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> Headlines Summary > Southern Shores VFD 74% Budget Hike Sparks Controversy
Southern Shores VFD 74% Budget Hike Sparks Controversy
Dare County
SOUTHERN SHORES - The volunteer fire department’s 74 percent budget hike has sparked calls for a federal investigation, talk of a town takeover of the agency, and a police investigation into a death threat against the fire chief.
The whopping budget increase came just months after the fire department agreed to a $300,000 contract payment. But earlier this year, after voters put a pair of fire-department supporters on the town council, fire leaders requested and got more cash. Town records show the budget bump for the fire department, now at $523,000, was the main driver behind the town’s 40-percent tax hike. And in an unusual move, a divided town council agreed to pay the full amount in one installment.
“They needed and merited the increase solely because they have been underfunded for the past four years,” the new mayor, Hal Denny declared at last week’s council meeting. New councilman George Kowalski, a fire captain who won as a write-in candidate, agreed.
“What’s good for the fire department is good for the town,” Kowalski said.
Former town officials are calling for an investigation into the November election that set the stage for the fire department’s increase. Former mayor Don Smith, who lost his seat to Denny, says it’s possible Denny and Kowalski garnered fire-department support by promising better funding.
“Personally, I think it is a quid pro quo for votes,” Smith said.
Charlie Read, the former town manager who was swept out with the changing council, wants federal investigators to pry into Southern Shores politics.
“I think these kinds of conflicts need to be vetted by somebody like the FBI to find out, if in fact, a quid pro quo does exist,” he said. “If there were improprieties that involved people voting directly on the spending of town monies, I think they need to be investigated very, very closely.”
Kowalski denied he promised anything to anybody to get elected. He says he ran, and voters wrote in his name, because they were tired of the bickering that had plagued the town council. He says voters wanted to patch the damaged relationship with the fire department.
“Four years of mistrust between a council that decided what the budget was going to be. A council that didn’t really want to work with the fire department,” he said. “And a council that did not appreciate what the fire department does for this community.”
Fire Chief Bob Harvey said his department did not endorse anyone in the election, but he said it was fair to say that Kowalski and Denny got broad support from firefighters, their relatives and friends. He said the disagreement over fire-department funding isn’t a controversy at all. It’s being stirred up by a small group unhappy with the election results.
“I think what you are dealing with is a case of the losers not liking the results,” he said.
NewsChannel 3 made repeated attempts to talk to Mayor Denny, but he admits he ignored our emails, and then he refused an in-person interview.
Read and Smith say they are concerned the fire department helped elect a fire captain who now has a voice in deciding fire-department funding. They, along with current Councilman Jim Pfizenmayer, say it’s a conflict to interest for George Kowalski to vote on matters affecting the fire department.
NewsChannel 3 contacted The School of Government at the University of North Carolina for an opinion. Experts there said unless Kowalski gets a direct financial benefit from his votes, then it’s not a conflict of interest. Further, the professors said, in the absence of a conflict Kowalski has the duty to vote on town matters.
Even so, Pfizenmayer says the fire-department budget has grown out of control. This year’s budget includes $130,000 in debt payments for a pair of new $500,000 fire trucks the fire department bought without the town’s input. The budget also includes a salary for the volunteer chief that tops $70,000.
Pfizenmayer says the fire department’s support on council means the agency could ask for even more money next year, triggering a bigger tax hike. He wants the town to take over the volunteer department. That way, he says, the town will have control over the fire department budget, the spending and the chief’s salary. He is asking the council to study the idea.
(courtesy to FireGeezer.com)
Primary Agency: Southern Shores Volunteer Fire Department
Source: wtkr.com
Posted on Thu Jul 29 2010 at 21:06
> Headlines Summary > Lincolnton Planning for New Public Safety Station
Lincolnton Planning for New Public Safety Station
Lincoln County
LINCOLNTON - Lincoln City Council recently approved $100,000 to be given to the Lincolnton Fire Department to help with renovating a new public safety station.
Next year, Lincolnton will house fire personnel at a new base on Ross Street. This change comes after Council members unanimously voted to terminate their contract with the Boger City Volunteer Fire Department. The contract is set to expire April 5, 2011.
In 1989, a contract was formed between the two departments, requiring Lincolnton to house a full-time firefighter at Boger City’s former station on East Main Street.
“When the station moved to (McAlister Road), our personnel went with them,” Lee said. “The problem I have with the contract is that we are required to answer all of Boger City’s calls.
“... We are taking city employees out of the city and moving them into the county. This reduces our ability to fight fire and serve the people of Lincolnton.”
The safety station which used to house the Boger City Sanitation Department as well as EMS, needs a lot of work before firefighters can move in.
“It’s large enough to hold two ambulances but not large enough to hold one of our trucks,” Lee said.
In April, Boger City Fire Chief Mike Hill voiced his concern regarding the contracts termination. He previously said this change would have a negative effect on his department.
“Right now Lincolnton provides us with 24-hour protection and I feel that the termination of our contract will affect the people living in the Boger City fire district,” Hill told the Times-News.
The Lincolnton Chief assures his department will assist Boger City, but only when needed.
“Every department in the county has a mutual aid contract agreement, meaning we all work together because none of us can do it by ourselves,” Lee explained. “I feel that we need to keep our resources in town as much as possible because the citizens are paying for our services. We’re still going to assist (Boger City) but it’s just going to be less than what we do now.”
The renovation of the public safety base is expected to begin in two months.
Primary Agency: Lincolnton Fire Department
Source: lincolntimesnews.com
Posted on Wed Jul 28 2010 at 16:48
> Headlines Summary > Fire Truck Debate Gets Heated in Liberty
Fire Truck Debate Gets Heated in Liberty
Randolph County
LIBERTY - Liberty Town Council split 3-2 on a vote to award the bid for the town’s new fire truck Monday night, with discussion that made the already warm meeting chambers feel a few degrees warmer in a chamber already without air conditioning,
A recipient of a FEMA grant which would pay 95 percent of a $500,000 fire truck, Liberty Fire Chief JR Beard had presented the board at last week’s work session a few options to consider other than the single truck that met the required specifications and fell in the $500,000 range. One of the trucks presented was a Pierce truck which would have increased the amount of the town’s responsibility by $30,000.
Councilman Shane Isley made the motion to pay the extra amount as an investment into the Pierce truck, stating that from what he had found out was a truck with a good reputation. Councilman Pike Johnson seconded the motion.
When asked for comments and discussions, Council member James Humble stated that he felt the less expensive truck met the specifications set by the department and would do just as well, stating the town could spend the $30,000 on other expenses.
Isley and Johnson’s votes for the more expensive option were outnumbered by votes from Humble, Tyson Nixon and Terry Caviness.
In closing of the meeting, Liberty resident Joe Hornaday approached the council to air his disappointment on the fire truck vote.
“Two of you voted right and three of you didn’t,” Hornaday said. “I think you’ve made a poor decision, but that’s why we have elections.”
The Ferrara truck, which was voted on over the Pierce, has a delivery date of approximately 240 days for the town.
“Well, the wait is over now to see which truck we get,” Chief Beard said after the meeting. “We’re just glad to get a truck.”
Primary Agency: Liberty Fire Department
Source: courier-tribune.com
Posted on Tue Jul 27 2010 at 22:50
> Headlines Summary > South Orange Rescue to Help County Response Times
South Orange Rescue to Help County Response Times
Orange County
ORANGE COUNTY - A volunteer ambulance squad based in Carrboro will help Orange County improve its lagging emergency response times.
Today officials from the South Orange Rescue Squad and Orange County Emergency Services will celebrate a new joint effort that will add one of the rescue squad’s ambulances and some EMT personnel to the county emergency fleet.
Orange County’s 17-minute EMS response time is five minutes longer than the county’s own goal based on National Fire Protection Association standards. In 220 cases last year, someone called 911 and no ambulance was available at all.
The additional ambulance and crew will not solve the problem, officials say.
Still, “we look at this cooperative effort as a ‘win-win-win’ situation,” said Fred Stipe, chairman of rescue squad’s board of directors. “The volunteers of South Orange Rescue gain expanded experience with patients of all needs across the entire county, the county gets additional emergency resources at little or no cost to the county, and most importantly the citizens of Orange County and surrounding areas get an increase in available EMS responders.”
During the initial stages, South Orange will provide an ambulance and EMTs at least three nights per week, and during times of need as determined by Orange County Emergency Services. Officials hope to increase that to seven nights a week by January.
Using volunteers to supplement emergency services is not a new idea. Until August of 2009, South Orange Rescue provided an on-call ambulance and EMTs who were stationed on the UNC campus at Odum Village. This service was suspended while the county rewrote its ambulance and rescue franchise ordinances and South Orange Rescue went through an extensive new application and certification process.
The Orange County Board of Commissioners approved a new franchise for South Orange Rescue in March 2010. Established in 1971, South Orange Rescue Squad provides EMS and specialized technical rescue services such as high-angle ropes rescue, swift water rescue and confined space rescue. Since its inception, South Orange Rescue has been an all-volunteer organization.
South Orange Rescue volunteers provide EMS service to the UNC Athletics Department for football, men’s basketball and other athletic events on the UNC campus. South Orange also provides EMS coverage for local high school and middle school football games, triathlons, road races, bicycle races, and other “large gathering” special events.
More help for the county EMS department is coming. The county board approved a new ambulance and four new paramedics that start in January and converted six supervisory position to paramedics.
With the new staff, EMS director Frank Rojas Montes de Oca hopes to cut the county’s emergency response time to 14 minutes.
But the $550,000 expenditure is about one-fourth of what Montes de Oca had requested. He’d like nine more emergency medical technicians, nine more dispatchers, two more ambulances, a forklift for warehousing and two new 911 terminals.
He still expects increases in the number of incidents where no ambulance is available and in those exceeding 30 minutes response time.
Primary Agency: South Orange Rescue
Source: chapelhillnews.com
Posted on Tue Jul 27 2010 at 22:46
> Headlines Summary > Lightning Strike Destroys River Dunes’ $3 million ‘Idea House’
Lightning Strike Destroys River Dunes' $3 million ‘Idea House'
Pamlico County
ORIENTAL - A lightning strike is believed to have ignited a fire that leveled the $3 million “Idea House” at River Dunes in eastern Pamlico County late Wednesday.
Six of the nine Pamlico County volunteer fire departments responded to the fire, which started after 10:30 p.m.
David Spruill, the county fire marshal, said the three-story wooden mansion was fully engulfed when firemen arrived.
He said crews could only keep the blaze from spreading to nearby structures, including some cottages and the village chapel, while the fire brought the 5,100-square-foot structure to the ground within an hour.
“When we got there we could only contain it,” he said. “There was no going inside.”
There was a severe lightning storm prior to the fire.
“We’re still investigating, but we’re confident that (lightning) is what happened,” Spruill said. “We have four eyewitnesses who stated that is what happened.”
Fire crews worked throughout the night and a unit remained on site Thursday to monitor the smoldering ruins.
Firefighters from South East Pamlico, Arapahoe, Florence-Whortonsville, Triangle, Grantsboro and Reelsboro responded.
He said fire hydrants in the development that feed off a relatively new county water tower in the area were adequate, although trucks had to travel to the far side of the development’s large marina to refill their tankers.
Dubbed the 10th anniversary Coastal Living Magazine Idea House, the house was featured in the November 2007 edition and opened in 2008 for tours. Thousands of dollars in proceeds were predesignated to HeartWorks Medical Home Mission, HOPE Clinic and the Pamlico County Heritage Center.
River Dunes President Ed Mitchell praised the efforts of the volunteer firemen in preventing the fire from spreading in the tightly-built section of the 1,300-acre upscale waterfront development.
“I realized last night what heroes these firemen really are,” he said. “They brought the equipment and the people.”
The house is 6.2 miles from the Southeast Pamlico station.
“They responded quickly,” he said, adding that the all-wooden structure burned quickly. “Honestly, I don’t think they could have done much more if they had been parked down the street. And, most fortunately, no one at River Dunes was hurt.”
Mitchell said the home, built for $3 million, was fully furnished and had been used for tours as recently as a few months ago, and was on the market. He said the home has an out-of-state owner who has been notified.
“Most likely, we’ll rebuild from the ashes,” Mitchell said.
Primary Agency: South East Pamlico Fire
Source: newbernsj.com
Posted on Fri Jul 23 2010 at 4:42
> Headlines Summary > Gas Leak Forces Evacuations in Blowing Rock
Gas Leak Forces Evacuations in Blowing Rock
Watauga County
BLOWING ROCK - A backhoe operator accidentally broke a safety valve on one of two 1,000-gallon, underground propane tanks located behind Outback Steakhouse on US Hwy 321 in Blowing Rock a little before noon on Tuesday. The resulting gas leak forced the closing of most businesses between Woodlands Barbecue and the Scotchman convenience store, as well as the evacuation of the residents of Ransom Street. Police closed off traffic on Hwy 321 from Sunset Drive to the Broyhill Furniture Showroom.
Personnel from Blowing Rock Fire and Rescue were on the scene of the propane leak within minutes of the accident. Firefighters Kenny Howell and Jesse Ray manned the main nozzle as a steady stream of water was poured on the propane leak in an effort to cause it to disperse. During the first 30 minutes of the leak, the smell of propane could be detected all the way down to Sunset Drive.
“We were fortunate in that the weather was perfect for dispersing a propane leak like this,” said BRF&R deputy fire chief Kent Graham. “It has been clear and breezy and that has helped dissipate the propane. If it had been overcast we would have had a greater risk of it accumulating and finding a source of ignition. Propane is heavier than air so it flows downhill. So you have it flowing both downwind and downhill.”
At 12:55 the leak was officially secured and teams moved in to cap the safety valve and empty the remaining propane from the tank. BRF&R personnel Doug Matheson and Matt McGuire worked with new Boone fire chief Jimmy Isaacs to remove water, mud and gravel from the valve site and cap it.
Around 1:15 the decision was made to burn off the remaining propane in the tank and a line was connected from the tank to a stand-alone burner that was placed in an empty area of the Outback parking lot. At 1:45 Chief Isaacs lit the torch to burn off the remaining propane.
Primary Agency: Blowing Rock Fire Rescue
Source: wataugademocrat.com
Posted on Wed Jul 21 2010 at 8:54
> Headlines Summary > Firemen Dedicate Donated Lighthouse in Memory of Late Firefighter Brinson
Firemen Dedicate Donated Lighthouse in Memory of Late Firefighter Brinson
Photo Courtesy Charlie Hall/Sun Journal
Pamlico County
PAMLICO COUNTY - It’s been more than two years since fire engines and tankers from volunteer fire departments throughout Pamlico County led the funeral procession for Rufus Brinson.
Brinson was a respected volunteer and fire educator as director of the fire training school at Pamlico Community College.
His coffin rode atop the Reelsboro fire truck to the cemetery.
Last week, his home department in Reelsboro, remembered him again, dedicating a donated 9-foot custom lighthouse in his honor. It joins a lighted flag pole with a base monument plaque dedicated to Brinson, both located just outside the front door of the fire house.
“The lighthouse has always been a beacon to mariners,” said Chief Dwayne Croom. “The light on this lighthouse will shine at night. When our folks leave on a call, it will serve as a guiding light for their safe return.”
The aluminum and wood lighthouse was a gift to the fire department by Alberto and Christina Suarez, who own Custom Design Lighthouses
“We dedicate this to Rufus,” Croom added. “He was a backbone builder of this department. We dedicate it to him, to be the best we can be and to remember that we are a team.”
The department was established with a United States Department of Agriculture loan in the early 1990s and these days Croom said membership is strong, with more than 25 members.
Last year, the department refinanced a long-term loan with a local bank to include the building and a new fire truck, a deal which Croom attributed to the leadership of former Chief Lance Hemby. With a better interest rate and a larger payment, the department should be debt-free in 15 years.
The dedication ceremony drew other local firemen, including two fire trucks from Arapahoe, Reelsboro residents, and Brinson’s widow, Anna.
The Rev. Scott Fitzgerald of Bayboro Baptist Church talked about the custom-painted lighthouse, with a fire dog at the base, flames lapping upward at the top light, and a stream of fire hose water signifying the extinguishing of the flames.
Primary Agency: Reelsboro Fire Department
Source: enctoday.com
Posted on Mon Jul 19 2010 at 16:56
> Headlines Summary > Dana Firefighters Get New Firehouse Ready for Inspection
Dana Firefighters Get New Firehouse Ready for Inspection
Henderson County
HENDERSON COUNTY - Dana Fire and Rescue has opened a new main fire station, two years after an accident caused the former structure to be torn down.
The Dana Fire Department building collapsed in late June 2008 after a fire truck door struck the bay door as it was exiting the building responding to an emergency call.
Firefighters couldn’t be more proud of their new home, completed June 14, and they will have the chance to show it off on Saturday. An open house will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the public to see the new facility and ask any questions, Chief Jimmy Womack said.
Lt. T.J. Ledbetter said the new building has been a blessing.
“It’s an awesome feeling to see the work that was going on for two years and now finally being able to move in,” he said. “It’s nice to have our home back.”
Firefighters used an auxiliary building and a camper at the site until the building was complete.
“It was better than I expected,” Womack said about the arrangement. “There were definitely some inconveniences.”
In the new station, firefighters have individual bedrooms, a weight room, a communications office and offices.
“It’s different from being in the trailers,” Womack said. “It’s also different when you think back to our old facility. The new building is nice, and all the members seem to enjoy it. They are all really proud.”
Womack would not give a final cost for the building, but original estimates in 2008 were $700,000 to $800,000.
Primary Agency: Dana Fire Rescue
Source: blueridgenow.com
Posted on Fri Jul 16 2010 at 21:14
> Headlines Summary > Growth Prompts Need for New Substation
Growth Prompts Need for New Substation
Photo Courtesy Jennifer Frew/The News Herald
Burke County
BURKE COUNTY - Lovelady Fire Department is building a new substation beside Connelly Springs Town Hall.
The current location for Lovelady Fire Department on Malcolm Boulevard in Rutherford College will remain in use.
Winfield Abee, chief of the fire department, said the new substation will help lower the cost of insurance for some in its coverage area because it will give them points on the grading system for the state’s Department of Insurance.
Abee said fire department officials have planned on adding a substation for a couple of years. He said all of the districts of the fire department’s 27.5 square miles funnel into the area. And U.S. 70 is a major thoroughfare, he said.
He said the additional substation is needed because of the new neighborhoods that have been added in the coverage area. Places that used to just be wooded areas now have housing developments such as Paradise Harbor and Harbor Ridge.
The new station will have three truck bays, an office area and training room, as well as restrooms, Abee said.
Abee said the new substation is a collaborative effort.
The fire department will lease an acre of land from the town of Connelly Springs for a $1 a year, said Jeanine Barus, town clerk. The lease is for 35 years, she said.
The fire department leases the property its main station sits on from Valdese Hospital, Abee said.
He said the department has saved money to help build the substation but also will take out a partial loan on it.
Barus said the estimated cost for the substation on the zoning permit is $600,000. But, she said, the fire department is planning to use local labor and is hoping to complete the it below the estimate.
Connelly Springs Mayor Johnny Berry said the substation will put everyone in the town of Connelly Springs in the same fire tax rate. The tax rate is 8 cents per $100 of property value, Abee said.
Berry said he’s looking forward to the station being completed.
Abee said the target completion date for the station is late this year.
“We’re all excited about it. It’s going to help everybody,” Abee said. “It’s all about enhancing the quality of life of your communities and this certainly does that.”
Primary Agency: Lovelady Fire Rescue
Source: morganton.com
Posted on Fri Jul 16 2010 at 11:12
> Headlines Summary > Brunswick Co FFs: “Our $6M Radio System Doesn’t Work”
Brunswick Co FFs: "Our $6M Radio System Doesn't Work"
Brunswick County
BRUNSWICK COUNTY - Boiling Spring Lakes Fire Chief Nelson Cobble says Brunswick County has a serious problem.
The two-way emergency radio system purchased by the county for millions of dollars several years ago doesn’t work.
Firefighters from two departments in Brunswick County told WECT the radios are all but useless. Some firefighters say they take their cell phones with them to burning buildings because they can’t rely on the radios to allow them to communicate.
“It’s unbelievable the problems we are having in the county with the radio system,” Boiling Spring Lakes Fire Chief Nelson Cobble said.
Several members of the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office have also told WECT about the problem, saying they only rely on cell phones, which makes it difficult to communicate with more than one unit at a time.
Fire Captain Worth Packer of Boiling Spring Lakes says during one recent emergency when he couldn’t communicate with dispatch.
“They couldn’t understand us. Nobody could understand what we were saying. Most of the time they were just searching for signal,” Captain Parker said.
Brunswick County Commissioners and Emergency Services officials are aware of the problem and are working on it.
Primary Agency: Boiling Spring Lakes
Source: wect.com
Posted on Thu Jul 15 2010 at 23:33
> Headlines Summary > Cornelius Fire Boat Still Needs to Be Inspected
Cornelius Fire Boat Still Needs to Be Inspected
Photo Courtesy Cornelius-Lemley Fire Rescue
Mecklenburg County
MECKLENBURG COUNTY - Due to manufacturing delays, Cornelius-Lemley Fire and Rescue will not unveil the town’s new fireboat until the beginning of August.
Town officials hoped the boat would begin final inspection on July 1 but now do not expect it to arrive until the middle of this month.
The department ordered the new boat from MetalCraft Marine Inc., a corporation that builds watercraft in Ontario, Canada, after three years of fundraising. Before the new fireboat can be delivered, it must pass a series of inspections to insure that the boat meets National Fire Protection Association standards. Currently, the company is still testing the boat at their Canada headquarters, according to Chief Jim Barbee.
Upon the boat’s arrival in Cornelius, a selected corps of firefighters must complete a minimum of 10 hours of piloting time and learn how to operate the pump and handle its effects on the boat.
