Here are a pair of cheat sheets for downloading, listing the old numbers, new numbers, and station locations for the Raleigh fire units renumbered effective July 7. The document was created by myself. For more information on the change, read our prior posting.
+ 1 - 0 | § ¶1972 Fire Engine Meets 1972 Train EngineFrom a reader, here's a neat photo of a 1972 American LaFrance 1000 Series pumper and a 1972 Detroit Edison U30C locomotion. The fire engine formerly served Forest Hill, TX, and is privately owned by a collector. The train engine, located in Grandview, MO, was cosmetically restored earlier this year. The photo was taken the night before the latter was scrapped. Read about the restoration. Photo credit to the LaFrance owner. Great shot, they both look like toys. And, really, isn't that where it can start, for both kinds of firemen? Click to enlarge:
Reader Photo
The Fayetteville Observer has posted photos of last night's major fire at Douglas Byrd Middle School at 1616 Ireland Drive. The blaze started about 10:00 p.m. and destroyed the gymnasium. Read the Fayetteville Observer story, and view the slideshow of photos by Octavio Jones.
Fayetteville Observer/Octavio Jones photos
We have good news and bad news regarding the ScanAmerica site and the Wake County scanner archives. (See this previous posting, if we're speaking Greek.) The good news is that the archives have returned. The bad news is that they are practically impossible to find. (Even Mr. Blogger had to ask for directions.) To assist in this endeavor, we have created a page of instructions on accessing the Wake County scanner archives. It's linked from our photo site, and tells and shows exactly what you need to do. The steps are fairly simply, and should result in the archive feeds playing on your computer. Good luck and happy listening. Thanks as always to ScanAmerica, and the friendly souls who are providing the scanner feeds for listening!
There are stunning photos, and there are stunning photos. Des Moines Register photographer Andrea Meledez took this award-winner yesterday, as a construction worker hanging from a crane rescued a woman from the Des Moines River. Fire department rescue teams had already tried, but couldn't get close enough. The woman's male companion drowned, and was found further downstream. Read the story and see additional photos.
Des Moines Register/Andrea Melendez Photo
The Daily Courier has posted an entirely spectacular photo from this afternoon's big blaze in that destroyed a pallet plant in Rutherfordton. Fed by strong winds and piles of pallets, Carpenter Design at 217 Bell Street was destroyed. Every fire department in Rutherford County was on scene. Several firefighters were treated for heat exhauston, and one employee received serious burns. He was airlifted from Rutherford Hospital to a medical center in Winston-Salem. Read the web site story, which requires registration.
Daily Courier/Garrett Byers Photo
On the subject of things that happen when airborne, WRAL reports the cheeky story of a U.S. Airways flight from Charlotte that was diverted today after a passenger disrobed and dangled about the cabin. The reason for the clothes expulsion is not known. Adverse reaction to airline food? Peculiar protest to rising ticket prices? Misguided attempt to join the Mile High Club? After the in-flight exposure-- was he sitting in the tail section?-- the coach-class nudist was physically restrained. Cuffed in the buff, if you will. After landing in Albuquerque, Mr. Natural was arrested and taken in custody by the FBI. Unknown if he was issued a blanket, jacket, or fig leaf. No longer facing the moon, the flight continued onto Los Angeles, with remaining passengers presumably clothed, and bloggers everywhere cracking themselves up. The end.
WRAL Photo
Also from our morning review of the daily new, CNN inquires about how people survive airline crashes, such as a single child surviving from Tuesday's crash in the Indian Ocean. Since 1970 and not counting that incident, notes an expert, 12 airliner crashes were survived by a single person. The article also discusses the mechanics of how crashes are survived. Read the article. And if you're traveling today, then, well, happy flying!
+ 0 - 1 | § ¶Turf War at the Hot Dog CartFor your mid-week reading, today's New York Times reports on turf wars between street food vendors. In this corner are upscale food trucks, new to the city and operated by "culinary entrepreneurs." In the other corner are older vendors, who've operated their food carts1 for years or decades, and often at the same spot. There conflict covers the unwritten rules of street vending, as well as the black market for food vending permits. Fascinating story, and ready-made for a longer treatment. Book? Documentary? Mr. and Mrs. Blogger certainly can't wait to see and try these food trucks on their next visit (below photo from 2005 trip). Maybe there's a matzo ball bus up there. Read the article.
1On the subject of food carts, mentioned must be made of Lucky Dog hot dogs, sold on the streets of New Orleans, and famously and hilarious chronicled in John Kennedy Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces. What, you've never read the story of Ignatius J. Reilly, and his contempt for all things that pass his gaze? Read it immediately, and then read it again. You'll laugh out loud. Here's what Mike wrote about it, years ago. + 1 - 0 | § ¶Build Your Own Fire Truck
Found on the Carolinas Fire Page mailing list, here's a nifty application on the Rosenbauer site. It's called Truck Builder. Go nuts.
