of any more.
During the time I was there
(1978-1985) we only had one of the traditional classes that was about
fire cause determination taught by Calvin Beck. Some of the names
mentioned by Olson came after I left, but in Sam & Jim Matthews, Craig
Zglinski, Phil Richards, Howard Finch, Stanley Loren (I don�t know if
I spelled that one right) and Mickey Denning (along with a couple of
others who I can�t remember their names) I was fortunate enough to
benefit from a wealth of real firefighting knowledge that I have not
seen rivaled anywhere since.
My first tailboard ride was down
Chatham Street going to a garage fire on the original 291 (it was Yrac
Unit 1 then). My first fire truck �drive� with lights and sirens was
the original 292 (Yrac Unit 3 back then). It was terribly cold natured
and the lifters were awfully noisy, but once it was warmed up it was a
pretty good truck.
And I still have my MSA Topguard helmet with
leather front that says �DRIVER� and �YRAC� on it, right beside by
YRAC FIRE DEPT. car tag (thanks, Mike!), and my NC registration tag
that says YRAC 12.
DJ - 05/30/08 - 09:38
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Yrac members in 1971: Chief Jack Hunter, Asst. Chief W. E. Edwards, Captain Jerry Adams, Captain Ronnie Stevens, Lt. Lane Beamer, Lt. John Owen, and firemen Haywood Atkins. R. L. Austin, R. A. Austin, Allen Bates, Russell Booth, Alex Cooper, Howard Finch, W. E. Godwin, Joe Hodges, Lindsay Hodges, A. D. Hunter Jr., J. L. Matthews, R. L. Matthews, S. P. Pendergraph, �Big� John Ruth, T. S. Secrest Jr., R. L. Stevens, James W. Tew, Buddy Tucker, Seawell Turner, and Dennis White.
Legeros - 05/30/08 - 18:59
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Yrac members in 1961: Chief Jack Hunter, Asst. Chief J.
H. Crumpler, Training Captain E. G. Williams, Pumper Captain J. A.
Dewar, First Lt. Bill Edwards, Second Lt. R. L. Stevens, Tanker
Captain C. J. Duke, Truck #1 (pumper) personnel: J. A. Dewar
(Captain), J. P. Matthews, Frank Turnipseed, R. L. Stevens, Bill
Edwards, James Atkins, Robert Austin, Russell Jacobs, Pete Hodges,
Alvin Humphries, Jerrall Spencer, Earl Williams. Truck #2 (tanker), C.
J. Duke (Captain), Haywood Atkins, Charles Pendergraft, Frank Miller,
Jimmy Senter, Russell Booth. Traffic: Bill Edwards (Lt.), Frank
Miller, Alvin Humphries, Frank Turnipseed, Pete Hodges. Plus six
committees with members: Membership, Building & Grounds, Equipment,
Sickness, Social, and Election.
Legeros - 05/30/08 - 19:20
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I volunteered with YRAC during my last few years of college: 1982-1985. What great memories and a great bunch of guys. I remember driving the Chevy 297 tanker for the first time and getting it stuck in the mud on the passenger side while backing up on a dirt road (at least I didn�t back it into a tree, Tim Bannister!!!)
Mark Clawson - 06/06/10 - 20:17
Bill of Sale, Yrac Rural Fire Department, 1962
May 2, 2012 - Source
This is a bill of sale from American Lafrance to the Yrac Rural Fire Department for "one (1) American LaFrance Chevrolet 750 GPM pump and hose car with 500 gallon tank." Purchase price $13,781.05. Includes $120 sales tax. Shipped on April 27, 1962. Method of delivery was "driven away."
[ Image ]
| Fire Chiefs |
See Wake County Fire Chiefs (pdf).
| Vehicles |
See Wake County apparatus register (pdf).
| Photos |
Raleigh Fire Museum photo albums.
| Sources |
Copyright 2023 by Michael J. Legeros