“Every action has an equal and opposite reaction,” Barbee said. For example, when firefighters are using the pump, the driver has to “learn to keep the motor engaged and hold (the boat’s) position on the lake.”
It’s called Fire Boat 4, through the countywide numbering system in alphabetical order Barbee said.
Fire Boat 4 will “have more firefighting capacity,” according to Barbee, pumping 2,300 gallons of water per minute compared to the 500-gallon limit of the town’s previous fireboat. It will also hold more people. The previous fireboat could only hold one person on a backboard. Fire Boat 4 can hold six on backboards and host a total of 15 people. The boat’s pump also can connect to fire trucks on land so the department can fight fires at buildings near the water, as well as on the shoreline.
The department and the Town of Cornelius split the boat’s $400,000 cost. The fire department mainly raised funds through private donations and some corporate sponsorships, Barbee said.
Primary Agency: Cornelius-Lemley Fire Rescue
Source: huntersvilleherald.com
Posted on Tue Jul 13 2010 at 17:39
> Headlines Summary > State to Trim Aerial Firefighting Force
State to Trim Aerial Firefighting Force
Statewide County
RALEIGH - A budgetary crunch coupled with a somewhat critical review of its operations is forcing the N.C. Division of Forest Resources to reconsider how it fights fires from the air.
The division, which operates the largest air fleet in state government, has been ordered by legislators to clip its wings to the tune of 10 aircraft, four pilots and two mechanics. It also has to consolidate some aircraft locations and terminate some hangar leases.
But the cost-cutting move could have been worse.
A report released in April by the General Assembly’s Program Evaluation Division looking at all of the state’s aviation assets proposed that Forest Resources dispose of 20 of its 38 planes and helicopters and move away from its traditional way of fighting fires to a more flexible method used by other states.
That includes relying on private companies, the National Guard and mutual-aid agreements with neighboring states for aerial firefighting assets when needed.
“Elimination of 11 excess fire patrol airplanes will save $552,600 per year, more than 13 times the cost of contracting services on the few occasions when it is necessary,” the report says.
Forest Resources currently bases aircraft around the state so they are in position when they are needed, similar to what local fire departments due by having trucks in stations ready to roll.
But that means many of the division’s aircraft aren’t flown very often, and were “red flagged” by the researchers for being some of the least-flown state aircraft. Twenty-nine had less than 100 hours in the air during the 2008-09 fiscal year.
The report also notes that North Carolina has the second largest aviation fleet for forest protection in the country, but is only ninth in acres of forest land and had fewer acres of forest fires over the past three years than 16 other states.
In its response to the report, the division noted that sprawl in recent decades has led to many more people and homes finding themselves at risk from wildfires.
Officials also said quick response to small fires, including attacking the blazes from above, helps keep them from growing into larger disasters, limiting the need for aircraft to be in the air. Budget constraints and fewer fires in recent years also have limited flying hours.
Forest Resources spokesman Brian Haines said the division is willing to tighten its fiscal belt but wants to makes sure it does so in the right way.
To that end the division last year hired a consultant to evaluate its aviation operations. The final report is due in August, and Forest Resources will use the document to help determine which aircraft and basing locations to scrap.
“They’re an incredibly useful tool to have in your inventory,” Haines said. “But we understand that with these changes it’s going to require a new operating strategy, and it’s going to require us to take a hard look at our aviation program.”
According to the new budget, the sale of the 10 aircraft is projected to generate $1.5 million. Cutting the pilot and mechanic positions should save nearly $470,000 annually.
Haynes said the division’s aviation budget was $3.46 million in 2008-09.
Tom Collins, current head of Pender County Emergency Management and former eastern branch manager for the N.C. Division of Emergency Management, said he hoped the state would tread cautiously when looking at getting rid of some of its firefighting aircraft.
“There are just places where it’s just about impossible to get to without aircraft, and that helps keep fires under control,” he said. “Without them, more acres are going to burn. It’s that simple.”
Primary Agency: NCFS
Source: starnewsonline.com
Posted on Mon Jul 12 2010 at 22:31
> Headlines Summary > Fayetteville Firefighters Revive Toddler Who Fell Into Pool
Fayetteville Firefighters Revive Toddler Who Fell Into Pool
Cumberland County
FAYETTEVILLE - Firefighters managed to revive a 1-year-old boy who fell into a pool Sunday night at a home off Ramsey Street.
The incident happened about 7:15 p.m., according to Richard Bradshaw, a battalion commander with the Fayetteville Fire Department.
The above-ground pool was in the back yard, but the child was in the front yard when firefighters arrived, Bradshaw said.
The child had no pulse and firefighters began life-saving measures that continued until an ambulance arrived, Bradshaw said.
The boy was taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, Bradshaw said.
City police are investigating, he said.
Primary Agency: Fayetteville Fire Department
Source: fayobserver.com
Posted on Mon Jul 12 2010 at 13:13
> Headlines Summary > Fire Board Seats Contested in Swannanoa
Fire Board Seats Contested in Swannanoa
Buncombe County
SWANNANOA - Voters here Tuesday could pick three new members for the community’s fire department board of directors in what some say is a rarely contested race.
Terms for Swannanoa Fire Department Board Chairman Mark McMeans and board members Jeff Buice and Barbara Davidson are set to expire. The challengers are David Ledford, Colin Robertson and Don Kennedy.
Buice, who has served on the board for about a dozen years, said his seat has been contested before, but he couldn’t immediately remember when.
“With all this Swannanoa incorporation stuff going on, I’m not really surprised. It just shook up a lot of things,” Buice said. “The fire department has tried to keep itself away from any sort of political thing, so I don’t know what’s going on here, to be honest with you. We’re just trying to do what’s best for the community.”
The board has nine members who each serve three-year terms. Among the board’s duties are financial planning for the department, adherence to law and regulations and handling personnel issues.
Swannanoa has 26 paid staff and eight volunteer firefighters. Nine of the paid staff are funded through a federal grant.
Two of the challengers, Robertson and Kennedy, were nominated to run for the fire board by Gary Aiken, who headed an anti-incorporation campaign committee. In November, Swannanoa voters decided overwhelmingly against incorporating the community east of Asheville.
Aiken could not be reached for comment.
Robertson said he started attending fire board meetings last fall and the idea of someday running for a seat crossed his mind. Although he did campaign against incorporating Swannanoa, which he said made him more politically active, he said he has no hidden agenda and no intentions to shake up the department.
“I got wind of a rumor that the people who did not want incorporation were upset at something or another. I don’t know what we would be upset about. We got what we wanted,” Robertson said. “I think the fire department is doing reasonably well. I think there are some financial issues that have been created by the current board that are going to become more and more pressing if we don’t have a real strong economic recovery.”
Kennedy, a retired federal government worker, said he’s never been to a Swannanoa fire board meeting, but said his father was a volunteer firefighter and his neighbor was a fire chief in Maryland, where he lived before moving here three years ago.
Kennedy said he’s also served on various boards in the past. Like Robertson, one of Kennedy’s main concerns is fire department spending, while making sure the staff is adequately trained and has the right equipment for the job.
“I would much rather they spend money on getting people proper equipment for their house to warn them of a fire than getting a new hook-and-ladder truck,” Kennedy said. “We need to look at the big picture and see what we’re going to do in the future and find better ways to reach out to the community.”
Candidate Ledford and board chairman McMeans could not be reached for comment.
The Swannanoa fire district covers about 25 square miles, Chief Anthony Penland said. The department responds to about 1,200 calls a year, averaging three per day.
Penland said the current fire board has lowered the fire tax rate 2 cents and the insurance classification of the fire department also has dropped. Although board members don’t need to know how to put out fires, Penland said they need to know state and federal regulations that govern fire departments.
“To know those regulations on how a fire department is run, I think that’s very important,” he said. “These aren’t normally contested elections and I don’t know what the agenda is on the other side. I know this has created quite a stir in Swannanoa. Our phones have been ringing off the hook with people asking, ‘What’s going on’ and ‘Why is this happening?’”
Davidson filled a vacant seat on the fire board in January. Before that, Davidson said he had no experience serving on a public safety board, but has served on other ones, including 17 years on a humane
society board when she lived in Mount Airy.
“I think we have probably the best fire department as far as response times of any in the county, and we certainly have a great first responder group,” Davidson said. “I can’t say enough about them. I really had no idea what all the fire department did until I got on the board. And it’s a learning process.”
Primary Agency: Swannanoa Fire Department
Source: citizen-times.com
Posted on Mon Jul 12 2010 at 9:42
> Headlines Summary > Grant to Help Carolina Beach Rehire Firefighters
Grant to Help Carolina Beach Rehire Firefighters
Image courtesy wwaytv3.com
New Hanover County
CAROLINA BEACH - Carolina Beach is one of three North Carolina towns that is getting federal help to rehire firefighters. The town’s fire department is getting $346,800 from the Department of Homeland Security’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Program.
SAFER grants enhance the ability of the fire departments to acquire and maintain 24-hour staffing and help assure communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards. The program awards grants directly to volunteer, combination, and career fire departments to increase the number of frontline fighters and to rehire firefighters who have lost their jobs because of the economy.
Dunn received $244,700 from the program and Knightdale got $287,158.
Primary Agency: Carolina Beach Fire Department
Source: wwaytv3.com
Posted on Sat Jul 10 2010 at 12:22
> Headlines Summary > Four Seriously Injured in Charlotte Apartment Fire
Four Seriously Injured in Charlotte Apartment Fire
Image courtesy wsoctv.com
Mecklenburg County
CHARLOTTE - At least four people were injured in a three-alarm fire at an east Charlotte apartment complex.
The fire started at the complex on Tremaine Court off of Albemarle Road just before 6 a.m. Saturday.
Firefighters got the fire under control in 30 minutes. Four people have life-threatening injuries and are in the hospital.
Primary Agency: Charlotte Fire Department
Source: wsoctv.com
Posted on Sat Jul 10 2010 at 12:21
> Headlines Summary > Winnabow FD Celebrates 50 Years of Service
Winnabow FD Celebrates 50 Years of Service
Brunswick County
BRUNSWICK COUNTY - Members of the Winnabow Volunteer Fire Department are getting ready to celebrate their 50th anniversary, and they’re inviting the community to join them.
Winnabow Volunteer Fire Department Chairman Richard Love, who has been chairman of the all-volunteer department for more than 25 years, said department officials wanted to give the community an opportunity to meet the volunteers in the department in a non-emergency situation.
“Primarily, it was an opportunity for us to open the building to the public; for the community to get to know us,” Love said about the upcoming event.
In addition to reaching out to the community, Love hopes the department picks up new volunteers.
“We’re adequately staffed, but we’re always looking for a few good men,” Love said,
While most all-volunteer squads are struggling to fill their rosters due to the economy, Love said the squad is faring well through the economic downturn.
“We’ve been very fortunate,” he said of the squad’s 20-volunteer roster.
But don’t be discouraged from volunteering just because you’re not ready to put on turnout gear and fight fires, Love said.
“There’s a role for you if you’d like to participate.”
Winnabow Volunteer Fire Department covers a 5-mile radius from the station, bordering with Leland, Bolivia and Boiling Spring Lakes fire departments.
Located off U.S. 17 near the N.C. 87 intersection, about 70 percent of incidents Winnabow volunteers respond to aren’t fires—they are traffic wrecks.
“It’s cost-effective, and it helps the community by providing emergency services,” Love said about the department.
Love said the department benefits the volunteers as much as the community.
“Volunteers develop in a lot of different ways. We learn and grow. It’s a brotherhood within the firefighting corps.”
Though they’re not paid, Love said volunteers receive excellent benefits, including training and life insurance.
“We just encourage folks to come check us out. There’s no obligation. We just ask for a little piece of your time,” Love said.
The Winnabow Volunteer Fire Department 50th anniversary event is slated for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 10, at the fire department, 161 Governor’s Road, Winnabow. It will feature community and department service awards, Brunswick County Emergency Services, Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, clowns, food, demonstrations, door prizes, a helicopter and Smokey the Bear.
There will be a child safety seat check from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Primary Agency: Winnabow Fire Department
Source: brunswickbeacon.com
Posted on Thu Jul 08 2010 at 16:58
> Headlines Summary > Bahama FD Celebrates 50 Years of Service
Bahama FD Celebrates 50 Years of Service
Durham County
DURHAM COUNTY - Ask almost anyone at the Bahama Volunteer Fire Department, and they’ll tell you the same thing: Helping others is what keeps them motivated.
For 50 years, Bahama firefighters have battled an enemy that is never totally defeated, but is knocked down time and again by volunteers who risk their lives to keep the northern Durham community safe.
“I like helping people,” Bahama Fire Chief Len Needham said. Needham, 47, has served for 30 years at Bahama and as chief since 1997. “When I got in, I thought I’d do it for a little while, and I’ve just enjoyed it throughout the years and so I continue to do it,” he said.
The department was formed June 15, 1960, and was galvanized later that summer when part of Mangum School in northern Durham burned. “That really just motivated people to get going,” Needham said.
Today’s department has 42 volunteers, 20 auxiliary members and several paid, part-time firefighters. One paid firefighter is always at the station to guarantee that it’s staffed 24 hours a day.
The department covers about 40 square miles that include 6,000 residents. It gets most of its $670,000 annual budget from fire district taxes.
Needham, who grew up in Bahama, said he’s fought hundreds of fires in his 30 years, including homes owned by close friends.
The department moved to a new station on 1814 Bahama Road about four years ago, about one-quarter mile from the original station, which is being used for storage and will eventually be sold.
The department has 11 vehicles, including the chief’s car, fire pumpers, tankers and an ambulance, which Bahama keeps at the station and operates through the Durham County Emergency Medical Services. EMS provides the paramedics and Bahama provides the ambulance and driver.
The addition of an ambulance has undoubtedly saved lives, Needham said, because it’s allowed paramedics to get to the scene of a medical emergency in about seven minutes, compared to the 20 it would take if the ambulance had to come from EMS at Durham Regional Hospital.
The ambulance, equipment upgrades and the addition of paid firefighters are the main changes to the department since 1960, he said. The department gets most of its budget from tax revenues now, but in the first years it had to depend almost solely on donations.
But Needham said one thing hasn’t changed: Having good people willing to serve. Volunteer firefighters must have more than 100 hours of training initially, and the training continues throughout their career.
“We’ve got a great department and great members,” he said. “You can have the nicest station in the world, but it’s nothing without the people.”
Patrick Lawson, 20, one of the paid firefighters who work 12-hour shifts at Bahama, has been with the department since he was 17, beginning as an unpaid volunteer.
Part of Lawson’s training is in CPR, and he said he’s helped save at least one person’s life with that training. It’s times like those, he said, when he knows he chose the right career.
“I like the people, the atmosphere and helping people out - just knowing that I’m making a difference,” he said.
Primary Agency: Bahama Fire Department
Source: wral.com
Posted on Mon Jul 05 2010 at 22:07
> Headlines Summary > Ten Pamlico Firefighters Graduate from Training Academy
Ten Pamlico Firefighters Graduate from Training Academy
Pamlico County
PAMLICO COUNTY - Ten Pamlico County firefighters graduated from the 2010 Pamlico Community College Rufus E. Brinson, Jr. Firefighter Training Academy on June 22.
After PCC President Dr. Cleve H. Cox welcomed guests to the commencement program, Kenny Weatherington, coordinator of PCC’s Occupational Health and Emergency Services programs, presented a summary of highlights about the academy.
“When Rufus Brinson joined the staff at Pamlico College, he was known as a well qualified firefighter in the county,” Weatherington said. “He embraced the concept of firefighter training as set forth by the state fire marshal. He focused his efforts here at PCC on developing the best training program in the state. His predecessors had laid a good foundation for him to take the college’s efforts to the next level.
“Rufus had a lofty goal. He wanted to create a training program that would be unrivaled. The actual academy was formed in 2004. The first class graduated in 2005 with Firefighter Level II credentials. After Brinson’s death in 2007, the college re-named the academy in his honor.”
Weatherington charged the graduates, “Your challenge is to keep this tradition and write the next chapter of this academy by becoming new leaders, continuing education for yourselves and your fellow firefighters.”
The keynote address was delivered by Phil Batts from Wilson County, who is the Eastern Region Fire and Rescue Coordinator for the North Carolina Department of Community Colleges. He serves 21 community colleges that cover 34 counties. Batts also serves as the interim fire marshal for Wilson County.
Batts reminded the graduates that the fire service is changing at a rapid pace.
“If you look at going out in the near future with what you have learned, you are already behind the eight ball,” he said. “New construction methods and materials that are mostly man-made for both residential and commercial buildings are demanding that new tools, new equipment, and new training techniques be developed and implemented daily. Your training has just started.”
He urged the graduates to train every day and to learn something new every day. He also spoke eloquently and passionately about safety, saying, “About 100 firefighters die every year in the line of duty. I have visited the National Fire Academy on numerous occasions. They fly the flag at half staff for three days after every firefighter death in action. I have never been there when the flag didn’t fly at least part of the time at half staff.”
Batts then admonished the graduates to listen to and learn from their officers and instructors. “Be thinking ahead, ‘What’s the next thing you’re going to do?’ Your training has just started. And above all else, be safe.”
Instructors Richard McAdoo, David Spruill, and Jeff Troeltzsh conferred the certificates upon the 2010 graduates, John Anderson, Triangle VFD; Seth Brinson III, Arapahoe VFD; Dwayne Croom, Reelsboro VFD; Wendy Harmasch, Grantsboro/Silverhill VFD; Eric Kindle, Southeast Pamlico VFD; RJ Lupton, Arapahoe VFD; Matthew Scott, Triangle VFD; Franklin Simpson, Arapahoe VFD; Steve Skulnick, Southeast Pamlico VFD, (who was at work during the ceremony and was represented by his wife, Kathy; and Brian Truelove, Grantsboro/Silverhill VFD.
Primary Agency: Pamlico Community College
Source: newbernsj.com
Posted on Mon Jul 05 2010 at 9:16
> Headlines Summary > Fire Chief: Elizabeth City Needs Two More Fire Stations
Fire Chief: Elizabeth City Needs Two More Fire Stations
Pasquotank County
ELIZABETH CITY - City Council heard the case Monday for a new fire station on the south side of Elizabeth City.
Fire Chief Larry Mackey told City Council during its work session Monday evening that Elizabeth City should have three fire stations now and be in the planning process for a fourth location. The city currently has two fire stations, located on Halstead Boulevard and Harney Street.
Three miles apart is a basic rule of thumb for fire station location, Mackey said.
Remodeling station one, located at 902 Halstead Boulevard, “will buy us some time,” Mackey said.
But the city does need a new station around the intersection of Weeksville Road and Edgewood Drive, and should be planning a fourth station in the vicinity of Thunder Road and Wellfield Road to serve the Tanglewood area and future growth on the western side of the city, he said.
City Council voted earlier this year to authorize the fire department to apply for a number of grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including a fire station construction grant.
Mackey explained Monday that last year was the first year fire station construction grants were available. The process of applying for a construction grant is extensive and highly competitive, he said.
The fire department needs council’s support and commitment because it improves the likelihood of being successful in the grant process, he said.
Specific items that improve the chances of a grant application being approved include obtaining a site, designing the building, getting permits, and planning a “green-oriented” building intended to reduce energy consumption, Mackey said.
Councilwoman Lena Hill-Lawrence asked about where a station could be located in the vicinity of Edgewood Drive. As a representative of the 4th Ward in the southern part of the city, she said she knows first-hand the need for an additional station.
“We really do need one in that area,” Hill-Lawrence said.
Mackey said about two and half acres is needed for the fire station to be big enough to meet present and future needs. He said he knows these are hard economic times but would like to be able to solicit land as the first step in constructing a new fire station.
Mackey said he has a site in mind that would be an ideal location for the third fire station. He said he sometimes drives by the site and visualizes a fire station already constructed there.
Mayor Roger McLean told Mackey he’s familiar with the site he’s talking about and believes it could be available at no cost.
Mackey, when asked Wednesday about the specific location, said it was near the Weeksville-Edgewood intersection, on the same side of Weeksville Road as the Food Lion. He said it’s his understanding that the city already owns property in that location, although a small amount of land might need to be obtained “to fill out the lot.”
But it wouldn’t be until the permitting process began that the city would know whether additional land was needed, Mackey said.
Councilman Tony Stimatz said council needs to explore the impact of doing nothing — how it would affect things like fire rating, insurance rates and the number of fires — and determine if that impact is sufficient to justify the expense of building a new fire station.
In addition, the city should consider other ways to address the same concerns, such as stricter building codes for new homes that might require sprinkler systems or automatic fire alarms hard-wired to the fire station to automatically dispatch firefighters, he said.
Such building code solutions might be able to achieve the same goals at much less expense to the city, he said. City officials need to look at alternatives that are less costly than building a fire station, he said.
Councilman Michael Brooks asked about the legal repercussions of not constructing a fire station that could bring the department’s response times in line with national standards.
City Attorney Bill Morgan replied he doesn’t think the information presented at the meeting changes the city’s legal situation.
Morgan said the city was sued about 15 years ago — before he was city attorney — by a business on U.S. 17 South that argued the response time to a fire had not been adequate. The case went all the way to the N.C. Supreme Court and the city was found not to have been negligent, Morgan said.
Mackey said litigation does sometimes occur because of fire department response time. But evidence of a good faith effort in fire response tends to help with litigation, he said.
Primary Agency: Elizabeth City Fire Department
Source: dailyadvance.com
Posted on Mon Jul 05 2010 at 9:10
> Headlines Summary > Wilmington Firefighters Able to Administer More Meds
Wilmington Firefighters Able to Administer More Meds
New Hanover County
WILMINGTON - Firefighters will now be able to better help out patients when responding to emergencies.
The Wilmington Fire Department has enhanced its Emergency Medical program by adding several medications that firefighters are now allowed to deliver to patients.
Many times, firefighters are the first on the scene of an emergency. These new medications will allow them to start treating patients more quickly.
This is a list of the medications the firefighters can dispense:
Albuterol for respiratory distress
Aspirin- an anti-platelet drug for use in cardiac chest pain
Epinephrine auto-injector for allergic reactions or anaphylaxis (shock)
Oral Glucose for hypoglycemic state (low blood sugar)
Narcain for narcotic antagonist (narcotic overdose)
Nitroglycerin- a vasodilator for congestive heart failure or hypertension (high blood pressure)
Blood Glucose Monitor for checking blood sugar levels
King Airway- an advanced airway used to secure an airway in patients in respiratory arrest
Primary Agency: Wilmington Fire Department
Source: wect.com
Posted on Fri Jul 02 2010 at 12:01
> Headlines Summary > Major Crash Shuts Down Interstate 85 in Gaston County
Major Crash Shuts Down Interstate 85 in Gaston County
Gaston County
BELMONT - Two people were seriously injured and eight others were hurt when a Christian singing group’s tour bus rear-ended a tractor-trailer on I-85 Thursday afternoon.
Two people suffered critical injuries and were airlifted to Charlotte hospitals, police and paramedics said. The wreck closed all northbound and southbound lanes on the interstate for more than three hours while emergency crews cleared away the twisted metal.
Belmont Police Chief David James said the tour bus struck the rear of an 18-wheel Smithfield Foods tractor-trailer, pushing it into a box truck. The crash was reported at 4:12 p.m. just north of Exit 27 on the portion of I-85 North that crosses the Catawba River.
“Traffic was backed up due to general traffic flow near that area,” James said.
Eight people hurt in the wreck were taken to Carolinas Medical Center and two were taken to Presbyterian Hospital. Police were interviewing those witnesses late Thursday and couldn’t immediately be reached. Identities of the drivers and passengers injured in the wreck were unavailable.
The tour bus reportedly belonged to the Christian trio of Mike and Kelly Bowling and Terah Crabb Penhollow, who perform as The Bowling Family. The group’s members have collectively won 11 Dove Awards and received three Grammy nominations, according to their website.
Media reports stated that Mike Bowling was among those airlifted to the hospital with serious injuries. Representatives of the Beckie Simmons Agency in Nashville, Tenn., which handles the group’s booking and promotions, could not be reached Thursday night.
The Bowling Family had scheduled a 7 p.m. Thursday performance in Indian Land, S.C., according to the group’s website.
Primary Agency: Belmont Fire Department
Source: gastongazette.com
Posted on Fri Jul 02 2010 at 11:41
> Headlines Summary > Fire on Barrett Mountain
Fire on Barrett Mountain
Alexander County
ALEXANDER COUNTY - Firefighters responded to a three-alarm fire on Barrett Mountain Thursday afternoon.
The NC Division of Forest Resources is in command of the fire, and three fire companies were also called to the mountain, which is located in southwest Alexander County.
The fire was spread over 40 acres, according to Forest Resources, and began at about 3 p.m. It started as a controlled burn Wednesday and got out of control, forestry officials said.
As of 10 p.m. Thursday, 80% of the fire had been contained.
Firefighters also had to their trucks in front of a driveway to some homes because flames came within 600 feet of the homes.
The division sent in a scout plane to look at the fire. They set backfires and brought in bulldozers to try to cut a line around the fire.
Primary Agency: North Carolina Division of Forest Resources
Source: wsoctv.com
Posted on Fri Jul 02 2010 at 10:55
> Headlines Summary > New Belhaven VFR Chief Chosen
New Belhaven VFR Chief Chosen
Beaufort County
BEAUFORT COUNTY - Mayor Adam O’Neal announced that Paul Wood will take over as chief of the Belhaven Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department. Wood was acting as assistant chief under interim chief Jimmy Davis. With Davis’ contract with the town expiring Monday, Wood, who has served as the town’s fire chief in the past, was elevated to the chief’s post.
The council approved Wood’s appointment with a 3-0 vote. Councilmen Mac Pigott and Nelson Guy were absent from the meeting.
Before Davis handed the reins of the fire department to Wood, O’Neal asked Davis to come before the council. Davis gave his last department update, noting the improved relationship between the council and department since he took over as chief on a interim basis last November.
“Our department has strived to work with the Town Council in accomplishing things such as the renovation to the fire station, purchasing new equipment, surplus old equipment and applying for grants. As a result, the working relationship between the two has improved tremendously in the past seven months,” he said.
Davis cited the department’s upcoming rating-response survey, which has a direct impact on the town’s fire-insurance rating. Davis said he identified many areas of concern in regard to the survey, including a lack of training hours and proper equipment. Those issues have been addressed, Davis said.
Davis said the department has 25 active members, with three junior firefighters.
Lastly, he said renovations to the Belhaven fire station were nearing completion.
“It will be something that the town and fire department can be proud of once completed and the fire department is completely moved back in,” Davis said.
O’Neal praised Davis for his hard work since taking over the department from former Chief Derrick Myers, who was ousted last year by the council.
“We are so happy you were available when Belhaven needed you,” he said.
O’Neal was pleased with Davis’ help with renovations to the fire station and his dedication to firefighter training.
“There was some controversy with the building, but there’s no way you can’t call it a success,” O’Neal said.
Primary Agency: Belhaven Volunteer Fire and Rescue
Source: wnbweb.com
Posted on Thu Jul 01 2010 at 21:37
> Headlines Summary > Two Chatham County FDs to Merge July 1
Two Chatham County FDs to Merge July 1
Chatham County
CHATHAM COUNTY - Two fire departments in Chatham County will merge July 1.
The West Sanford Volunteer Fire District, which includes a small portion of southern Chatham County, will be acquired by the Northview Fire Department Inc., which is based in Lee County.
The small area in Chatham County served by Northview will continue to be funded by Chatham’s fire district taxes paid by homeowners living in that fire district.
“This change will not reduce services,” said Chatham County Fire Marshal Thomas Bender in a press release. “Emergency response vehicles will continue to be dispatched from the same fire station that had served West Sanford.”
Bender noted that the merger could actually improve medical responder services in this part of Chatham. In addition, some property owners also could experience a drop in their homeowners’ insurance rates, because the Northview Fire Department has a more favorable #5 insurance rating.
The merger is due to limited tax and staff resources to support both fire districts.
The West Sanford Volunteer Fire District, which includes a small portion of southern Chatham County, will be acquired by the Northview Fire Department Inc., which is based in Lee County.
The small area in Chatham County served by Northview will continue to be funded by Chatham’s fire district taxes paid by homeowners living in that fire district.
“This change will not reduce services,” said Chatham County Fire Marshal Thomas Bender in a press release. “Emergency response vehicles will continue to be dispatched from the same fire station that had served West Sanford.”
Bender noted that the merger could actually improve medical responder services in this part of Chatham. In addition, some property owners also could experience a drop in their homeowners’ insurance rates, because the Northview Fire Department has a more favorable #5 insurance rating.
The merger is due to limited tax and staff resources to support both fire districts.
Primary Agency: Northview Fire Department
Source: mync.com
Posted on Wed Jun 30 2010 at 22:39
> Headlines Summary > State Forestry Officials Urge Fire Safety This Weekend
State Forestry Officials Urge Fire Safety This Weekend
Statewide County
RALEIGH - Officials with the state Division of Forest Resources encourage people to celebrate the Independence Day weekend by viewing public fireworks displays rather than risk setting wildfires with their own fireworks.
Many wildfires that occur during this time of the year start due to the careless use of fireworks such as sparklers, fountains, glow worms, smoke devices, trick noisemakers and other Class C fireworks, according to the state.
Each year, wildfires in North Carolina endanger peoples’ lives, destroy millions of dollars worth of timber and property, and damage the environment, according to the state.
If you are lighting your own fireworks, officials recommend taking the following precautions:
• Don’t use fireworks such as ground spinners, firecrackers, round spinners, Roman candles, bottle rockets and mortars, which are not legal in North Carolina.
• Do not use fireworks near woods or any combustible material.
• Make sure fireworks are always used with adult supervision.
• Follow the instructions provided with the fireworks.
• Do not use under the influence of alcohol.
• Always use in a large, open, preferably paved, area or near a body of water.
• Have a rake or shovel as well as bucket or two of water on hand.
• Monitor the area for several hours after use.
An increased number of homes are being built in North Carolina’s wooded areas, and officials with the N.C. Division of Forest Resources stress the need to take extra precautions to prevent wildfires in residential areas.
In addition to taking measures to use fireworks safely, campfires or grills should never be left unattended and should never be started with gasoline.
It is also important when disposing of ashes to never put them in a paper bag or other flammable container, but to instead place them in an outside metal container or bury them in mineral soil in your garden; if you live in an area with organic soils, however, keep in mind that peat can catch fire.
Never store ashes in your garage, on your deck or in a wooded area. Double-check the ashes and coals before throwing them away to make sure they won’t start a fire.
Primary Agency: North Carolina Division of Forest Resources
Source: citizen-times.com
Posted on Wed Jun 30 2010 at 22:36
> Headlines Summary > Four Departments Respond to Slaughterhouse Fire
Four Departments Respond to Slaughterhouse Fire
Photo Courtesy Bryan C Hanks/The Free Press
Lenoir County
KINSTON - At approximately 7 a.m. the Kinston Department of Fire Safety, Fire Division, along with Southwood, Sandy Bottom and North Lenoir Fire Departments responsed to a fire at an abandoned slaughterhouse just off Caswell Street, Kinston.
The slaughterhouse is located down a dirt path near the corner of Caswell Street and Earl Tyndall Road, behind the Neuseway Park Nature Center.
“At this point, we believe the fire was started by a salvage worker who was using a torch to cut metal located inside the structure,” said Sgt. Craig Jarman of the KDPS. “The worker was hired by the property owner to clean out the building.”
Jarman stressed that it would be a few hours before the investigation was complete and all findings at this point were preliminary.
Primary Agency: Kinston Fire Department
Source: kinston.com
Posted on Wed Jun 30 2010 at 10:11
> Headlines Summary > Troutman Open News Fire/EMS Station
Troutman Open News Fire/EMS Station
Iredell County
IREDELL COUNTY - Iredell County Commission Vice-Chairman Steve Johnson said Sunday’s ribbon cutting and official dedication of the Troutman Fire Department’s newest station 2 on Perth Road was more than three years in the making.
“Keith (Troutman, deputy chief) came about three years ago, and talked about the possibility of building this station,” he said.
Johnson said the new station represents more than just a place to house fire trucks. It is the embodiment of a dream and shows the department’s dedication to its community.
“We are so blessed in Iredell County to have people like this, that give their time, their talents and their resources,” he said.
Troutman Chief Allen Church said opening the new station as chief is a big step for him.
“I joined the fire department in 1986 and we’d just opened Station 2 (on Pineville Road, which will now be Station 3). I never dreamed we’d have a third one,” he said.
Terry Bibleheimer, a member of the Troutman Board of Directors, paid tribute to one of Troutman’s most dedicated volunteers, who passed away earlier this year.
Speaking of Ken Everton, Bibleheimer said it is a day Everton would have relished. But, he said, Everton’s spirit lives on.
“I’ve meet the volunteers here, and there are a lot of Ken Evertons who just want to help their community,” he said.
Bibleheimer said the new station is a sign that the department is working to meet the needs of the growing community.
The new station is designed to provide fire protection to those living on the lake side of Fern Hill Road and other neighborhoods in that area. Troutman said some folks living at the end of Fern Hill Road were outside the department’s six-mile district and therefore paid much higher homeowner’s insurance rates.
Now, he said, this will enable those residents to qualify for the department’s 9S rating.
The fire station will also be home to an Iredell Emergency Medical Services crew.
The EMS crew will share the building, but have a separate entrance and quarters.
Iredell EMS Director David Cloer said this arrangement benefits both agencies and is a reflection of the good relationship the two agencies have shared since Iredell EMS began service in 1975.
“It’s a relationship we value highly,” he said.
Posting an ambulance at Station 2, he said, will lead to faster response times for medical calls in the area.
Iredell County Assistant County Manager Tracy Jackson said having an ambulance crew operating out of Troutman Station 2 gives the county a unique opportunity.
“This is a big deal for us. We get to expand EMS and that is something we don’t get to do a lot of,” he said.
After the dedication, everyone headed inside to the air conditioning, and a chance to look over the new facility, which includes sleeping quarters for firefighters, a kitchen and day room and a bay to house two trucks. On the EMS side, there is an office, kitchen and day room, as well as sleeping quarters, and a bay for one ambulance.
Church said this is a proud moment for his department.
“We’ve come a long way,” he said.
Primary Agency: Troutman Fire Department
Source: statesville.com
Posted on Tue Jun 29 2010 at 22:53
> Headlines Summary > Volunteer FFs Not Sold on Master Plan
Volunteer FFs Not Sold on Master Plan
New Hanover County
NEW HANOVER COUNTY - Volunteer firefighters gave leaders an earful about a plan to slim down service on Monday night. They don’t buy New Hanover County’s Master Plan proposal.
The Fire Commission and New Hanover County Commissioners have discussed a consolidated system for years. After seeing new growth statistics, they’ve finally decided to put the plan on paper.
The proposal would consolidate the county’s five districts into two in an effort to improve ISO ratings. Fire Chief Donnie Hall says a Protection Class Rating of five throughout the unincorporated county is achievable. In areas with current 5/9 ISO ratings, they would see a decrease in their homeowner’s insurance premiums.
A request for new grading inspection would be sent at the end of summer for the northern district. New ratings would go into effect in 2011.
Equipment would be streamlined under the new system to improve efficiency and avoid redundancies. Currently, the county pays for all firefighting equipment used by both paid and volunteer staff. A primary engine would be at each station with a secondary unit to serve as an additional engine. Some stations will have specialty units.
The plan also calls for a continuation of the combination system of paid and volunteer fighters. The 131 active volunteers would not have to reapply for membership. However, all will be subject to customary background checks, drug checks and driving record checks.
There would be two classes for volunteers after consolidation. Fire Corps include individuals who do not wish to be or do not qualify to be fire fighters. Volunteer fighters are certified or recruit members working toward a fire fighting certification.
“What we are going to gain is improved quality of service to the citizens,” said Fire Chief Donnie Hall. “There’s no power struggle here.”
Yet there was visible tension during the meeting between volunteers and administration. Conversely, when volunteer fire Chiefs and Commissioners met, there was agreement that the county was growing, that change was necessary, and that the discussion was headed in the right direction.
Hall says that volunteer numbers are currently down by 43%, yet call volume is up by 81%. He also says the volunteer’s response to calls is about 40%. Meanwhile, in 2003 the median call response number for a volunteer was 90 calls per year. Chief Hall says that in 2009, it was down to 68.
“That should be an alarm set off that we need to change the way we’re doing business,” said Hall.
Change that would include increasing the number of volunteers in order to lower costs and improve response time. Chief Hall says since the Murrayville station was built, interest in volunteering has increased. He believes that having a unified training system will increase retention.
“I do not believe they can run it any cheaper any more efficiently any better,” said Kevin O’Connell, who tonight represented himself as a tax payer from Castle Hayne. “They’re not showing you the whole picture.
O’Connell says he’s tired of how little acknowledgement the volunteer crews get compared to the paid staff. He says volunteer response numbers are much higher than the county’s data, pointing out that not all volunteers go to the scene, many stay behind to keep the stations staffed.
He and other volunteers questioned how much trust should be given to the Commissioners. After the recent budget deficit of $13 million, O’Connell says there is little proof that the county can pinch pennies and implement the Master Plan without increasing the fire tax.
Volunteer John Coleman has been working at Wrightsboro Fire Station for 33 years. He brought a petition with him Monday night signed by hundreds of New Hanover County residents.
“I think these guys are rushing this and they need to back off,” said Coleman.
Coleman says the reason the number of volunteers has declined is because many have moved on to paid fire positions. He says the figures are not indicative of any lack of interest in the volunteer program.
Both paid fighters and volunteers are now being held to physical fitness standards for health and body mass index. Many volunteers are worried that they won’t make the cut.
“I won’t!” said Colemen. “I’m also 58 years old and have a heart a condition. I can pump the truck all day long but I know I cannot fight a fire!”
NHC Fire has created a new division for volunteers like Coleman. They call it the Fire Corp, which involves lighter duty and administrative work. It can also be a place for fighters to start while they get in shape to fight fires.
“I’m not going to be a secretary for anybody!” Coleman responded.
“There are a lot of people resentful because it stands for a change,” said Chief Hall.
Fire Chiefs have until August to think it over. That’s a 60-day extension over the original deadline.
County Commissioners will have the final say over the plan. If a volunteer department decides not to join into the system, Chief Hall has drafted a contingency plan so that no area of the county goes without service or experiences a decrease in service during the transition period.
Until a new contract is signed, the county will continue to send fire tax money back to the volunteer districts on a month-to-month basis.
Primary Agency: New Hanover County Fire Rescue
Source: wect.com
Posted on Tue Jun 29 2010 at 17:32
> Headlines Summary > Garner Town Council Tasks FD and Rescue to Work Out Merger
Garner Town Council Tasks FD and Rescue to Work Out Merger
Photo Courtesy Garner Citizen
Wake County
GARNER - Earlier tonight, Garner’s Town Council agreed to transition local rescue operations into the town’s independent fire department. The move will end the practice of two separate groups handling local rescue calls, but it was met with reluctance from rescue officials who say town officials want it implemented too quickly.
Before a crowd of mostly rescue workers and fire department officials, Council members offered some guidelines — including a preferred July 1 deadline — but left the fire department and Garner EMS and Rescue Squad to fill in most of the details of the mini-merger.
Council members said the town has been duplicating services by having both agencies handle rescue separately.
“I fully anticipate that both parties will work in the interest of the Garner,” Council member Buck Kennedy said.
Council members said they want the fire department to offer full-time positions to all six current rescue employees (three full-time, three part-time) of Garner EMS and Rescue Inc., which contracts with Garner to provide rescue services, such as building and vehicle extrication, within the town limits. The Council also asked town staff to begin transferring town-paid property and equipment used by the rescue squad over to the fire department.
The decision comes three days after long-time Fire Chief Phil Mitchell announced he will retire June 30 in the wake of calls for his departure by Town Hall and the fire department’s board of directors. Council members are pushing for the transition to be in place the next day.
At the meeting both groups said they supported an imminent rescue merger, but disagreed over the timing. Fire officials and council members emphasized the urgency to get the new fire department positions moved over by July 1 to allow them to participate in Wake County’s fire academy for training.
“As long as they are qualified. …We will accept them with open arms,” Deputy Fire Chief Matt Poole said.
Rescue officials, however, said three weeks is not enough time to handle the details of the transition properly. They want more time to determine the logistics with fire leaders.
“I don’t see it being feasible by July 1,” Garner EMS and Rescue Squad Chief Bill Frederick said.
The merger would end a separately run rescue service in town. Elsewhere in Wake County, rescue services are provided by fire departments. In the area surrounding town, Garner Volunteer Fire-Rescue Department provides rescue services.
The merger will be the second for the rescue squad in about a month. Last Monday, Garner EMS and Rescue merged its emergency ambulance operation into Wake County’s EMS department.
Town leaders say they wanted the leaders of the two organizations to begin discussions on a detailed plan on Tuesday. Kennedy is confident the consolidation can be put together by month’s end.
“I feel like it can be accomplished,” he said.
Primary Agency: Garner Fire Rescue
Source: garnercitizen.com
Posted on Wed Jun 09 2010 at 10:37
> Headlines Summary > Suspicious House Fires Hit Apex Neighborhood
Suspicious House Fires Hit Apex Neighborhood (Video)
Wake County
APEX - Apex authorities are re-opening the unsolved cases of four suspicious house fires after two more homes within a block of each other caught fire early Sunday.
Fire Chief Mark Haraway said the homes in the Reserve at Whitehall neighborhood, off Olive Chapel Road and Apex Peakway, were were fifth and sixth vacant homes in Apex to catch fire in the past 15 months.
A house on Saint Emilion Court was burned to the ground and a home on Bexley Hills Bend was severely damaged.
“It was just incredible to see the scale of a raging fire and then turn and see the scale of the other raging fire,” Whitehall resident Steve Hollar said.
Neither house was hooked up to utilities, so it’s doubtful the fires were started by accident, Haraway said. The cases haven’t been labeled as arson, though, because so far, investigators have not uncovered evidence of malicious intent.
“I would rather say that this a suspicious fire, a human-hands fire at this point,” Haraway said.
The Bexley Hills Bend house was vacant and for sale. The Saint Emilion Court home was under construction and entered in the fall’s Parade of Homes. Both houses were insured.
The State Bureau of Investigation and Wake County fire marshal were assisting the investigation.
Hollar said he called 911 after the crackle of fire woke him and his wife up around 2:30 a.m.
“We heard the popping sound, and we’re going, ‘What’s is that hitting the house?’” he said. “We saw a nice orange glow when we looked out, and we saw this whole house here, the whole top was engulfed in flames.”
Firefighters at a nearby station responded quickly, but the houses were already fully involved when they arrived, Haraway said. Crews from Apex and Morrisville helped bring the blazes under control in about 45 minutes. No one was injured.
Residents said their concern is for their neighborhood.
“That’s probably by biggest concern now that everyone’s safe – making sure this neighborhood comes back and is enjoyable in a great location,” Hollar said.
A representative for Apex-based BRG Builders, which owns the houses, said the Reserves at Whitehall has more than 200 lots, with about 45 left to sell and build. Haraway said the neighborhood is stable and sales are steady.
Three of the other suspicious fires at vacant houses happened in neighborhoods within two miles of Sunday’s fires – one in the Chapel Ridge Road neighborhood and two in the Olive Chapel Park subdivision, formerly known as L’Hermitage at Beaver Creek.
In February, police offered a $10,000 reward for tips leading to an arrest and conviction in those cases.
“Bottom line, we want to come to a resolution in this situation,” Haraway said.
“We hope that this is the end of it,” Hollar said.
Primary Agency: Apex Fire Department
Source: wral.com
Posted on Mon Jun 07 2010 at 9:19
> Headlines Summary > Garner Vol Fire Chief Says He’ll Retire
Garner Vol Fire Chief Says He'll Retire
Wake County
GARNER - The chief of Garner Volunteer Fire and Rescue said Friday that he will retire, effective June 30.
The move comes amid an investigation into nearly $400,000 missing from the fire and rescue department and after a request last month from the Town Council to step down by July 1.
Mayor Ronnie Williams has said Mitchell had nothing to do with the missing money but that he was being held accountable as head of the department.
Fire department officials informed Garner town leaders in January of the missing money, which was uncovered during an outside audit of the department’s books from July 2008 to June 2009.
When the State Bureau of Investigation was called to start looking into the situation, Amy Moore, an administrative assistant who handled the fire department’s finances, abruptly resigned.
Primary Agency: Garner Fire Rescue
Source: wral.com
Posted on Sat Jun 05 2010 at 10:47
> Headlines Summary > Fire Breaks Out at NC Winery Owner’s Home
Fire Breaks Out at NC Winery Owner's Home
Wilkes County
PARSONVILLE - Crews battled a fire at a home in Wilkes County Friday night.
Firefighters from four departments went to the reported fire at 172 Benny Parson Road in Parsonville at about 11 p.m.
According to dispatch, a lighting strike may have hit the home of Benny Parson, who owns a large winery in the area.
Dispatch said that about 50 people were inside the house at the time the fire broke out.
There were no reports of injuries. Firefighters said the amount of damage done to the house was not immediately known.
Primary Agency:
Source: wxii12.com
Posted on Sat Jun 05 2010 at 10:43
> Headlines Summary > Haywood County 911 Director Calls for Help
Haywood County 911 Director Calls for Help
Haywood County
HAYWOOD COUNTY - Haywood County’s technology director Kristy Wood wasn’t exactly latching onto the hope that commissioners would grant her $2.8 million budget request for the county’s 911 Communications department this year.
The proposed budget shows an allocation of about $495,000 instead, a little less than what the department got last year.
“I knew that that would be denied,” said Wood. “[But] if we don’t ask for it, they might not be aware that it’s such a big need.”
The big need that Wood is referring to is a total upgrade of the county’s antiquated radio system for first responders, firefighters and law enforcement.
According to a study conducted three years ago, these officials work with a coverage rate of only 55 percent in the county for their portable radios and 70 percent for their cell phones. If the system were updated, that coverage would increase to 98 percent for cell phones and 86 percent for portable radios.
Most times, responders lose coverage in the backcountry and wilderness areas where they must rescue hikers and respond to wrecks, brushfires and more. But sometimes, they lose coverage in parts of the county where residents live.
“Their radio, a lot of times, is their lifeline,” said Wood. “That’s the only way they can call for help or communicate with each other. We just got to get it replaced.”
Wood said if she lived in one of these areas with spotty coverage, she would not feel safe.
Moreover, responders are unable to cross-communicate with different agencies. For example, a deputy from the sheriff’s office wouldn’t be able to communicate with EMS out in the field.
“It’s two totally separate 20-year-old systems between each of those agencies,” said Wood.
While the fire department and EMS operate on the UHF radio system, the sheriff’s office and police departments are on a different bandwidth with the VHF system.
With the county cutting more than 2.5 percent from its budget this year, commissioners have forwarded the appropriations request past state officials all the way up to U.S. Congressman Heath Shuler’s office.
Wood knows several surrounding counties that have put in communications requests as well, and hopes Shuler will realize there is a need for major equipment updates in Western North Carolina.
Assistant County Manager Marty Stamey, who once headed emergency services in Haywood, said while the rural counties can’t afford such a major expense, the federal government may be able to lend a hand.
If the money doesn’t come through, Wood says the 911 department will have little choice but to continue with less than adequate equipment.
“We can go on like we are indefinitely,” said Wood. “But at some point, somebody’s going to get killed. It is a safety issue, and at some point, something is going to happen that didn’t have to happen.”
Wood says there are “plenty of examples” where communication has completely broken down, but she was not prepared to discuss them in further detail.
Primary Agency: Haywood County 911
Source: smokymountainnews.com
Posted on Fri Jun 04 2010 at 17:55
> Headlines Summary > Wrightsboro Firefighter Passes After 60 Years of Service
Wrightsboro Firefighter Passes After 60 Years of Service
New Hanover County
NEW HANOVER COUNTY - New Hanover County firefighters have lost a leader. Franklin “Red” Saunders called Wrightsboro Fire Department home for sixty of his 71 years before he passed away on Wednesday.
“Mr. Red was definitely one-of-a-kind,” said Jason Browning, a Lieutenant at the Wrightsboro Fire Department. “He’s kind of his own force.”
Saunders was given his nickname “Red” for his red hair and bright red cheeks.
His volunteer career was as old as the fire station itself. The building went into operation in 1950. That’s when Red started training, at just 10 years old. His father was also a fire fighter.
Since the beginning, William Rivenbark has been his side kick at the station.
“We depended on each other and he was the one to depend on,” said Rivenbark who is still at Station 11 as a Safety Officer. “He was always rushin’ to get out there!”
Inside the fire house, one of his favorite past times, was walking on the treadmill while watching cartoons.
The younger fighters would often hear him laughing for so long, they’d have to talk him off the machine.
“He was always saying how the TV just changed the channel by itself!” said Lieutenant Browning. “Being full of life, he found anything child-like like that hilarious to him!”
Red liked to push buttons, but he did it with an effort to try and push the younger fighters to be better.
Browning remembers, “We could be sittin’ out there drenched in sweat…we’ve done all this work and he’d come walkin’ up and just nonchalantly say, “Well, are you gonna do somethin’ today?!”
Station 11 has been remodeled but they have kept part of the original building. In that area, they’ve built their own station museum. Red would have had a story for each piece of memorabilia. What he may perhaps be remembered by most for, is making each County Fire meeting unforgettable.
As the Sergeant of Arms, Red controlled the flow of the meeting and could fine members for profanity and speaking out of turn.
“The highest he would fine anybody was a $0.25,” said Chief Mike Rhodes. “Members would come lay their money on the table before the meeting started because they knew it was coming!”
After decades of service, Red’s last request is ride the truck to where he will rest.
“Red was the essence of what a volunteer fireman IS,” said Chief Rhodes.
The funeral will be at 11:00am on Saturday morning at Wrightsboro Baptist Church on 2736 Castle Hayne Road.
He will then make his final ride on the fire truck to Riley’s Creek Baptist Church Cemetery on 19845 Hwy. 210 in Pender County.
Primary Agency: Wrightsboro Volunteer Fire Department
Source: wect.com
Posted on Fri Jun 04 2010 at 9:38
> Headlines Summary > Report: Medical Conditions Led to LODD
Report: Medical Conditions Led to LODD
Nash County
RALEIGH - A firefighter who died at a grass fire was unfit for duty due to medical conditions, an investigator found.
Volunteer Firefighter Gregory Cooke, of the Salem, N.C., Volunteer Fire Department, collapsed after activating a pump and advancing a hoseline on March 11 last year, a NIOSH report released Wednesday said.
Firefighter Cooke died 10 days later in a regional hospital.
A number of medical conditions — including coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, and anticoagulation therapy — should have prevented him from work as a firefighter, according to the report.
“NFPA 1582 states that CAD compromises a member’s ability to safely perform many of the essential job tasks of structural fire fighting, specifically wearing SCBA and advancing water-filled hoselines,” the report said.
The investigator also stressed risks beyond the firefighter himself, saying “sudden incapacitation of a member can result in mission failure or in risk of injury or death to civilians or other team members.”
As a result of the findings, NIOSH recommends fire departments have a comprehensive wellness and fitness program for firefighters, medically clear firefighters for SCBA use, and conduct annual respirator fit testing.
In addition, the report recommends departments:
• Provide preplacement and annual medical evaluations to all firefighters consistent with NFPA 1582
• Incorporate exercise stress tests following standard medical guidelines into a fire department medical evaluation program
• Ensure firefighters are cleared for return to duty by a physician knowledgeable about the physical demands of firefighting, the personal protective equipment used by firefighters, and the various components of NFPA 1582
• Perform an annual physical performance (physical ability) evaluation
Earlier article on FireNews.net on the LODD.
Primary Agency: Salem Fire Department
Source: firerescue1.com
Posted on Wed Jun 02 2010 at 15:48
> Headlines Summary > Fire Pole Dedicated in Wrightsville Beach
Fire Pole Dedicated in Wrightsville Beach
New Hanover County
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH - When Wrightsville Beach launched the construction of its new public safety facility, the fire department initially anticipated the abandonment of its old sliding pole, one that had graced the old station for 24 years.
But when construction officials were made aware of the history embedded in what would otherwise have been just a throw-away item, they made arrangements to ensure the old pole would continue gracing the fire house in the new facility.
With construction near the point of completion, firefighters marked a historic milestone Thursday morning, May 27, by relocating and then dedicating the department’s old firehouse pole to its new facility.
Addressing a group of emergency responders, senior staff and elected town officials in the northern garage, where the fire trucks will soon be located, Fire Chief Frank Smith and former Fire Chief Everett Ward recounted orally a few of the tales ingrained in their memory as a bulwark of department history.
For firefighters, the inclusion of this old pole will preserve memories like the tale Ward told about former Wrightsville Beach Police Chief George Antley.
Ward, who retired in 2003, said when the fire department acquired this pole from Wilmington in 1986, Antley became the first man to slide down it.
But, Ward said, Antley was uninformed of the fact that the pole had yet to be polished. After he slid down it, Antley, who was wearing a white shirt, looked down at himself. He had what Ward described as a black highway running down the middle of his shirt, a thick line of grease.
“A police officer was the first man to polish that pole,” Ward told the crowd, chuckling.
Other stories followed as the rings, dings and vrooms of construction billowed around them.
After their tales were said and done, three firefighters—lead equipment operator Tom Toby and firefighters Andrew Snell and Mike Garner—lifted the pole and positioned it into place, inserting it into a base cemented in the floor.
“After the story that Chief Ward told there was some discussion that Chief Carey should be the first one” to slide down the pole, Smith said, referring to the current police chief, John Carey.
Smith’s comment set off a chorus of laughter. One police officer eyed Carey and yelled, “Come on.”
“I don’t think my workers comp would cover that,” Carey jokingly replied.
He did not slide down the pole. The firefighters, however, did.
After nearly a year of construction, about a month remains until the public safety facility will be turned over to Wrightsville Beach, town officials said.
Reubin Gillis, a project manager with Resolute Building Company, the general contractor, said workers are currently installing electrical components, testing fire alarms and making paint touch-ups.
The final phase, building inspections, should be completed by June 14, he said.
A ribbon cutting is tentatively scheduled for June 25, Smith said.
Primary Agency: Wrightsville Beach Fire Department
Source: luminanews.com
Posted on Sun May 30 2010 at 22:51
> Headlines Summary > Talks of City-County Merger Return to Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Talks of City-County Merger Return to Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg County
CHARLOTTE - Spurred by the budget crisis in Mecklenburg County, county and city leaders are discussing merging some departments, including human resources, construction permitting, government TV, and Medic and fire. For the first time in years, there is also talk of the ultimate merger: Creating a single Charlotte-Mecklenburg government with one mayor, one manager and one council or board of commissioners.
A fully combined government would probably save taxpayers money - though not nearly enough to close the current city and county budget shortfalls. A single government would, however, give elected officials more ways to balance the budget - or, more accurately, more places to cut.
For the upcoming fiscal year, Mecklenburg County has proposed cutting $81.1 million, mostly from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, the libraries, and Parks and Recreation.
The city is in much better shape. A series of small cuts has closed a roughly $10 million shortfall, and it has found enough money to give employees 2 percent raises that will cost $6.1 million.
Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx and County Commission chair Jennifer Roberts, both Democrats, are in favor of a complete merger. Foxx said residents are confused as to why the city is planning to give raises while the county is making steep cuts.
“People don’t get it,” Foxx said. “People just care about government working for them. They don’t care what the label is.”
Foxx and Republican City Council member Edwin Peacock want the city to make a one-time payment to the library system to prevent all or some of 12 planned branch closings in July. They have urged their colleagues to step outside their traditional roles and help bail out the libraries, which are almost entirely funded by the county.
The City Council is sharply divided on the issue, with at least five of 11 council members against the financial help, which could be $2 million.
Pros, cons of merging
The city and county have already consolidated a host of functions.
The city handles 14 departments or functions for both the city and the county, including police, water and sewer, 311 and emergency management.
The county provides service for 10 areas, including schools, tax collection, elections and parks.
On April 28, Foxx and Roberts sent a letter to county commissioners and City Council members urging them to study further consolidation of four areas. The letter didn’t mention political consolidation, though it has been discussed informally among elected officials.
Charlotte City Manager Curt Walton said cost savings shouldn’t be the main driver of consolidating departments. He said instead elected officials must determine if it will improve customer service.
“There isn’t that much redundancy,” Walton said.
The City Council has given city staff the OK to study consolidating the four areas. Walton said there have been no formal steps toward consolidating the two governments completely.
When the issue was last discussed in the mid-1990s, Walton said the city and county determined there were only a “few million dollars” in savings from a consolidated government, out of combined operating and capital budgets of roughly $3 billion.
Some of those savings would come from eliminating top administrators. For instance, in a combined government, there would be only one manager. Walton made roughly $216,000 for fiscal year 2009; County Manager Harry Jones made $254,000.
If Charlotte and Mecklenburg had a single government, the budget-cutting might look different this year. A number of city departments, including police, fire, transportation and engineering, have been spared significant cuts.
And the city is moving ahead with some controversial projects, including setting aside more than $10 million to build a streetcar. It plans to spend roughly $400,000 on a 1/5-mile stretch of sidewalk on Park Road, which is opposed by residents who are upset the city will cut down trees for the project.
Under a combined government, officials could make cuts from more departments, which could mean less severe cuts from schools and libraries.
“The resources don’t get larger,” Walton said. “Does that mean police and fire get smaller so libraries and parks can get larger? If it were consolidated, you would have that conversation.”
Long process
Several U.S. cities - such as Jacksonville, Fla., and Nashville, Tenn. - have consolidated city and county governments.
The idea of merging city and county governments in Charlotte has been discussed off and on for decades. In 1971, voters defeated a merger. In 1996, the Charlotte City Council voted against putting political consolidation on the ballot.
Creating a single government is a long process. The city and county would first form a commission to study the issue, and the elected bodies would have to approve consolidation. A merger would then have to be approved by voters and the N.C. General Assembly.
There would be a number of questions. What would the new government be called - Charlotte or Charlotte-Mecklenburg? How many elected officials would serve on the policy-making board? How would the county assume the city’s debt?
The county’s six other municipalities - Pineville, Matthews, Mint Hill, Huntersville, Cornelius and Davidson - would also have to decide whether they would join or stay independent.
When the City Council voted against having a public merger vote in 1996, two Republicans joined with black Democrats to defeat the vote. The African-American members worried that a city-county government would make it difficult for blacks to be elected. The strength of black voters would have been diluted by adding mostly white voters living outside the city limits.
County commissioner Bill James, a Republican, said there was also debate as to the makeup of the new board, and how many county-wide seats there would be.
“As long as those questions are still out there, then there will be problems,” he said.
Since the 1996 vote, the city has annexed much of the county, and only 25,596 registered voters live in unincorporated areas. The unincorporated voters tend to be whiter and more Republican than city voters, but they might not have a significant impact on combined city-county elections.
There are more than 470,000 registered voters in the city.
“All of the representation issues can be addressed,” Foxx said. “Everyone will have to yield to the higher goal of putting in place a governmental structure that’s suitable for the new normal environment we’re in.”
Primary Agency: Charlotte Fire Department
Source: charlotteobserver.com
Posted on Fri May 28 2010 at 12:00
> Headlines Summary > Rowan Firefighter Charged With Death by Vehicle
Rowan Firefighter Charged With Death by Vehicle
Rowan County
ROWAN COUNTY - A firefighter who caused a fatal wreck Sunday has been charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle.
Terry Allen Moore, 41, 780 Poole Road, was cited by Trooper C.F. Rogers of the N.C. Highway Patrol. He was also cited with passing in a no- passing zone.
Doris Cauble Oddie, 76, of 5770 Stokes Ferry Road, who was returning home from church, died instantly.
Moore, a volunteer firefighter and medical responder with the Union Fire Department, was responding in his personal vehicle to a medical call at Dan Nicholas Park Sunday around 12:30 p.m.
According to the Highway Patrol report, Moore was driving a 2004 F250 Ford pickup truck east on Stokes Ferry Road.
He was displaying a flashing red light.
Witnesses said Moore had passed several vehicles before coming up behind a line of vehicles which had slowed or stopped.
Those vehicles were behind Oddie’s car, which had slowed.
Rogers said Moore thought the vehicles had slowed or stopped to allow him to pass.
As he pulled out to pass, Oddie made a left turn into her driveway.
The truck struck the driver’s side door, killing Oddie instantly.
Rogers said while Moore had a flashing red light in his vehicle, it gave him no authority to break state motor vehicle laws.
Rogers said drivers aren’t required to move out of the way for a firefighter in his or her personal vehicle with a red light, although most drivers do as a courtesy.
Powles Funeral Home in Rockwell is handling services for the Oddie family.
Frank Thomason, county emergency services director, said earlier that the accident was a tragedy for the Union community.
Many of the firefighters attended the same church, Union Lutheran, where the victim attended.
Firefighters met with the Oddie family Sunday night.
Primary Agency: Union Fire Department
Source: salisburypost.com
Posted on Wed May 26 2010 at 14:12
> Headlines Summary > Garner Town Council Asks Fire Chief to Resign
Garner Town Council Asks Fire Chief to Resign
Wake County
GARNER - In the wake of the discovery of hundreds of thousand of dollars in missing fire department funds, Town Hall is calling for significant changes to the agency that include the resignation of fire chief Phil Mitchell.
In a board meeting Tuesday night, Town Council members called for more transparency within the agency and a restructuring of its board to include more county and town representation.
Council members said that the department had knowingly double-billed an expense relating to a debt service payment for fire station 3. Mitchell failed in his fiduciary responsibilities, they said, emphasizing that nearly $400,000 had disappeared on his watch.
“He has lost our confidence and our trust,” Council member Buck Kennedy said.
Mitchell was not at the meeting. Afterward, Garner Volunteer Fire-Rescue Department board president Steve Woodall said that Mitchell has been sick all week.
The Council plans to withhold Mitchell’s salary, and floated the idea of taking over fire operations entirely, if the agency wants him to continue at the helm.
Links to additional articles on this topic:
Garner Town Council Asks Fire Chief to Resign (wral.com)
Primary Agency: Garner Fire Rescue
Source: garnercitizen.com
Posted on Wed May 26 2010 at 9:19
> Headlines Summary > Rowan County Woman Killed in MVC With VFF
Rowan County Woman Killed in MVC With VFF
Rowan County
ROWAN COUNTY - A 76-year-old woman coming home from church Sunday was killed in a wreck on Stokes Ferry Road as she turned into her driveway.
She was hit by a Union Fire Department volunteer who was responding to a call in his personal vehicle, according to several emergency and law enforcement sources.
Doris Cauble Oddie, of 5770 Stokes Ferry Road, died in the wreck around 12:31 p.m., according to a preliminary report from the N.C. Highway Patrol.
Terry Moore, the volunteer firefighter, was driving east on Stokes Ferry in his Ford F250 pickup to Dan Nicholas Park, where an 11-month-old child had been reported non-responsive.
Other personnel were responding from the fire department with a medical unit.
Frank Thomason, Rowan County’s emergency services director, called the accident a tragedy for the Oddie family, the fire department and the community.
“Because the Union community is so close, many of the personnel in the fire department knew Mrs. Oddie. They went to the same church with her,” Thomason said.
Oddie attended Union Lutheran Church.
Members of the fire department met with Oddie’s family Sunday night to offer support.
Thomason said fire departments and emergency services across the county are joining in offering support for the family and the fire department.
“It’s a sincere tragedy,” Thomason said. “Our hearts really go out to the Oddie family and all the personnel at the fire department.”
Highway Patrol Trooper C.F. Rogers’ preliminary report indicated the pickup had passed several vehicles in a no-passing zone.
The truck struck Oddie’s car in the left passenger area.
Moore was taken to Rowan Regional Medical Center where he was treated and released.
The accident occurred on Stokes Ferry between Trexler and Oddie roads.
The investigation is continuing.
Primary Agency: Union Fire Department
Source: salisburypost.com
Posted on Mon May 24 2010 at 17:58
> Headlines Summary > Charlotte Woman Charged With Arson in Apartment Fire
Charlotte Woman Charged With Arson in Apartment Fire
Mecklenburg County
CHARLOTTE - A woman has been charged with arson in connection with a west Charlotte apartment fire on Sunday that damaged or destroyed 13 units, officials said.
Shayla Laquayla Davis, 27, also faces charges of carelessness with fire. Charlotte Fire Department officials said no one was hurt in the morning blaze at a three-story complex on Leake Street, just off West Boulevard. Officials said the fire didn’t appear to be connected to two other weekend blazes.
Firefighters were called to the apartments about 9:45 a.m. It took 60 firefighters about half an hour to get the blaze under control. Damages were estimated at $250,000.
The Red Cross opened a shelter for the displaced residents at Phillip O’Berry Academy of Technology on Alleghany Street.
Investigators soon determined the fire had been set intentionally.
Court records show Davis lives in one of the destroyed apartments at the complex. She has been arrested two other times since April and faces pending trials on charges of assault, child abuse and injury to personal property.
The Sunday fire capped a busy weekend for Charlotte firefighters.
Friday night, they rescued a half-dozen people from the Grand Terrace Apartments just off Albemarle Road.
Early Saturday, a woman died in a house fire on Bevington Road in south Charlotte. The woman’s name has not been released, as officials work to contact her relatives.
Primary Agency: Charlotte Fire Department
Source: charlotteobserver.com
Posted on Mon May 24 2010 at 17:54
> Headlines Summary > Moore County Makes New Fire District Official
Moore County Makes New Fire District Official
Moore County
MOORE COUNTY - With the stroke of midnight on June 30, Cypress Pointe Fire Service District will come into existence to replace Circle V/Vass Fire Service District, Cameron Fire Service District and Vass Rescue Squad.
The Moore County Board of Commissioners made the change official at the May 17 meeting with approval of a resolution dissolving the three existing units and merging them into the new Cypress Pointe, effective July 1.
“This is historic and major. I hope it will be the model for future actions,” Board Chairman Tim Lea said after the unanimous vote.
The merger proposal was worked out through a cooperative arrangement among the three service units, including the award-winning Vass Rescue Squad.
Representatives of the three units were recognized during the meeting to signal mutual agreement on the merger. A budget for the new unit is included in the budget recommendation for the 2010-11 fiscal year, to be voted on at the board’s June 7 meeting. Formation of the Cypress Pointe Fire Department cuts the number of fire departments serving various parts of the county from 17 to 16.
Before their vote, the commissioners called a public hearing, but no one signed up to speak and no opposition was expressed.
D. Bryan Phillips, county public safety director, said that a contract for provision of service to the new district is the only remaining legal issue to be resolved.
The resolution, which was read by Phillips, says, in part, that “the consolidation will benefit the citizens of the newly consolidated service district by improving response times and equipment available for response and improving the overall insurance rating for residents within the new district.”
Phillips said the concept of merger has been informally discussed by members of the three units for several years but those discussions did not become serious until 2007.
The commissioners held a public hearing on another subject during their Monday night meeting. This one involved a rezoning request by Herman Aldene Mabe, who asked the county to change the zoning for a 0.39-acre tract on Murdocksville Road from Highway Commercial-2 to Residential Agricultural-20. No one spoke in opposition, and the board agreed to the change in a unanimous vote, concurring with a recommendation from the planning board.
Primary Agency: Cypress Pointe Fire Service District
Source: thepilot.com
Posted on Fri May 21 2010 at 15:28
> Headlines Summary > P.G. Fire Celebrating 50th Anniversary
P.G. Fire Celebrating 50th Anniversary
Photo Courtesy McDowell News
McDowell County
McDOWELL COUNTY - Pleasant Gardens Volunteer Fire Department has been a staple in the community for decades.
While flipping through an old photo album to find pictures to go with this story, a few loose “thank you” notes fell from the book.
Some are actual cards, some are typed on letterhead stationery and some are handwritten on notebook paper, but they all say the same thing, “Firefighters – Thank you for what you did.”
“We want to thank all the volunteers who were involved in rescuing my mother … during the blizzard,” states one card. “She would not have been able to survive in her home alone without power, and we had no way of reaching her.”
“The Town of Old Fort would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your fast response and hard efforts on the train derailment which occurred on Sunday, March 30, 1997,” reads a letter from former Mayor Wayne Stafford. “We want to commend you on a job well done.”
“Our sincere thanks for the part you played in saving our son’s life …,” says another.
This weekend, folks in P.G. and across McDowell will have a chance to come together and thank the firefighters in person.
The department will celebrate its 50th anniversary Saturday with an open house at the station on U.S. 70 West. The theme is “We Still Make House Calls.”
The event will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Assistant Chief Mike Gibson said there will be a child safety seat checkpoint from noon to 2 p.m. and a live fire demonstration at 3 p.m., as well as fire extinguisher training, the fire safety house and other exhibits throughout the day. A Max Woody rocker will be raffled.
Gibson has been with the department 18 years and has seen a lot of changes.
He said he’s heard that, 50 years ago, when the fire alarm sounded, the volunteer firefighters raced to the station. The first one there would call Marion, find out the location of the fire and leave a note scrolled on a chalkboard for the rest of the members to see when they arrived at the department.
There were no official requirements in 1960 – just show up, grab some gear and a hose and spray water on the flames.
The first fire station in P.G. was established in 1960. There were 12 firefighters.
Today, the department’s 30 volunteers have some of the best equipment, hundreds (if not thousands) of hours of training and are certified not only in fighting fires but in treating patients, rescuing people in swift water situations, cutting people from cars and more. They responded to approximately 400 calls last year and about 160 so far this year, according to Gibson.
Brad Ledbetter is the current chief.
Primary Agency: P.G. Fire Department
Source: mcdowellnews.com
Posted on Fri May 21 2010 at 15:06
> Headlines Summary > SBI Report Details Events Leading to Chatham Courthouse Fire
SBI Report Details Events Leading to Chatham Courthouse Fire (Video)
Chatham County
PITTSBORO - A state and federal investigation provides new details about the March fire that heavily damaged the landmark Chatham County Courthouse.
The March 25 fire gutted the building, which was built in 1881, and caused its iconic clock tower to collapse. Fire Marshal Thomas Bender ruled the fire was accidentally started by workers involved in an exterior renovation and that the blaze quickly spread in the building’s attic.
As firefighters from Pittsboro and surrounding areas battled the flames on March 25, officials called in the State Bureau of Investigation and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to look into the fire’s cause. Their report was turned over to Chatham County District Attorney Jim Woodall last week, and WRAL News was allowed to review the report Wednesday.
Mark Gregory Roofing Inc. was hired as a subcontractor on the courthouse renovation project to repair holes and broken seams in the building’s copper gutters, according to the report. On the day of the fire, one worker was using a hand-held propane torch to do the repairs, and a second one was on “fire watch” to keep an eye on flying sparks so they could be doused quickly, the report says.
Earlier in the day, while the crew was fixing a split in the gutter on the southwest side of the building, the area started smoking, and one worker poured the contents of his water bottle on it to stop the smoke, the report says.
The crew finished work on the southwest side at about 4:15 p.m. and checked their repairs and for any smoke before leaving. A heat detector in the attic activated about 25 minutes later, followed by a smoke alarm in a third-floor hallway outside the judge’s chambers, according to the report.
“The wind direction and natural ventilation of the building may have precluded the fire watch from seeing a spark or flame that was pushed into the framing of the boxing or attic from an exterior viewpoint,” the report says. “This would allow the flame to grow and spread undetected in the attic until the fire was larger.”
Construction workers for subcontractor DBA Construction tried to use fire extinguishers on the flames but couldn’t stop the fire from spreading, the report says. One worker also went into the courthouse to get people out.
“The fire was caused by hot-work repairs to the gutter system in the southwest corner of the courthouse,” the report concluded. “The torch heated the gutter and underlying combustible material, leading to a small, undetected fire that spread rapidly into a large fire in the attic due to the wind and the combustible materials in the attic.”
Woodall and Bender said they don’t plan to file any criminal charges because the fire was an accident.
“It does appear to be an accident. There could be some civil litigation, so I won’t have any comment on anything other than to say it’s not a criminal case,” Woodall said.
Chatham County spokeswoman Debra Henzey said insurance companies are still trying to work out the details of payments to the county, so it’s too early to talk about potential lawsuits
County officials plan to rebuild the courthouse, and the Board of Commissioners on Monday named a 21-member task force to recommend uses for the building once it reopens. The county this fall will break ground on a new Judicial Center, which will house all local courts once it opens.
“It’s affected everybody, but we think it’s going to be rebuilt,” Woodall said. “It will be a courthouse that we’ll use again someday.”
Primary Agency: Pittsboro Fire Department
Source: wral.com
Posted on Wed May 19 2010 at 21:40
> Headlines Summary > Vol FFs Gather Petition Against Merge Plan
Vol FFs Gather Petition Against Merge Plan
New Hanover County
NEW HANOVER COUNTY - Volunteer firefighters in New Hanover County are fuming because the county may soon dissolve their stations. Firefighters have more than 500 signatures on a petition to try and stop the county from consolidating volunteer fire departments to make two districts in the county.
The volunteer fire departments would be run by the county fire department. The firefighters would become county volunteers, and there would be one chief each for the north and south districts.
County Manager Bruce Shell says it would cut down on response time, lower insurance rates for county residents and provide firefighters with better training, But volunteer firefighters are not happy about it.
“We’re after to slow this process down, let the people have a say,” Wrightsboro volunteer firefighter John Coleman said. “Regardless if you’re for it or against it, let the taxpayers have a say in it, not a half a dozen people up there making a decision for 200,000.”
County Commission Chair Jason Thompson says consolidating the fire departments would not cost taxpayers any extra each year, but volunteer firefighters are not buying that.
County commissioners tentatively plan to meet with the fire commissioners board at the end June to vote on the recommended merge.
Primary Agency: New Hanover County Fire Rescue
Source: wwaytv3.com
Posted on Tue May 18 2010 at 9:32
> Headlines Summary > Fire Destroys Graham County Sheriff’s Department
Fire Destroys Graham County Sheriff's Department
Graham County
GRAHAM COUNTY - The State Bureau of Investigation is probing a fire that destroyed the Graham County Sheriff’s Department early today.
The building on South Main Street is still standing, Emergency Services Director Larry Hembree said, but it appears that the structure is a total loss, he said.
No one was injured in the fire, which took firefighters about an hour to get under control. The SBI is investigating, he said.
Also housed in the building is the N.C. Agriculture Extension office, Hembree said.
The sheriff’s department is currently setting up temporary headquarters, he said.
Primary Agency: Graham County Fire
Source: citizen-times.com
Posted on Mon May 17 2010 at 20:29
> Headlines Summary > Dispute Heats Up in New Hanover County
Dispute Heats Up in New Hanover County
New Hanover County
NEW HANOVER COUNTY - New Hanover County Chairman Jason Thompson said most complaints about the county’s plans to take control for fire protection come from volunteer department chiefs worried about losing their power.
But those chiefs say the county has yet to present a clear plan for what the changes mean for volunteer firefighters and fire protection as a whole in the unincorporated county.
The plan, which calls for county fire services to take over control of fire protection from volunteer departments and merge them into two districts, will be presented Monday as part of the county manager’s recommended budget.
But no vote will be taken Monday, and the county commissioners will hold meetings and in-depth deliberations on the proposal before any final decision is made, county officials said.
The county commissioners plan to hold a joint meeting with the county fire commission – which includes volunteer fire chiefs – before any decision is made.
County Manager Bruce Shell said the planning process has been going on for at least a year and involved meetings, hearings and get-togethers with volunteer departments, county fire personnel and others.
He came away from those meetings thinking that the merger plan was best for the community and for the volunteers, who will have better opportunities for training. That was a main concern Shell said he heard from volunteers.
Thompson, who also serves on the county’s fire commission, also said the changes will provide cheaper fire insurance rates for residents and more consistent service.
He said nothing changes for volunteer firefighters looking to serve their community except the organizational structure. Thompson said he believes the changes are better for the average volunteer, and that the protests are “sour grapes” from volunteer chiefs worried about “losing control of their kingdoms.”
But Chief Mike Rhodes with the Wrightsboro Volunteer Fire Department said he still wants to see a concrete plan for all the volunteers, from the chiefs on down.
“They don’t have a plan, they have a concept,” he said. “We’ve asked for it to be put in writing about what they are going to do to replace the volunteers.”
Rhodes said he’s worried that the changes will harm the key aspect of volunteering: community service.
“People volunteer at local volunteer fire departments because it’s their community and they have a say-so in protecting their own community,” he added. “The county is a big operation. You become a number instead of a person, and you lose that community service component.”
In an open letter to County Manager Bruce Shell, Chief David Raines with the Myrtle Grove Volunteer Fire Department said the changes the county seeks can be achieved without dissolving the volunteer departments. He stresses that “the facts of this proposal are at best unclear and the plan on how to implement it is even more unclear.”
But county officials say the volunteers will keep an important role serving their communities and that the plan will improve their opportunities and provide improved service for residents and business owners in the county.
“Folks volunteer because they are serving their community, and that doesn’t go away,” said Assistant County Manager Chris Coudriet. “If we do this right and effectively, it should be seamless for the firefighters and for the taxpayers.”
Primary Agency: New Hanover County Fire Rescue
Source: starnewsonline.com
Posted on Mon May 17 2010 at 18:04
> Headlines Summary > Fire Destroys House in Altamahaw
Fire Destroys House in Altamahaw
Alamance County
ALTAMAHAW - Gene Williams sat on a lawn chair Sunday evening and watched as flames engulfed the house that he moved from Alamance Road in the early 1990s to its current location on Holyfield Road in Altamahaw.
“I moved it in four pieces one piece at a time,” Williams cried.
His wife, Margaret “Marge” Williams, held tight to his shoulders, still relieved that her husband was safe and that the no one was injured in the blaze.
There wasn’t anyone home when the fire started. The cause is still under investigation. Gene Williams said he had been at the racetrack and shortly after 5 p.m., he returned home.
“When I came home, it was on fire and that made me big-time sick,” he said.
Altamahaw-Ossipee Fire Department was called at about 5:07 p.m.
“When I got here, it was all in the garage area and spreading into the house,” said Altamahaw-Ossipee Fire Chief Michael Barnette. “I immediately called for additional manpower.”
Firefighters from Faucette, North Central and Elon fire departments quickly arrived on scene. Firefighters had hoses aimed at the large two-story structure from every angle, but the flames wouldn’t budge. Plumes of black smoke gushed from the roof.
The two-story house was originally built in 1936. In August of 1990, Gene Williams moved it from its original location on Alamance Road, where Stearns Ford is located now, to his farm on Holyfield Road. He said the 5,500-square-foot struckture has 15 rooms, include five bathrooms, with at least two porches — one that was screened in and one on the second floor. There is also a lot of intricate stone work on the house.
“It took two days to move it and four years to put it together,” Marge Williams said.
The couple lived in the house with their two sons. Marge Williams was at a friend’s house up the street when she saw the smoke. She didn’t know what she might find when she arrived at the house, knowing that her husband could have been home taking a nap or watching TV.
“All I saw was flames,” she said. “They were just boiling. I thought please just let me see him.”
As the firefighters worked, Gene Williams kept thinking about what they were losing inside — all the tools, antiques and sentimental items that he knew he couldn’t replace. He thought about necessities, too, such as his medication and clothes.
“It is still stuff,” his wife assured him. “You don’t know how scared I was.”
A steady stream of family and friends stopped by to make sure everyone was OK and to offer condolences and support. By 7 p.m., firefighters were still dousing flames. The age and design of the house seemed to feed the blaze. The front of the house was destroyed by the fire and what was left was ruined by smoke and water, Barnette said.
“The hallways and open areas, it pulled the fire all the way through it,” he said. “The upstairs has a lot of storage areas and cedar closets. They created a lot of obstacles to get to the fire.”
Alamance County Emergency Medical Services and Alamance County Rescue were also on scene, helping to rehabilitate the firefighters so they could keep fighting the fire. Alamance County Fire Marshal David Leonard also was there assisting while Northeast Guilford Fire Department covered any other calls Altamahaw-Ossipee Fire Department received.
“We are lucky to have the manpower come in from other departments and, of course, the community,” Barnette said. “They community has brought us coolers of drinks.”
Primary Agency: Faucette Fire Department
Source: thetimesnews.com
Posted on Mon May 17 2010 at 12:06
> Headlines Summary > Firefighter Injured During House Fire
Firefighter Injured During House Fire
Cabarrus County
KANNAPOLIS - A firefighter was injured at a house fire in Kannapolis.
He fell through the floor of the home on Dale Earnhardt Boulevard at about 11 p.m. Sunday. He went to the hospital, but officials haven’t said how he is doing.
No one was living at the home. Firefighters are investigating the cause.
Primary Agency: Kannapolis Fire Department
Source: wsoctv.com
Posted on Mon May 17 2010 at 12:03
> Headlines Summary > Lightning Strikes Fire Station
Lightning Strikes Fire Station
Buncombe County
WEAVERVILLE - Lightning struck a fire station here after a thunderstorm moved across North Buncombe County this evening.
The lighting strike happened about 7:30 p.m. at the Reems Creek Fire Department on Reems Creek Road. There was no apparent structural damage or injuries, but the strike did take out the station’s radios and computers, fire chief Jeff Justice said.
“We’re going to bring in some mobile equipment until we can get the insurance company to look at it on Monday,” Justice said
Primary Agency: Reems Creek Fire Department
Source: citizen-times.com
Posted on Sun May 16 2010 at 9:12
> Headlines Summary > Bailey Fire Chief Asks for Cross Over
Bailey Fire Chief Asks for Cross Over (Video)
Nash County
NASH COUNTY - A local fire chief is asking the North Carolina Department of Transportation for a cut through to cut down response time.
Since 2000, Bailey Fire Chief Tim Wilson has been fighting for an emergency crossover, the graded roadway that connects opposite lanes of a highway.
They are illegal for regular drivers, because they are supposed to be used for emergencies for police and fire departments.
They are all over the place, but not where the fire chief wants one. He says it could end up costing a life, because he is wasting valuable response time.
“Right here is one of the crossovers under the power lines that would be ideal,” Wilson said.
The area in question is along U.S. Route 264 in Nash County between the Middlesex and Bailey exits.
Read the rest of the article and view the video at abc11.com.
Primary Agency: Bailey Fire Rescue
Source: abc11.com
Posted on Fri May 14 2010 at 17:29
> Headlines Summary > Asheville Haz-Mat Drill
Asheville Haz Mat Drill (video)
Buncombe County
ASHEVILLE - Firefighters are training for the worst case scenario.
Today, The Asheville Fire Department was one of six hazmat response teams from across the state participating in a mock chemical spill.
First responders went through six different scenarios.
Each scene involved chemicals that travel through western north carolina everyday.
The drill has taken a year of planning but this one day of experience will have emergency crews at the top of their game.
Primary Agency: Asheville Fire Department
Source: wlos.com
Posted on Fri May 14 2010 at 9:25
> Headlines Summary > Deal Reached to Save Historic Fire Station
Deal Reached to Save Historic Fire Station
Mecklenburg County
CHARLOTTE - Saying it wouldn’t have been possible without public support, developer Marcel Stark said Wednesday that historic Fire Station No. 2 in South End has been spared.
The 100-year-old brick building was slated to be knocked down that afternoon, but Stark held a last-minute news conference to announce a private deal to save the structure.
Stark, who spoke in front of the two-story building, said two firms, Community South and Sherbert Consulting Group, have provided “a finance package and structure” to preserve the building, which will be redeveloped and redesigned for a new business.
Stark didn’t provide details about the deal but said the building will be updated in four months and that the business would be determined in one month.
Stark said he appreciated the community for putting its heart into saving the fire station and that he’d received 6,000 e-mails within 14 days.
Charlotte resident Jennifer Oates helped fuel the public’s rally behind the fire station by creating a Facebook page, which attracted more than 6,100 members.
“I’m relieved. … It’s been a long three months,” Oates said. “I just wanted to keep it alive as the (demolition) date was getting closer.”
Oates also circulated an online petition asking officials to preserve historic structures.
Charlotte has faced criticism for replacing historic buildings with new development.
Stark’s announcement caps months of negotiations between him and various groups interested in preserving the building, constructed in 1909 to house two horse-drawn engines.
After news broke in February that Stark might tear down the building, Stark created a website that shared the station’s history and said he devoted his time to exploring ways of saving it without losing a lot of money.
A call to Sherbert Consulting Group was not returned.
On Monday, time appeared to be running out for the fire station. A bulldozer sat on the lot next to the Arlington condos, known as “the pink building.” Stark said he had made plans for the demolition to begin late Wednesday but still held out hope a deal could be made.
Earlier this year, Stark said he had a contract with a Florida developer to buy the property for about $1.4 million under the condition the lot would be cleared before the sale was finalized.
Dan Morrill, the landmark commission’s executive director, said he contacted Stark on Wednesday to congratulate him. Morrill and Smith said there are no deed restrictions for the property, meaning the building could be destroyed in the future.
“We could be right in the soup again,” Morrill said, adding let’s celebrate “having a bird in the hand, not a bird in the bush.”
The commission in February offered to buy the building for $950,000, an amount an appraisal showed the property to be worth. Stark has said the appraisal was biased and doesn’t reflect the true value. A holding company he controls paid around $1 million for it in 2006.
Since the purchase, the real estate market has crumbled and commercial real estate values have fallen 10 to 40 percent off their highs.
“We’re thrilled with the outcome here,” said Michael Smith of Charlotte Center City Partners. “Charlotte has such a limited inventory of historic buildings that are over 100 years old. This is a real treasure for us.”
The effort to save the station included local firefighters, who wrote letters and signed Oates’ petition, and even made a bid for the building themselves.
The Charlotte Firefighters’ Retirement System suggested leasing the building for 10 years, paying below-market rent, an offer Stark has said didn’t make financial sense.
Tom Brewer, vice president with the Charlotte Fire Fighters Association, said firefighters are still hopeful they might one day buy the property.
“Part of Charlotte’s history was preserved today and that’s a good thing,” Brewer said. “A lot of what firefighters do is steeped in tradition so saving this station means something to a lot of active and retired firefighters.”
Primary Agency: Charlotte Fire Department
Source: charlotteobserver.com
Posted on Fri May 14 2010 at 9:22
> Headlines Summary > Rocky Mount Names New Fire Chief
Rocky Mount Names New Fire Chief
Nash County
ROCKY MOUNT - Rocky Mount officials have chosen a new fire chief for the Rocky Mount Fire Department.
City Manager Steve Raper announced Thursday that Carrboro Fire-Rescue Deputy Chief William L. “Trey” Mayo was appointed as the city’s new fire chief. Mayo will oversee the fire department’s 150 full-time employees and three divisions — administration, operations and support services.
City officials said Mayo still is serving in his position in Carrboro and will start work as the city’s eighth fire chief on June 1. Mayo, 37, replaces J. Keith Harris, who served as the city’s fire chief since 2006. Harris retired from his position last month after more than 30 years of service with the fire department.
Harris formally announced his retirement in December 2009, and the city has been searching for a suitable replacement since January. Officials ultimately narrowed the pool of 28 applicants down to three finalists.
Raper said that it was Mayo’s extensive work in the field of fire service that made him stand out as an ideal candidate, noting his high level of knowledge and enthusiasm for the field.
“Mayo’s impressive range of work experience, coupled with his educational and professional background, make him uniquely qualified to continue in the department’s long history of outstanding leadership,” Raper said in a press release.
The Plymouth native got his start in firefighting with the Raleigh Fire Department, where he rose through the ranks to the position of fire captain. Since 2006, Mayo has served as Carrboro’s Fire-Rescue deputy chief. As deputy chief, Mayo has served as the head of the fire department’s Suppression Division.
He manages the functions of fire suppression, medical response, extrication and rescue and directs the department’s training program.
Mayo praised the Rocky Mount fire department’s current accreditation and high standards, adding that fire personnel are “well-staffed and well-trained.”
“It is exciting and an honor to know I will have the opportunity to lead an organization of this caliber,” Mayo said in a telephone interview.
Mayo has an associate degree in fire protection technology from Wilson Technical Community College, a bachelor’s degree in industrial relations from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and a master’s degree from N.C. State University.
Mayo is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Md., and holds multiple certifications related to fire service and emergency management.
He serves as the Southeast Regional Director for the National Society of Executive Fire Officers.
Coming from Carrboro — where he works with a staff of 33 — to a larger fire department with hundreds on board will not be a difficult move, Mayo said. Strength in numbers is something he called “a plus.”
“With the size and quality that’s there, we should be able to accomplish almost anything. That’s my expectation,” he said.
Primary Agency: Rocky Mount Fire Department
Source: rockymounttelegram.com
Posted on Fri May 14 2010 at 9:17
> Headlines Summary > Asheville Fire to Hold Large Haz-Mat Drill
Asheville Fire to Hold Large Haz-Mat Drill
Buncombe County
ASHEVILLE - The Asheville Fire department will host a large scale highway rail drill 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday at the rail site off Meadows Road near Short McDowell Street.
The drill will replicate a tractor trailer highway-grade collision with a slow moving train. The scenario will include a breach in the tractor trailer, which will be carrying simulated gasoline. It will also include injuries to crew members on the train and damage to two of the train cars carrying hazardous materials.
Emergency responders will be role playing, including the State Hazardous Regional Response Teams from Asheville, Charlotte, Greensboro and Fayetteville. Norfolk Southern and CSX Transportation will oversee the drill, which will give all of the responding agencies practice on how to work together if such an event occurred.
Primary Agency: Asheville Fire Department
Source: citizen-times.com
Posted on Wed May 12 2010 at 10:18
> Headlines Summary > NHC Fire Consolidation Plan Sparks Hot Discussion
NHC Fire Consolidation Plan Sparks Hot Discussion
New Hanover County
NEW HANOVER COUNTY - A plan to restructure fire services in New Hanover County sparked a heated discussion Monday among firefighters, most of whom were volunteers afraid their services would no longer be accepted.
County Manager Bruce Shell stressed during a presentation at Monday’s fire commission meeting that the recommended plan, which would consolidate the county’s volunteer fire departments and place them under the direction of New Hanover County Fire Services, would not eliminate the need for volunteers or change their roles.
The plan would turn the county’s five insurance districts into two, one in the north and one in the south, which could mean savings on property insurance rates, county staff said.
About 80 firefighters and members of the public attended Monday night’s presentation to ask questions about their roles in the plan.
“We’re going to put a high, elevated emphasis on the volunteer program,” said Chris Coudriet, assistant county manager.
He said volunteers could continue to serve as they do now under either a firefighter membership, meaning they meet physical and training qualifications, or through a fire corps membership if they want to serve in other roles or as a trainee.
County Commissioner Jason Thompson, who serves on the fire commission, said the difference for volunteers boils down to a change in leadership.
Essentially, the departments would follow a model created last year for the fire station in Ogden, which kept its nonprofit status but transitioned to being managed financially and administratively by county personnel.
All volunteers of the Ogden department became volunteers of New Hanover County Fire Services.
But some at Monday night’s meeting questioned their abilities to meet the physical requirements, such as a body mass index, and service hour rules to be a county volunteer.
Shell told attendees it appeared many people did not trust government to take over administration, but he said he will still recommend the plan Monday to county commissioners, who will vote on it then.
“What bothers me about this discussion is it’s coming across as us versus them or them versus us, but we’re all in this together,” he said.
Primary Agency: New Hanover County Fire Rescue
Source: starnewsonline.com
Posted on Tue May 11 2010 at 15:38
> Headlines Summary > New Hanover County Could Take Over Volunteer Fire Departments
New Hanover County Could Take Over Volunteer Fire Departments
New Hanover County
NEW HANOVER COUNTY - New Hanover County has eight fire departments. Four are run by the county. Four are run by volunteer organizations. Now the county will consider taking control of all eight departments.
The New Hanover County emergency operations center was packed with volunteer and paid firefighters Monday night. Many of the volunteers are worried they’d be moved from their current stations and won’t be able to serve their communities if the county takes control of their fire departments.
“There is a lot of money that comes in from our community that’s put back into the fire station and the fire service that is not provided by county tax money,” said Myrtle Grover Volunteer Fire Chief David Raines.
But New Hanover County Fire Chief Donnie Hall says consolidating the operations is what’s best for the citizens.
“We’ll be able to provide a consistent level of service through all areas of the county and able to provide our mission of protecting life and property the best that we can,” said Hall.
If the county consolidates the fire department it could mean a better insurance rating for some residents and more training opportunities for volunteer firefighters. An independent company did a survey of the county operations and found that the current system is inefficient. While the fire tax will increase next year, it could cost even more if the county doesn’t complete the merger. But residents are worried volunteers won’t donate their time if the county’s in charge.
“I think that we need the people element. we need smaller government, not bigger government. and that if something works, we should leave it alone,” said Wrightsboro resident Carolyn Parker.>
County Manager Bruce Shell says volunteer firefighters could continue to serve their communities and the transition would be a lot smoother with community support.
“There’s a segment of the population that does not trust government, we’ve learned that. that’s why we need to educate more on what we do,” said Shell.
Shell will make his recommendation to county commissioners next Monday. The commissioners will have the final say on whether or not the county takes over the volunteer fire departments.
Primary Agency: New Hanover County Fire Rescue
Source: wwaytv3.com
Posted on Tue May 11 2010 at 9:11
> Headlines Summary > Three NC Chiefs First Responders On Scene at Fatal Crash in Kentucky
NC Firefighters First On Scene at Fatal Crash in Kentucky
Photo Courtesy jdnews.com
(Outside of NC) County
KENTUCKY - When a cloud of dust and debris erupted in the sky and brake lights lit up in front of them, three firefighters knew what was ahead: a potentially serious car crash.
They headed down the interstate without hesitation and as the first on the scene, they put their training to work to assess the situation and get help to the victims as quickly as possible.
It didn’t matter that the three North Carolina men — two from Carteret County — were off duty and in another state.
“As firefighters and rescuers, your instincts kick in, and even though it was not our jurisdiction we felt compelled to do what we could to save the lives of the victims,” said Morehead City Fire Department Deputy Chief Jamie Fulk.
Fulk had attended the Fire Department Instructors Conference in Indianapolis with colleagues Adam Snyder, fire and rescue chief of the Atlantic Beach Fire Department, and Scott Alderman, chief of the Lewisville Fire Department.
The three were traveling home on April 24 when they came up on the head-on wreck on I-64 in Kentucky.
They didn’t see the collision, Fulk said, but they quickly knew what had happened.
“We were engaged in conversation and all of a sudden there was a big dust storm in front of us and debris was flying through the air,” he recalled.
When they arrived on the scene, it confirmed what they feared: a major crash and serious injuries.
Snyder recounts their efforts in an article that appears on the website http://www.fireengineering.com.
“As I approached, the vehicle fuel was all over the ground. The roadway for 100 feet was like an ice skating rink because of all the fuels and fluids. Deputy Chief Fulk was wearing blue jeans and T-shirt and sneakers. I was wearing sweat pants, T-shirt and sneakers. We definitely considered that we did not have any protective gear on, though we were not going to just stand by and do nothing,” Snyder wrote.
Both cars were mangled and twisted. The driver in one car was killed on impact, and two people in the second car were badly injured.
As Snyder and Fulk were assisting the two, Alderman had called 911 and was on his cell phone with dispatchers to coordinate the help needed at the scene.
“He did an excellent job letting dispatchers know where we were, what had happened and what was needed,” Fulk said.
Fulk said that with his training and experience, Alderman was able to relay valuable information and coordinate with emergency responders what resources were needed, included helicopters to transport victims to medical care.
When emergency responders arrived on the scene, Snyder, Fulk and Alderman continued to work with Kentucky responders to extricate the survivors trapped in their car.
Snyder called the high-speed crash was one of the worst he’s seen, and while he may have never thought he’d be doing vehicle extraction in plain clothes in Kentucky, he said he’s glad they could be in the right place at the right time to help.
“I do believe the Lord works in mysterious ways and put us in that place at that time to help,” he said.
Fulk said one of the victims at the scene later died, but they have since been able to talk to the man who survived.
“He was appreciative of our help and that we were willing to do what we did,” he said.
Snyder said they train so that they are prepared when emergencies arise, and being able to help is why they do what they do.
“Just knowing that we were there at that time and could change someone’s life, that’s enough for us,” he said.
All three of the firefighters have emergency medical training. Fulk and Alderman are each a firefighter-EMT and Snyder is a firefighter-paramedic.
Fulk said they are all certified instructors and teach those involved in fires, rescues and extrications to follow certain safety procedures and wear protective gear.
In this case, he said, they didn’t have gear or equipment with them but it was a life-or-death situation and they had the ability to help.
“It’s times like that when you’re definitely glad for the training,” Fulk said.
Read the article at FireEngineering.com
Primary Agency:
Source: jdnews.com
Posted on Mon May 10 2010 at 14:14
> Headlines Summary > Wind-Fueled Fire Levels Candler Home
Wind-Fueled Fire Levels Candler Home
Photo Courtesy Citizen Times
Buncombe County
CANDLER - Firefighters said a candle might have sparked a wind-whipped blaze that destroyed a home Saturday afternoon.
Crews responded about 2:35 p.m. to 17 Duckett Road, Enka-Candler Fire Capt. Paul Swanson said. About half the house was on fire when firefighters arrived. Three people inside the house escaped without injury.
Swanson said the cause of the blaze remained under investigation, but crews were looking at lit candles as a possible cause.
Lisa and Jimmy Core, along with three teens and a young boy, lived in the house, said Gerald Rich, Lisa Core’s cousin. Rich, who spoke on behalf of the Cores, said Lisa Core was asleep inside and
Jimmy Core was mowing the lawn. He came inside to get a drink of water and discovered a couch on fire.
Rich said family living in the area would help the Cores.
“We’ve got a big family, and that’s what family is for,” he said.
Donations for the family, including clothes and money, will also be accepted at Starnes Cove Baptist church, 149 Starnes Cove Road.
Primary Agency: Enka Candler Fire Department
Source: citizen-times.com
Posted on Mon May 10 2010 at 9:33
> Headlines Summary > Suspicious Fire in Monroe Burns House to the Ground
Suspicious Fire in Monroe Burns House to the Ground
Photos Courtesy wbtv.com
Union County
MONROE - Investigators are trying to determine what sparked a fire at a home in Monroe late Wednesday night which appears to have been intentionally set.
Andrew Currie called the Monroe Police Department just before 10 p.m. and reported that he saw two people running from the house in which he and his wife, Carmen, are leasing on Brentwood Lane. He had just returned home and was pulling into the driveway.
Currie said the suspects had a white bag and dropped it before they ran into the woods.
Police said Currie immediately called his wife who was following him in another vehicle. She was just pulling onto Bentwood Lane at the time. He told her to call police because he just saw two people running from their home.
When Andrew Currie walked inside the house, he smelled gasoline and noticed the carpet was soaked with gasoline. There were also several spots of fire, he said.
While Carmen Currie was on the phone talking with the 911 operator, she spotted smoke coming from the house. She then told the operator there was also a fire at her home.
When Monroe firefighters arrived, the 3,000-square-foot home was already completely engulfed in flames.
Firefighters at the scene said the gas on the carpet wasn’t the only combustible fuel in which they had to deal with. The fire apparently exposed a natural gas line, which added to the heat and level of the flames.
The home, which is has a tax value of $600,000, is a complete loss and is owned by David Cuthbertson, a well known developer in the Union County area. He originally lived in the home and was only a month away from closing a deal to sell it to the Curries sources tell WBTV.
A neighbor told police around the time the fire started, he heard what appeared to be a four-wheeler from the cul-de-sac located in front of his residence. The neighbor was unable to see the vehicle, but he was certain it was a four-wheeler.
Police officers recovered the white bag that was dropped along the wood line.
No one was hurt and no suspects have been arrested at this time.
Primary Agency: Monroe Fire Department
Source: wbtv.com
Posted on Sat May 08 2010 at 9:15
> Headlines Summary > Fire Damages Old Mill Building
Fire Damages Old Mill Building
Gaston County
GASTON COUNTY - One firefighter suffered minor injuries overnight when fire heavily damaged an old mill building near Bessemer City.
Fire officials in Gaston County say the fire was reported about 12:15 a.m. at the building on Bessemer City Road near Crème Haven Road.
Authorities say part of the building was being used for an auto repair or auto body shop operation, and the fire seemed to be centered in that area. More than a dozen vehicles parked in the building were damaged by the fire and smoke.
Flames were visible more than a mile away, and one firefighter was treated for heat-related problems, authorities say. It took about two hours to bring the blaze under control.
Investigators are working to determine a cause of the fire.
Bessemer City Road was closed in the area near the fire for much of the night, but it was reopened shortly before 7 a.m.
GASTONIA - The Gastonia Fire Department responded to this commercial fire in a building that used to be a mill shortly after midnight Thursday night. The fire department arrived to find heavy smoke and fire conditions and upgraded this to a two alarm fire. The spread of the fire was stopped at the fire wall built into the middle of the building.
This building has not been used as a mill in several years. There were cars being stored in the building at the time of the fire.
The Gastonia Fire Department responded with four engine companies, three ladder companies one heavy rescue company and two Battalion Chiefs. The fire department was on scene for nearly five hours.
The estimated damage to the building and contents was $500,000.
The fire is being investigated by the Gastonia Fire Department.
(from Jim Landis, Gastonia Fire Department)
Primary Agency:
Source: charlotteobserver.com
Posted on Fri May 07 2010 at 22:04
> Headlines Summary > Craven County Fire Tower on Fire
Craven County Fire Tower on Fire
Photo Courtesy WITN.com
Craven County
CRAVEN COUNTY - Firefighters were called to a place that normally spots fires, not causes them A state forestry fire tower caught fire Thursday morning in Craven County.
Smoke and some flames were coming out of the top of the fire tower on old U.S. 70 in Tuscarora when our reporter first arrived. That road was shut down as firefighters worked to put out the blaze
Fire crews used a ladder truck to get water to the top of the tower, which is about 125 off the ground. We’re told a fire hydrant right next to the fire tower didn’t work, so firefighters had to truck in water.
The fire department says a worker was installing Wi-Fi in the tower when a breaker tripped and started the fire. No one was hurt.
Primary Agency: NCFS
Source: witn.com
Posted on Thu May 06 2010 at 19:16
> Headlines Summary > Monroe Firefighter Wins Ford Pickup
Monroe Firefighter Wins Ford Pickup
Union County
MONROE - Firefighter Bryan Hancock was surprised with a 2010 Ford pickup truck Tuesday morning.
Hancock, who owns a 1983 Chevrolet pickup and a 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, won the new truck in a North Carolina State Firemen’s Association and Local Government Federal Credit Union contest (LGFCU).
Participants entered the contest by swiping a LGFCU debit card. The contest began at the firemen’s association annual conference in August 2009.
“There were 875,000 swipes and he’s (Hancock) the winner,” Paul Miller, executive director of the N.C. State Firemen’s Association said.
Exactly how many of those swipes belonged to Hancock is unknown. The winner of the contest was selected by computer.
“It feels great,” Hancock said. “Not having paperwork feels incredible.”
Hancock’s fellow firefighters and others in the department held a mock training session to keep him from seeing the truck before it was revealed.
“It’s a fake training, he just doesn’t know it,” Battalion Chief Andy Ross said before the reveal.
After leaving the training session, Hancock listened to a short presentation about the contest before being awarded the truck’s keys.
“I think it’s neat, it’s not everyday somebody wins a new truck,” Ross said.
Besides members of the department, credit union and firemen’s association, Hancock’s wife, Mayor Bobby Kilgore of Monroe and City Manager Wayne Herron of Monroe also attended the event.
“I think it’s great for Bryan and his family and we’re just overjoyed and excited that someone from our department won it,” Chief Ron Fowler of the department said.
He deserves it, Angela Hancock, Hancock’s wife, said.
“I really think it’s a result of all the good deeds he’s done lately,” Angela Hancock said. “He puts his heart out and he really deserves it.”
A similar contest might be held in the future but likely with a different prize, Miller said.
Many of the department’s members said they were glad Hancock won.
“I’m just happy for him,” Firefighter Jonathan Carter said. “I’m happy it was someone from our department.”
Primary Agency: NCSFA
Source: Enquirer Journal
Posted on Wed May 05 2010 at 15:58
> Headlines Summary > Firefighters Save Fire Captain at House Fire
Firefighters Save Fire Captain at House Fire
Gaston County
GASTON COUNTY - Firefighters saved the life of Captain Jim Smarr of Tryonota Fire Sunday evening at a house fire.
The Agriculture Center Fire Department along with Tryonota and High Shoals Fire were dispatched to a house fire on Old 277 Loop Road between Cherryville and Dallas.
Smarr was supplying water to an Agriculture Center engine when he went into a seizure and passed out.
Firefighters Kevin Moore, Willie Stories, Shane Towery and Matt Kanupp from Agriculture Center noticed the fallen Smarr and quickly started CPR and shocked him twice.
Smarr regained consciousness before being loaded into an ambulance and by the time he arrived at the hospital he was almost back to his normal self.
The member of the Tryonota Fire Department would like to thank the members of the Ag Center Fire Department, Gaston Emergency Medical Services and Cherryville Rescue Squad for your quick response and handling of the situation.
Hugh’s Pond was called to cover Tryonota’s fire district.
Primary Agency: Tryonota Fire Department
Source:
Posted on Tue May 04 2010 at 22:02
> Headlines Summary > Baby Tossed To Safety From Window Of Burning Building
Baby Tossed To Safety From Window Of Burning Building
Mecklenburg County
CHARLOTTE - Three people, including a 4-month-old baby, were taken to a hospital Monday morning after a two-alarm fire broke out at an apartment on Nobles Avenue.
The fire was reported about 9:30 a.m. at Boulevard Homes, which are located in the 3500 block of Nobles Avenue in west Charlotte.
“I saw the fire coming through the window and the flames kept getting bigger and bigger, so I went over there and knocked on the door,” building resident Samuel Belk said.
Two people came out through the door, and another escaped through a window, Belk said.
A family of eight lived in the apartment where the fire started, fire crews said.
Belk said a crowd then gathered outside of the building, its attention focused on a second-story window where a young woman was holding a 4-month-old baby and screaming for help.
• VIDEO: Baby Tossed To Safety From Window Of Burning Building
“She was standing at the window with the baby,” neighbor Bobby Stephens said. “I had to argue with her for 10 to 15 minutes.”
Stephens finally convinced the woman to let go of the baby, promising to catch the child. He did, but said it didn’t happen without help.
“God caught the baby,” Stephens said.
Stephens said he then took the baby out of the rain and waited for paramedics to arrive.
“I have never seen anything like that before in my life,” Belk said.
The woman who was caring for the child had passed out, so firefighters had to go in and rescue her. Officials said she suffered the most serious injuries of the three who were taken to Carolinas Medical Center for treatment.
The names of the people injured have not been released.
The Greater Carolinas Chapter of the American Red Cross is helping the family recover after the fire, providing assistance for food and shelter. The organization said it will also work with other residents displaced by the fire on a case-by-case basis.
Firefighters said they got the flames under control in about 20 minutes. A cause has not yet been released.
Primary Agency: Charlotte Fire Department
Source: wsoctv.com
Posted on Tue May 04 2010 at 15:13
> Headlines Summary > Durham Wants More Women Firefighters
Durham Wants More Women Firefighters
Durham County
DURHAM - Durham Fire Captain Angelica Greene is hoping more women will join her profession.
“One year from now, if we could get at least five or 10 more females to join this organization, that would be a milestone,” Greene said Monday.
Greene is one of only 10 women in a 280-person fire department.
In an effort to recruit more women and minorities, Durham is launching a major hiring effort this September.
“Some departments are going through a hiring freeze right now, but fortunately for us, we’ve been given permission to fill our vacancies. So we are going to actively pursue that,” Durham Fire Chief Bruce Pagan said.
Greene is an example of what’s possible for women in the firefighting profession. After 13 years, she is a captain and is recognized nationally for a fire safety program she developed for seniors and the disabled.
“It (the program) came from the heart and you just do things, not thinking about any recognition that will take place. So I was pretty surprised,” Greene said.
Just one woman outranks Greene, who is aiming for the role of battalion chief. Greene is even featured on Firehouse Subs cups.
Primary Agency: Durham Fire Department
Source: wral.com
Posted on Tue May 04 2010 at 14:58
> Headlines Summary > Wake Forest House Fire Started by Hot Lawnmower, Debris
Wake Forest House Fire Started by Hot Lawnmower, Debris
Wake County
WAKE FOREST - Fire investigators say a fire at a Wake Forest home Friday afternoon appeared to have started when a recently used lawnmower was put away under the deck.
The fire was reported just before 5 p.m. at 12725 Powell Road.
Officials said the heat from the lawnmower ignited nearby combustible debris, including pine straw.
Wake County Fire Marshall Charles Ottaway said people should be mindful of how and where they store their lawnmowers after using them.
The family’s teen son was home at the time of the fire but was saved by neighbor Mark Urban who saw fire and smoke billowing from the home.
“When I looked at it, the deck was just engulfed in flames,” Urban said. “I ran out to the driveway, yelling to anybody for help.”
Ken Thorne stopped to help.
“The glass door in the back was keeping the fire in the back,” Thorne said. “All of a sudden. that just exploded and blew glass and fire toward the front of the house.”
Urban said the teen was upstairs taking a shower and came downstairs in a towel when he heard people yelling.
“The flames followed him down the steps,” Urban said.
Urban said he does not consider himself a hero. He is just relieved the boy got out of the house safely.
The family’s two dogs remain missing.
Primary Agency: Stony Hill Fire Department
Source: wral.com
Posted on Sat May 01 2010 at 13:14
> Headlines Summary > Raleigh Debates Pine Straw Ban
Raleigh Debates Pine Straw Ban
Wake County
RALEIGH - Two big fires that spread in part thanks to pine straw landscaping material has the City of Raleigh considering banning it.
One fire at the Pine Knoll Apartments stunned the community when it burned fast and hot. Investigators blamed decorative pine straw spread close to the buildings.
Tuesday, Raleigh City Council’s Law and Public Safety Committee weighed the pros and cons of keeping pine straw needles ten feet away from apartments. But some apartment managers say switching to another landscaping material would cost them thousands.
Read the rest of the article at abc11.com
Primary Agency:
Source: abc11.com
Posted on Tue Apr 27 2010 at 20:07
> Headlines Summary > Morrisville Firefighters Waiting on New Fire Station
Morrisville Firefighters Waiting on New Fire Station
Wake County
MORRISVILLE - The sounds of pen strokes and shuffling feet broke the silence on a recent morning in a small, scantily furnished office inside Morrisville Fire Station 1, where the town’s four newest firefighters scrounged for space to complete stacks of paperwork.
A floor above, a dozen firefighters packed into a dimly-lit and stuffy training room for an hours-long lesson on battling blazes at Morrisville’s multi-story structures.
The men and women who eat, sleep and work here from day to day know a lot about living and learning in close quarters.
There are countless examples of the limitations faced by a department forced to fit more people and equipment into ever-decreasing spaces.
“The [truck] bays are small so we’re limited on our truck size,” said firefighter Chris Hoffman. “We have one big common bunk room, which is sort of atypical in the present day and time, especially since we’re not a single-sex department anymore.
“And we could do with a better training facility,” he added. “We have a pretty anemic air conditioning system upstairs. And our workout room is hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It makes you less eager to go work out.”
Veterans and newcomers of the station say they hope for a brighter tomorrow - one that includes new digs with more breathing room.
It’s a wish that could soon become a reality.
Construction could begin as early as July on a multimillion-dollar fire station on Town Hall Drive.
The Town Council is expected to award a contract for the fire station project as early as Tuesday.
The project should take about 10 months to complete.
The new station is expected to be 13,000 square feet - nearly twice the size of the 55-year-old facility it will replace on Morrisville-Carpenter Road.
It will cost the town $3 million and will come with all the necessary bells and whistles: enlarged drive-thru bays, expanded dining facilities and private dormitories. Not to mention the usual alarms and sirens.
“Everything about this facility will be larger, better,” said Morrisville Fire Chief Todd Wright.
The current station was built in 1955 and has served Morrisville’s needs, until now, Wright said.
But as Morrisville has grown - both up and out - its needs have changed.
“The existing station has served its useful life cycle,” Wright said. “It’s in need of some major repairs. And it’s not large enough to accommodate our current firefighting operations.”
The move will allow the department to house its current fire engines along with a new fleet of specialized fire trucks complete with hoses, pumps, water tanks and ground and hydraulic ladders.
Wright said the three “quint” trucks would be spread between Morrisville’s three stations - one each at fire houses on Town Hall Drive, Chapel Hill Road and Carpenter Fire Station Road.
Modern living quarters at the new station will also accommodate the Morrisville fire department’s workforce. “The current station has an open dorm, so we all stay in the same room,” Wright said. “It’s a tremendous inconvenience.”
He added: “The new station will have private dorms, and that is a more acceptable practice by today’s standards.”
Planning for the new fire station began about eight years ago, Wright said. Town leaders had hoped to build a shared facility for the police and fire departments. But that project proved too expensive.
“The town regrouped and ended up purchasing a building for the police station that already existed,” Wright said.
The Town Council later approved the original design for the new Station 1 in 2004.
Four years later, council members voted to move the existing station to its future home on Town Hall Drive.
It’s a move that is long overdue, said Hoffman, and one he expects will generate plenty of excitement among his colleagues.
“When it comes down to it, firefighters spend a third of their lives here,” he said. “This is our home. So having a nicer place to live - that definitely can’t hurt morale.”
Staff writer Ted Richardson contributed to this report.
Primary Agency: Morrisville Fire Rescue
Source: carynews.com
Posted on Tue Apr 27 2010 at 10:15
> Headlines Summary > Boone Fire Chief to Retire
Boone Fire Chief to Retire
Watauga County
BOONE - Boone Fire Department chief Reggie Hassler will serve his last day in the position next Friday.
Hassler has been with the Boone department a total of 35 years, with 22 as chief. He intends to continue involvement as a volunteer.
Throughout Hassler’s career as chief, he has represented the department at the local, regional and state levels. He has served as chairman of the Watauga County Fire Commission multiple times, president of the Western N.C. Fireman’s Association in 1997, president of the N.C. Association of Fire Chiefs in 2000 and president of the N.C. Fireman’s Association in 2007.
Primary Agency: Boone Fire Department
Source: wataugademocrat.com
Posted on Mon Apr 26 2010 at 11:35
> Headlines Summary > AirCare Chopper to be Stationed in Elkin
AirCare Chopper to be Stationed in Elkin
Surry County
ELKIN - If all goes according to plan, the county will soon have an AirCare Critical Care helicopter stationed in Elkin.
On Monday night the Surry County Board of Commissioners approved Surry County Emergency Services to enter into a contract with Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center to base a helicopter at Elkin Airport. The contract is still in the works, and it will need to be approved by the county attorney.
“We think this is going to be a very positive move for the county,” said John Shelton, Surry County Emergency Services director.
The AirCare helicopters allow patients with critical injuries to be transported to Baptist, giving faster transport than by ground. One to two patients could be transported at a time.
“If you’re having a heart attack or a stroke, those 15 minutes could be life saving,” said James Bryant, emergency services director for WFUBMC.
Shelton explained that Baptist had approached the county about basing a helicopter in Elkin. The county’s contract with Baptist will include hiring four Surry County paramedics, with Baptist funding all salaries, benefits, insurance, uniforms, training, medical director oversight and administrative costs. The county will invoice Baptist monthly to receive payment to cover these costs.
Bryant said stationing a helicopter in Elkin would open the center to a greater area.
“It gives us access to all of our counties to the west,” said Bryant.
But the director assured the commissioners that Baptist was not trying to steal patients from Surry County hospitals. He said the patients that will benefit from the service would have been transported by AirCare anyway. Now a helicopter will just be closer to them instead of having to come from Forsyth County.
“It’s a faster response,” said Bryant.
The helicopter will be staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week by a registered nurse, a pilot and a Surry County paramedic. The medics will be trained by AirCare, and they will rotate between ground transport with Surry EMS and air transport. Commissioner Jimmy Miller asked how this would affect employee schedules with emergency services. Shelton said they would continue the same pattern and have their regular shifts.
“I see this only as an advantage,” Shelton remarked.
One of the advantages he sees is that it will allow county paramedics to receive advanced training so they can work in the different setting. He believes this will enhance their careers and give them a more varied work experience.
Shelton said, “I think it will allow us to keep medics longer.”
After a few more questions from the commissioners, Board Chairman Paul Johnson said, “It’s a win situation for both.”
The emergency services director said his only concerns were the greater risk of having medics in the air and not knowing what would happen to the newly-hired paramedics if the contract was terminated for some reason. But overall Shelton believes the project will be of great benefit to the county.
Baptist hopes to be ready to have a helicopter stationed in Elkin as early as May 1 if all goes well with the contract. Shelton said it would take a little longer for the county to hire four new medics. According to a letter from Shelton in the commissioners agenda packet, Baptist will provide full staffing for the helicopter until the county has chosen four new employees to rotate.
“The services will not only allow quicker response times to those in need, but will also provide better system integration and overall medical care to the citizens in our region,” Shelton said in the memo.
Baptist’s AirCare is the closest one to Surry County. Bryant said AirCare celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. The first patient transported by AirCare to Baptist was from Surry County.
“Surry is one of our largest users of air medical services,” Bryant remarked.
Primary Agency: AirCare
Source: elkintribune.com
Posted on Mon Apr 26 2010 at 11:28
> Headlines Summary > Firefighters Douse House Fire, Discover Marijuana Growing
Firefighters Douse House Fire, Discover Marijuana Growing
Alamance County
ALAMANCE COUNTY - Firefighters who extinguished a fire at a home on Mulberry Lane Saturday morning said they discovered an indoor marijuana growing operation.
While firefighters were working to put the fire out, the resident, Jeffery Todd Hodges, drove away, deputies said. He arrested on Sunday at the Walmart in Mebane.
Deputies said Hodges told investigators that he was able to get out of the house safely with his animals. Investigators said it appeared he tried to put the fire out himself before calling 911.
Investigators said the fire broke out near the 34 marijuana plants that were seized. A gun and ammunition were also seized, deputies said.
Hodges was charged with manufacturing marijuana, possession of marijuana, intent to sell or distribute marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and maintaining a vehicle or residence for the distribution of marijuana.
He was being held on a $75,000 bond.
Primary Agency:
Source: wxii12.com
Posted on Tue Apr 20 2010 at 5:16
> Headlines Summary > Orange County’s EMS Seeking Additional Staffing to Handle Calls (Video)
Orange County's EMS Seeking Additional Staffing to Handle Calls (Video)
Orange County
HILLSBOROUGH - Orange County 911 handles 1,200 police, fire and rescue calls a day. The county’s director of emergency medical services says staff shortages make it difficult to respond to an emergency in a timely matter.
“It’s very serious. It has gotten to the point of being critical,” EMS Director Frank Montes de Oca said Monday.
Montes de Oca said it’s not just 911 operators who are under staffed, but that the county’s four full-time and one part-time ambulances are no longer enough to cover the 400 square miles they serve.
Staff shortages affecting Orange County EMS
Montes de Oca told the Orange County Assembly of Governments in March that 220 times last year, someone called 911 for help but there was no ambulance to send. Firefighters had to respond to the calls until paramedics arrived.
“That is not their primary mission in life. Our primary mission is patient care, patient transport. So we really are impacting their ability to provide fire protection in their jurisdictions,” Montes de Oca said.
Montes de Oca said the ambulance shortage has also led to longer response times.
“The American Heart Association says that within about four to six minutes, if the heart stops, and the breathing stops, and the oxygenation to the brain ceases, than irreversible brain damage can occur,” he said.
But in the suburban and rural areas of Orange County, Montes de Oca says getting help to someone that quick is unrealistic.
“Our goal is to have it in 12 minutes. Right now, we’re at 17 minutes. That’s not acceptable to us,” he added.
In the meantime, emergency medical services are prioritizing 911 calls because of crew and ambulance shortages. The most serious calls get answered first.
“We’re holding our own now, but we want to make sure the public knows that we are addressing all those issues very aggressively,” Montes de Oca explained.
The EMS department is asking lawmakers to fund 29 new positions, and a full-time ambulance, at a cost of more than $1.5 million per year.
Primary Agency: Orange County Emergency Services
Source: wral.com
Posted on Tue Apr 20 2010 at 4:54
> Headlines Summary > Dry Weather Fuels More Wildfires in Western NC
Dry Weather Fuels More Wildfires in Western NC
Statewide County
ASHEVILLE - Scattered morning showers helped slow a blaze in Mitchell County on Saturday, but hot, dry and windy weather forecasted for today could refuel the flames.
The fire on Unaka Mountain near the Tennessee-North Carolina border remained at approximately 150 acres as of late Saturday, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Keith Jenkins said. The fire was started Friday afternoon by a downed power line.
“What we’re looking at is to put some lines in away from where the fire is now and maybe by Monday constructing control lines and do a burnout operation,” Jenkins said.
Nine fires Saturday kept N.C. Division of Forest Resources firefighters busy in Western North Carolina. Fires broke out in Macon, Cherokee, Graham, Henderson, Transylvania and Buncombe counties. Two fires in Henderson and Buncombe counties remained at approximately 35-40 acres each as of late Saturday. No structures were threatened.
There have been about 150 fires scorching roughly 845 acres on non-federal land since April 1.
Dry conditions, “low relative humidity and then with the stronger winds, those three factors really increased our fire activity,” state forest service forester Carolyn Dawson said. “To sum it all up (today) looks like it’s going to be about the same as.”
Primary Agency: NCFS
Source: citizen-times.com
Posted on Sun Apr 18 2010 at 17:35
> Headlines Summary > Wildfire Potential “Critical” This Weekend
Wildfire Potential "Critical" This Weekend
Statewide County
ASHEVILLE - The risk of catastrophic wildfire in the North Carolina Mountains will reach critical levels this weekend, according to officials with the U.S. and N.C. Forest Services.
Riva Duncan, Fire Management Officer with the National Forests in North Carolina reports seeing an increase in wildfires resulting from escaped debris burns and campfires on National Forest land.
“We’re seeing small campfires and debris burns suddenly burning out of control due to the winds and low humidity. And the problem is likely to get much worse over the next few days,” Duncan said in a statement.
Michael Cheek, Assistant Regional Forester with the state Forest Service, echoed Duncan’s concerns, and encouraged residents to delay any outdoor burning until significant rainfall is received or vegetation greens up.
“Even a perfectly tended and monitored fire isn’t going to be safe in these conditions,” Cheek noted. “And if a fire gets out you can put people’s lives at risk. It just isn’t worth it.”
Primary Agency: NCFS
Source: citizen-times.com
Posted on Sat Apr 17 2010 at 4:27
> Headlines Summary > Street Racing Cited In Fatal Firefighter Crash
Street Racing Cited In Fatal Firefighter Crash
Watauga County
BLOWING ROCK - A crash claimed the lives of two Blowing Rock volunteer firefighters last month, and now investigators have said the men may have been street racing at speeds greater than 100 mph against firefighters from out of town.
The two firefighters, driver Jeremy Bolick and passenger Tommy Wright, were in a Ford Mustang that was all but demolished when Bolick lost control on rain-slicked Highway 221 north, crossed the median and collided head-on with a car carrying Jeffrey and Cynthia Bassett.
Cynthia Bassett, who lost her husband shortly after the crash, said the couple had plans to go out to dinner that night. She is currently at a rehabilitation center, where she must learn to walk again.
Highway Patrol investigators have located a Chevrolet Camaro that left McDowell Fire and Rescue College at the same time as Bolick’s car, and spoken to the two 17-year-old junior firefighters who were in it. Officers said the two teens have admitted that they were racing and did not stop after the crash.
So far, neither has been charged.
Earlier article on FireNews.net regarding incident.
Primary Agency: Blowing Rock Fire Rescue
Source: wsoctv.com
Posted on Thu Apr 15 2010 at 4:49
> Headlines Summary > Clemmons Taco Bell Restaurant Destroyed By Fire
Clemmons Taco Bell Restaurant Destroyed By Fire
Forsyth County
CLEMMONS - Forsyth County firefighters extinguished a fire that broke out at the Taco Bell restaurant on Lewisville-Clemmons Road Monday evening, destroying most of the structure.
Authorities said they were called shortly after 10 p.m., and arrived to see smoke and fire pouring from the building. Several customers and employees who were inside were able to escape uninjured.
Forsyth County Deputy Fire Marshal Tim Whicker said the employees noticed smoke coming from the vents, then went outside and saw the flames on the roof. Whicker said it appeared that the fire started somewhere in the attic area of the building.
Clemmons Fire Department Chief Jerry Brooks said it took firefighters 90 minutes to get the fire under control. Crews didn’t clear the scene until 3:15 a.m., Brooks said.
Whicker said investigators were at the scene on Tuesday, trying to determine what caused the fire.
Whicker said because of heavy air conditioning units on the roof, the building was deemed unsafe for investigators. A crane was being brought in to remove the units.
Whicker said it was too early to determine a cost of the damage.
Primary Agency: Clemmons Fire Department
Source: wxii12.com
Posted on Wed Apr 14 2010 at 12:03
> Headlines Summary > New Bern Restaurant Fire
New Bern Restaurant Fire
Craven County
NEW BERN - The owner of La Fontana Restaurant and Bistro at Berne Square, 2602 Dr. M.L. King Jr. Blvd., said he was saddened and devastated that his eatery was destroyed by fire Tuesday morning.
Owner Gianni Vitale was at the scene watching as fire investigators and State Bureau of Investigation agents made their first entry into the heat- and smoke-damaged building around 10 a.m.
New Bern Fire Chief Bobby Aster said the fire call came in at 5 a.m.
“When firefighters arrived, there was fire, heavy heat and smoke coming from the building,” Aster said. “The origin of the fire appears to be in the rear of the building. The cause has not been determined. We are still investigating.”
Aster said the SBI is called when commercial buildings are involved in fires.
Township 7 and West of New Bern volunteer fire departments assisted.
Aster said the fire was quickly put out.
Vitale said the restaurant, which he has operated for two years, was closed on Monday.
Two of the restaurant’s six employees, Jennifer Ben-Selma and Michelle Nazario, watched as New Bern firefighters mopped up after the fire.
Ben-Selma has worked at the restaurant for nearly a year. “This is so awful. I don’t know what I will do now,” she said. “The food was good and the customers were very nice.”
Nazario said it was a wait-and-see-what-happens situation.
Vitale said he didn’t know anything yet.
“I will wait for the investigation,” Vitale said. “I don’t have any clue at all as to what happened. I want to reopen. We have been here for two years. I am insured. I plan to reopen.”
Primary Agency: New Bern Fire Department
Source: New Bern Sun Journal
Posted on Wed Apr 14 2010 at 11:56
> Headlines Summary > Brunswick Firefighters Admit to Setting Fires
Brunswick Firefighters Admit to Setting Fires
Brunswick County
BRUNSWICK COUNTY - Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office charged Bobby Harris, 20, and Danny Russel, 18, of Supply’s Volunteer Fire Department and Miranda Garland, 18, of Civietown Volunteer Fire Department with setting woods fires and conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor.
After two witnesses gave sworn statements to the Supply and Civietown Fire Departments, both departments launched an internal investigation.
According to Civietown Fire Department, investigators approached the three volunteers and had confessions within an hour.
Both departments say the volunteers were going out, setting small fires in the county and then coming back to the station to put them out with fellow firefighters.
“We wasted a lot of money,” said Civietown Fire Department assistant chief Mark Hewitt. “A lot of taxpayer money doing the calls that our guys and gals were lighting themselves.”
“So we took it to heart and that’s why we went ahead and proved it,” he said. “And then gave it to the sheriff’s office.”
The two fires were set off of Green Swamp Road and Gilbert Road in Brunswick County.
Primary Agency: Supply Volunteer Fire Department
Source: wwaytv3.com
Posted on Tue Apr 13 2010 at 12:13
> Headlines Summary > Obsolete Wilmington Fire Station to be Replaced
Obsolete Wilmington Fire Station to be Replaced
New Hanover County
WILMINGTON - In the mid-1960s firefighters rushed down the street in open-cab trucks. But over the years, equipment has gotten bigger, so much so that officials say the Wilmington Fire Department’s 45-year-old station at Empie Park barely has enough clearance for the modern vehicles that rush in and out.
The need for more space is one reason why WFD plans to demolish its oldest station and build a new one in the same spot at 3403 Park Avenue.
WFD Assistant Chief Mickey Higgins said he hopes work on the estimated $2.4 million project will be under way some time this summer, though no timeline has been set.
The Wilmington City Council took a first step toward building a new station last week when it awarded a $168,300 contract to Gage Architects of Wilmington to design the station.
Gage has designed other Wilmington fire stations including the new Seagate station on Oleander Drive which opened in 2008.
That new Empie Park station will be similar to the Seagate station, officials said.
The design phase could take four of five months, and the city will seek bids for construction after that, said Steve Bridges, an assistant to the city manager.
Several years ago, an outside contractor assessed the city’s stations and said five of Wilmington’s 11 stations need to be replaced, Higgins said.
Plans are currently in the works for only the Empie Park station.
In recent years, the Empie Park station has dealt with everything from sewer backups to termites and mold, but fire officials say they addressed those problems as they came up.
WFD Public Information Officer David Hines said the Empie Park station is small and obsolete. It has two equipment bays, leaving EMS-workers to park their vehicle outside.
Without separate dorms, women firefighters can’t work at the station past 10 p.m., he said.
Also, units with more equipment, like HAZMAT and Tactical Rescue, don’t operate out of the Empie Park station because there isn’t room to store all the equipment.
The new station will have three equipment bays and larger doors to give firefighters more room to operate.
Primary Agency: Wilmington Fire Department
Source: starnewsonline.com
Posted on Mon Apr 12 2010 at 16:53
> Headlines Summary > Charlotte Firefighters Investigate String Of Arsons
Charlotte Firefighters Investigate String Of Arsons
Mecklenburg County
CHARLOTTE - Arson investigators are looking for clues in a string of fires in Charlotte.
Five different fires in Northeast Charlotte broke out in less than 12 hours, and they all happened within dozens of feet of one another, officials said.
The Charlotte Fire Department said the fires are all likely connected and were all intentionally set between 8:30 p.m. Saturday and 7:30 a.m. Sunday.
A shed, three vehicles and the side of an apartment unit were all set on fire near East W.T. Harris Boulevard and The Plaza.
“We looked outside and we saw flames out of the back of the truck,” said Charles Hill who is one of the victims.
Hill perhaps got it the worse. Hill’s pickup truck, which actually belongs to his brother-in-law, was one of the three vehicles torched. And it was the side of his apartment building that was set on fire.
The truck’s back window was apparently busted out and then lit on fire, he said. The inside of the cab was completely blackened and melted.
As for the side of his apartment unit being set on fire, Hill said his 2-year-old son could have been killed.
“My son’s window is right there. I had to rush in the house and get him out the bed,” said Hill.
Another victim, Giftey Boateng, was concerned about the fires.
“I don’t know what’s going on,” said Boateng. Three months ago Boateng’s car windows were busted out. She said it appears twigs were stuffed in through the sunroof and set ablaze.
Her car was also one of the three vehicles torched at her apartment complex, but she is keeping a positive outlook.
“There’s more to life. There’s better things to think of. It’s just a car so we’re OK,” said Boateng.
A $10,000 reward is being offered to anyone who can give them information leading to the arrest. If an arrest is made, the person could face first degree arson charges.
The fire department also said the fires caused roughly $100,000 in damage.
Anyone with information pertaining to these fires is asked to call the Charlotte Fire Investigation Task Force at 704-336-3970 or Crimestoppers at 704-334-1600.
Primary Agency: Charlotte Fire Department
Source: wscotv.com
Posted on Mon Apr 12 2010 at 3:48
> Headlines Summary > Causes of Asheville Apartment Fire, Home Explosion Still Unknown
Causes of Asheville Apartment Fire, Home Explosion Still Unknown
Buncombe County
ASHEVILLE - Arson investigators say a Friday night fire that scorched six units at River Ridge Apartments appears to have been accidental, but its cause may remain undetermined.
Investigators identified several possible causes for the fire, which started on the back deck of a second-story unit, but they can’t verify any of them or rule any of them out, said Buddy Thompson, head of the Asheville Buncombe Arson Task Force.
No one was hurt in the fire, but a dozen occupants of the 12-unit building were left homeless by it.
Investigators also haven’t identified the cause of an explosion Saturday that destroyed an empty home on Pleasant Ridge Drive and they won’t be able to comb through the ruins until Tuesday, Thompson said.
Primary Agency: Asheville Fire Department
Source: citizen-times.com
Posted on Mon Apr 12 2010 at 3:41
> Headlines Summary > Orange County Barn Fire Kills 13 Horses
Orange County Barn Fire Kills 13 Horses
Orange County
ORANGE COUNTY - Orange County officials said that 13 horses were lost in a fire that broke out in a barn on Marions Ford Road, northwest of Chapel Hill, early Thursday.
A call about the fire at 2006 Marions Ford Road was placed at 3:37 a.m., EMS workers said. The barn was a total loss.
Nine horses were safely moved from an adjacent barn. No person was injured in the fire.
The fire spread from the barn into about 2 acres of surrounding woods. Fire officials said the flames in the woods were spotty and scattered.
The Orange Grove, White Cross, Carrboro, New Hope and Orange Rural fire departments battled the fire. South Orange Rescue and the North Carolina Forestry Services also responded.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation.
Primary Agency: Orange Grove Fire Department
Source: wral.com
Posted on Thu Apr 08 2010 at 10:43
> Headlines Summary > Firefighters Injured, Apparatus Lost
Firefighters Injured, Apparatus Lost
Jackson County
JACKSON COUNTY - Three firefighters are injured while battling a massive fire in Jackson County.
It’s happening in the Qualla community surrounding Bradley Branch Road.
Crews on the scene tell us the first call came in at about 2:30 p.m.
Since then, they’ve lost two fire trucks to the flames as well as a North Carolina forest service vehicle.
Three firefighters were hurt. We’re told two of them had minor injuries and were treated on the scene. A third was flown to Mission Hospital in Asheville.
There’s no word on his condition.
Primary Agency:
Source: wlos.com
Posted on Wed Apr 07 2010 at 22:14
> Headlines Summary > Zebulon Fire Station 2 on the Drawing Boards
Zebulon Fire Station 2 on the Drawing Boards
Wake County
ZEBULON - As the town grows, so must its resources.
For that reason, construction of a second fire station is slated to begin next year.
Fire station No. 2 is scheduled for 2011 at a cost of $2.03 million for the construction of a new station on Green Pace Road. The project was placed at the top of the list in the town’s Capital Improvement Plan for 2010 based on projected residential and commercial growth north of U.S. Highway 64 /264, and to maintain the town’s insurance rating of 3 out of 10.
The station is planned to serve that area north of town, as well as western and eastern Zebulon.
The most expensive of the Capital Improvement projects included in this year’s plan, the $2 million cost will fund the construction of a station approximately 5,000 square feet in size, with two bays with vehicle exhaust systems, energy efficient equipment where possible, and an office and sleeping area to facilitate 24-hour shifts. Also, some equipment from the current fire station is planned to be used in the new station.
Zebulon staff hopes to receive funding from Wake County and other outside sources to pay for the station, which is scheduled to be financed over a 10-year period. According to town staff, a $30,000 preliminary engineering report, including cost estimates, site layout and conditions, and utilities, will be the first step in the process in 2011.
Zebulon Fire Chief Sidney Perry said the need for the new station is simple - there is more growth projected north of Zebulon in the future, and the time it takes his trucks to get to those residences and businesses needs to remain as low as possible.
“The number one reason is quick response. The quicker you can get to a call the chance of saving a life or a house is better,” Perry said. “Secondly, the ISO rating is important. We’re trying to keep our rating at 3, which is a very good rating. The lower the number, the better the premium for insurance, which ultimately could affect businesses and homes.”
He added there’s a four-lane highway between the current fire station and the areas north of town, and station No. 2 would keep response times as low as possible.
“We’re just about on the south side of town, and most the growth is going north right now,” Perry said. “There’s also a shopping center proposed out there, as well as all those homes that some time in the future will be filled out. The closer you are the better service you can provide in an emergency situation.”
Perry said even though many homes in the new developments are not occupied, the infrastructure is in place and that’s the determining factor in maintaining the insurance rating.
“Because of the number of hydrants we have in the ground they say we need a second station,” Perry said, pointing toward subdivisions like Weaver’s Pond and Taryn Meadows as playing big roles. “Whether occupied or not, you have to have a station to provide service to all anticipated or projected growth that will come in the future.”
Three new jobs are also expected to be filled to man the new station. Like the funding of the station construction, the town is applying for grants to help pay the three future firefighters.
Primary Agency: Zebulon Fire Department
Source: easternwakenews.com
Posted on Wed Apr 07 2010 at 17:32
> Headlines Summary > Problems Persist With Radio System in Columbus County
Problems Persist With Radio System in Columbus County
Columbus County
COLUMBUS COUNTY - A $70,000-plus patch of a component of the county’s emergency communications system is not finalized and problems persist with emergency communications across Columbus County. “We still have some audio issues that we are working out,” County Emergency Services Director Jeremy Jernigan said Tuesday. Both an old and replacement segment of the system housed at the 9-1-1 center plays a major role in sending and receiving communications from fire, rescue and police are “tied together.”
Jernigan had hoped the new system could be working independently by now but “issues with the recording system” have prevented that.
Messy, unidentifiable wiring that has accumulated over more than a decade at the center complicates the installation, Jernigan said.
“We are just trying to figure out all of the wiring,” Jernigan said. “It is something that can be worked out; I just have to get the right people.”
Jernigan said an engineer and technician worked on the problem late into Tuesday night but there appear to be more problems than resources.
“We find a problem and two more pop up,” Jernigan said.
While audio distortion issues may be related to the two components running side-by-side, Jernigan said issues with pages not being received he feels “is an outside issue.” Jernigan said radio crews have been trying to diagnose the problem.
Jernigan proposed less than a month ago that the county replace the entire radio and 9-1-1 center communication equipment. Originally estimated at roughly $2 million, Jernigan has excluded the addition of more radio channels from the proposal until a review committee can make a recommendation on that aspect of the proposed project.
One phase of the proposal calls for $680,000 in 9-1-1 telephone fees from the state to upgrade and replace devices, work stations and other components at the 9-1-1 center. The county’s share of that project would be $46,000 and $3,000 for service fees annually.
Another phase is related to radio communications. Jernigan is requesting $650,000 from the county to cover the cost of those upgrades. Roughly half could possibly come from existing funds in the department’s budget, Jernigan said. The emergency services director is also requesting $65,000 annually for system upkeep and maintenance.
The current system dates back to the original 9-1-1 center and the county has been unable to find a contractor that will provide a maintenance agreement for the equipment, due to its age.
“The radio system improvement is ongoing,” Jernigan said. “When people call to tell me there is a problem I try to take action and get it fixed.” Jernigan said the paging system is setting off tones to squads to dispatch them but they are distorted.
“They don’t sound the way they normally sound,” Jernigan said. “We are trying to fix it. It’s just that there is a lot to try to fix with limited resources.”
Primary Agency: Columbus County 911
Source: whiteville.com
Posted on Wed Apr 07 2010 at 11:38
> Headlines Summary > Fire at Morrow Mountain State Park
Fire at Morrow Mountain State Park
Montgomery County
MORROW MOUNTAIN - The forest fire in Morrow Mountain State Park that started Sunday morning was under control by Monday morning, but firefighters will be on the scene Monday night and all day Tuesday, said Brian Simpson, Stanly County Emergency Services director.
Simpson said about 20 fire departments from Stanly, Montgomery and Rowan counties and the N. C. Forest Service, with more than 100 firefighters at various times, worked to contain the fire. Units responding from Montgomery County were Lake Tillery, Uwharrie, Mt. Gilead and Pekin fire departments.
Morrow Mountain State Park is located in Stanly County on the border of Montgomery County on Lake Tillery.
By Sunday evening, the fire was contained. Simpson said the fire was confined to about 65 acres of state park land. No structures were involved.
Simpson said the firefighters were able to contain the fire under the difficult conditions of being in woodlands on rough terrain.
Monday, firefighters had stopped the spot fires that had jumped the fire lines and were allowing the back fires to burn out.
Simpson said the forest service had personnel on the scene and air support was on standby in case of flare ups.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Primary Agency: NCFS
Source: http://www.courier-tribune.com/story/2010/04/05/fire_morrow_mountain_state_park
Posted on Wed Apr 07 2010 at 11:32
> Headlines Summary > Firefighters Battle Flames Outside of General Store
Firefighters Battle Flames Outside of General Store
Rowan County
SALISURY - Firefighters battled flames outside a Salisbury general store early Tuesday morning.
The fire broke out in front of the Okey Dokey general store on Innes Street at 2 a.m.
Firefighters said it started in a covered wagon that is in front of the store.
The fire damaged the store’s awning and the front of the building.
All of Salisbury’s four fire departments responded to the fire, along with firefighters from Miller’s Ferry, Granite Quarry, Franklin and Spencer.
Investigators are still trying to determine how the fire started.
Primary Agency: Salisbury Fire Department
Source: wsoctv.com
Posted on Tue Apr 06 2010 at 10:41
> Headlines Summary > Rewards Few for Fayetteville Firefighters
Rewards Few for Fayetteville Firefighters
Cumberland County
FAYETTEVILLE - Fayetteville firefighters aren’t in the news all that often. When they are, it’s usually because they’ve fought valiantly to save a fire-ravaged building or rescue an auto accident victim.
These unheralded but courageous men and women respond to fires and numerous medical emergencies every day. Mix in the occasional hazardous materials spill, natural gas leak, river rescue or building collapse, and you have a typical tour of duty for Fayetteville’s 333 full-time firefighters. They are well trained and prepared for anything. They go to work every day prepared to risk their lives for us.
As our city has grown through annexation over the last several years, fire protection has improved remarkably. The exploding west side is now served by three fire stations, whereas prior to annexation a single station was in the first response area. On the north side, the city’s newest firehouse is under construction to augment two other stations that serve that area. Until it comes on line, firefighters are operating out of a comfortable, temporary building on Andrews Road. Service on the east side of town also has improved with the addition of an engine company at Central Station, whose first response area is east of the river.
Short-changed
I recently had occasion to visit several fire stations to renew acquaintances with Fayetteville’s finest. To a man (and a woman), the crews with whom I spoke are upbeat and proud to serve their city, despite having to suffer through a down economy without a pay raise like the generous increase granted their police brethren.
The city’s current payroll plan is unprecedented. Never before has a City Council treated one public safety department differently from the other. And, unfortunately, the morale of the Fayetteville Fire Department has suffered. This too is unprecedented.
The Police Department got a major pay raise this fiscal year in yet another futile effort by a frustrated City Council to entice officers not to leave. It did little to close the turnover gap, but significantly widened the payroll gap. Rookie police officers now earn $3,300 a year more than starting firefighters. On average, the Police Department has 25 vacancies any given month. On the other hand, the Fire Department doesn’t have that problem. Its members historically make the fire service a career, and now they’re paying a price for their loyalty.
In my experience, I don’t recall a single instance in which a member of the Fayetteville Fire Department has brought discredit or embarrassment to his profession or the city. So why have they been slighted?
More than one city councilman told me that because the Fire Department’s staff is stable, they don’t need a pay raise. To that, discouraged firefighters must conclude that to get ahead in Fayetteville they need to be crybabies.
It’s a sad commentary that the council feels it has to bribe police officers with higher wages in hopes they won’t leave, while it disrespects firefighters because they’re loyal. Adding insult to injury, starting firefighters aren’t even paid as much as civilian crash investigators. They make about as much as 911 dispatchers.
Insurance rating
Ironically, it’s out of character for Fayetteville city government not to be supportive of the Fire Department. Funding for equipment, additional fire stations and needed personnel has enabled the department to achieve a Class 2 Public Protection Classification from the National Insurance Services Office. The ISO gathers information on municipal fire protection in more than 44,000 jurisdictions throughout the United States, and assigns Public Protection Classifications from 1 to 10, one being the very best.
Fayetteville’s Fire Department has worked hard to maintain its Class 2 rating, placing it among the highest-rated departments in the state. No other major North Carolina city, save one, is rated higher - not Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham or Winston-Salem. Only five fire departments of any size in North Carolina match Fayetteville’s rating. Greensboro has the state’s only Class 1 department.
Why is the ISO rating important? Insurance companies use the classifications to underwrite and set homeowners and commercial property insurance rates. Generally, the price of fire insurance in a community with a good classification is substantially lower than in a community with a poor rating. The cost of business and industrial insurance varies significantly with the slightest movement in ISO classifications.
Departmental budget proposals are already put together for the upcoming fiscal year. The city manager will be hard-pressed to improve on anyone’s wages, given the continuing downturn in tax collections.
But as he prepares his budget, here’s something more for the manager to think about: U.S. House Resolution 413 was introduced earlier this year and is now pending in committee. It provides collective bargaining rights for state and local public safety employees. The bill would grant firefighters the right to form and join labor organizations. It would have no effect on state right-to-work laws, because city employees are prohibited from going on strike. Passage would, however, allow employees to negotiate wages and benefits and enter into binding arbitration with their cities.
H.R. 413 is supported by the Obama administration and liberal Democrats - the same bunch that got health care reform through Congress. Food for thought as the Fayetteville City Council considers how to make things right with our city’s bravest.
Primary Agency: Fayetteville Fire Department
Source: fayetteville observer.com
Posted on Mon Apr 05 2010 at 16:49
> Headlines Summary > Clayton Daycare Fully Involved on Arrival, Deemed Suspicious
Clayton Daycare Fully Involved on Arrival, Deemed Suspicious
Johnston County
CLAYTON - Building Blocks, a daycare under construction on Vinson Road in Clayton, caught fire early Monday. Fire crews have deemed it “suspicious.”
Several people called 911 to report the flames around 3:50 a.m. No one was hurt, and there was no word on what caused the blaze.
However, nearby homes under construction have been set on fire in recent months and Powhatan Elementary School, across the street from the daycare, suffered a rash of vandalism in January and February.
Building Blocks owner Lois Stephenson said she has been nervous about arson in the area recently and decided to install aerial lights.
“We were hoping they would be a deterrent to whatever was going on. Also the police have been very diligent about providing surveillance to the area,” she said. “I’m really angry and just so sad about the whole thing.”
Authorities told Stephenson that an officer was across the street in the Powhatan Elementary parking lot about 30 minutes before the fire was called in.
“So they’ve been doing their job,” Stephenson said. “They were keeping things looked after, but where there is evil it has a way of getting in.”
Stephenson said she planned to have her daughter serve as director of the daycare, which was scheduled to open Aug. 1 with 200 children and 35 staff members. She has insurance and plans to rebuild.
“(It’s) just a matter of when the insurance adjusters say I can begin and we’ll be ready to go again,” Stephenson said.
Primary Agency: Clayton Fire Department
Source: wral.com
Posted on Mon Apr 05 2010 at 8:47
> Headlines Summary > Crews Battle Large Wildfire in Jackson County, Another Blaze in Transylvania County
Crews Battle Large Wildfire in Jackson County, Another Blaze in Transylvania County
Jackson County
TUCKASEGEE - Fire crews Sunday night continued to battle a wildfire in Jackson County that had burned 30 acres and was expected to consume 100 before stopping.
The blaze, which appears to have been sparked by an afternoon debris burn, quickly spread across rocky, steep terrain in the vicinity of N.C. 281 and N.C. 107, said Jonathan McCall, of the N.C. Division of Forest Resources.
Firefighters and forestry officials were using planes, helicopters and bulldozers to contain the blaze, but the rough terrain was making it difficult to create a fire line to contain it, McCall said.
The fire was expected to grow to 100 acres before reaching the lines and several homes were being threatened by it, though none appeared to be in immediate danger Sunday night, he said.
Foresters also contained a 5-acre fire Sunday afternoon in the Rosman area of Transylvania County, which was also started by a debris burn, said Trent Duncan, a forester with the state forest service.
Today’s forecast calls for a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms, but conditions will mostly remain dry and warm in the 70s-80s for the next few days until the next strong chance of rain Thursday.
Primary Agency: NCFS
Source: citizen-times.com
Posted on Mon Apr 05 2010 at 8:30
> Headlines Summary > Maxton Poultry Plant Burns
Maxton Poultry Plant Burns
Robeson County
MAXTON - Smoke continued to pour from a poultry processing plant in Maxton early Friday, hours after the building caught fire.
More than a dozen fire departments responded to the fire at 21501 Charles Craft Lane, which was reported by one of the 15 workers inside the plant around 11:15 p.m. Thursday.
“It was fully involved on arrival,” Landisburg Fire Department Lt. Randy Gibson said.
The Fayetteville Regional Hazardous Materials team was called to handle an ammonia leak in the back of the building, Gibson said.
No injuries were reported.
Gibson said there appeared to be a lot of structural damage to the building.
The 61,000 square-foot building houses the Mechanically Separated Chicken Division of House of Raeford, according to the company’s Web site.
The House of Raeford manufactures turkey and chicken products. The facility in Maxton is one of four in North Carolina. Plants are also located in South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana and Michigan.
Primary Agency:
Source: wral.com
Posted on Fri Apr 02 2010 at 9:23
> Headlines Summary > Preliminary Plans Unveiled for Second Sunset Beach Firehouse
Preliminary Plans Unveiled for Second Sunset Beach Firehouse
Brunswick County
SUNSET BEACH - Initial design for a second fire station was outlined at a specially called town council meeting March 26.
Preliminary details for the future 7,297-square-foot station on Old Georgetown Road were presented by architect Scott Garner and engineer Michael Norton.
The town has been awarded a $1,494,103 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant to build the station on a 1.6-acre site behind the Sunset Commons center. The town paid $275,000 for the property.
The designers are working on utility-encroachment issues with NCDOT, which has indicated no extra roadwork is necessary.
“I’m just concerned about that corridor,” town councilman Lou DeVita said. “I don’t know what it’s going to do to traffic on that road that we experience today.”
Plans call for a two-bay station built to federally mandated environmental “green” specifications, including solar water heating, levels of insulation, vehicle exhaust and Energy Star requirements. Garner said the building is designed to be durable for the next 50 years.
“As long as it falls within the allotted budget,” town councilwoman Carol Scott said.
Sewer will be tied in to a public line at the intersection down the right-of-way to N.C. 904.
Garner said grant requirements also call for landscaping using native trees that will survive without permanent irrigation.
Town administrator Gary Parker said the type of façade also needs to be determined.
“Whatever looks good at the cheapest cost,” Scott said.
Councilwoman Karen Joseph said it should fit in with the town’s general ambience.
Garner said they would work with Sunset Beach Fire Chief Chris Barbee on developing sketches, including council’s indicated preference for a drive-thru that may not be possible on the site.
“Once we have a design we’re comfortable with, and the chief feels it meets long-term needs, then we’ll bring back to council a design for your approval,” Garner said, estimating it will take three to four weeks.
Primary Agency: Sunset Beach Fire Department
Source: brunswickbeacon.com
Posted on Thu Apr 01 2010 at 15:48
> Headlines Summary > Fire Damages Bar Near UNCW
Fire Damages Bar Near UNCW
Photo Courtesy wwaytv3.com
New Hanover County
WILMINGTON - Fire investigators say a fire in a trash caused a blaze this morning at a Wilmington bar. It happened at the Sandbar in University Landing Shopping Center on South College Road near UNCW around 7:30 a.m.
It took firefighters about fifteen minutes to put out the fire. Investigators say the fire was accidental and started in a trash can behind the bar. No one was hurt .
Because the Sandbar is in a strip mall, firefighters say a fire like this has the potential to be very dangerous.
“The attic is a common space with some fire breaks in there, and given the nature of the fire, it could have been a lot worse than it actually was,” Capt. Tim Smith of the Wilmington Fire Department said. “They made a quick knock-down.”
Investigators estimate the building suffered about $100,000 worth of damage plus another $75,000 worth of damage to stuff inside. There was also some fire damage at Wasabi Sushi next door.
Primary Agency: Wilmington Fire Department
Source: wwaytv.com
Posted on Thu Apr 01 2010 at 15:42
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