Numerous police cars patrol the Capitol City. City, county, state, capitol, college, hospital, shopping mall. Here's a new one, not seen before. Federal Protective Service. Are they common around Raleigh? Click to enlarge:
Here's another one for everyone. What's this truck that's pictured in terrifying close-up? Hint #1: It's red. Hint #2: It has at least four wheels.
Haven't found any news coverage (yet) of Saturday's major house fire at 7112 Starchase Lane in Fuquay-Varina, where heavy fire conditions were battled by crews from Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Fairview, and Northwest Harnett. What other fire departments were involved? Deluge operations were utilized, as well as tankers for water supply. The two-story, wood-frame residence with 2,304 square-feet is shown below. Dispatched at 3:56 p.m., the fire was controlled by 6:00 p.m. Readers, please add additional details. Updated at lunch with reader photos, taken of the wife of a Fuquay-Varina Fire Department. She arrived about 45 minutes into the incident. Click to enlarge:
Reader Photos
The Southern States Cooperative fertilizer plant at 525 S. Roberts Avenue in Lumberton burned this morning. Some 100 firefighters from Robeson and Bladen counties were on scene, including Lumberton, East Howellsville, Britt's, Allenton and Raft Swap, Elizabethtown, Tar Heel, Dublin, and Tobermory. The fire was reported about 9:40 a.m. The plant was empty and the gates were locked. No injuries, nor evacuations. The fire was controlled by early afternoon. Read this Daily Robesonian article, which includes additional photos.
Brian Duckworth / Daily Robesonian photo
Unit numbers are changing for a number of Raleigh fire units. Effective July 7, ladders, rescues, mini-pumpers, haz-mat, and the air truck are no longer numbered according to their station assignment. New sequential numbers will be used. Ladders 4, 11, 17, 1, 22, 24, 20, 26 become Ladders 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Rescues 19, 7, 14 become Rescue 1, 2, 3. And so on. A mapping table is shown below, along with a revised station map. Mike's pages will be updated accordingly. And watch for historical musings, as we trace the histories of those unit numbers going in or out of service. The city hasn't had a Rescue 1 since the 1970s, for example.
This change enhances fireground safety, reducing the number of duplicate unit numbers on scene. For example, Engine 1 and Ladder 1 to the same call. The change also aids eliminates equipment renumbering when a truck is moved to a new station. Reserve apparatus is not affected.
Additionally, Car 5 (Division Chief) and Car 10 (Training Chief) are swapping unit numbers. Car 10 is the Asst. Chief of Training and the change aligns Car 5 with the other Assistant Chiefs: Car 4 (Prevention), Car 3 (Services), Car 2 (Operations).
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Here's a reasonably replicated then and now photo from yesterday's birthday party at Raleigh Station 6. Left is circa 1950, courtesy of the North Carolina State Archives, and showing a 1922 American LaFrance service truck (left) and what's probably a 1925 or 1926 American LaFrance pumper (right). Right shows a 1950 Mack, and old Engine 4, a 1926 American LaFrance Type 75. How many differences between the pictures can you spot?
Next question, did old Engine 4 serve as Engine 6 for a period? That's one story that's been handed down. Engine 4 received its first FWD pumper on March 3, 1950. Engine 6 received its Mack pumper right around the same time. The 1950 Mack was delivered in March. Old Engine 4 might have been moved Station 6 for a stretch. To be determined. Click to enlarge either photo:
Here's Morrisville's new Pumper 3, photographed yesterday by Lee Wilson. Delivered on June 2, the 2009 Pierce Contender pumepr-tanker has a 1500 GPM Hale pump, 1,000 gallon tank, and 40 gallon foam cell with Husky foam system. Has two, count 'em two, hydraulic ladder racks, and carries a 1,500 gallon drop tank. There's a wetdown ceremony at Morrisville Station 2 on July 4. The engine will be placed in service at Morrisville Station 3/Cary Station 7. See more photos from Lee. There's also a picture on the Morrisville Fire Department web site.
Lee Wilson photo
Where is this marker that read "Durham Hwy?" For extra credit, tell a little about what's nearby.
These beauties were seen traveling through the Capitol City today, heading to and from Station 6, for the open house and birthday party. The Fairview Road fire station celebrated its 60th anniversary, and the turnout was great. Tons of people. Two pieces of antique apparatus were displayed, a 1926 American LaFrance pumper and a 1950 Mack pumper. They're pictured below, returning to their quarters at Station 28. Also in the picture is the building that housed the first Station 6. Located at 2519 Fairview Road and most recently housing a restaurant, half the building was rented for fire department use from 1943 to 1948. Photos forthcoming from Lee and Mike.
Another article about the Wake Forest/Falls merger was published this week by the Wake Forest Gazette. It includes a good amount of detail on the people, equipment, facilities, and territory involved. The article also includes information on Wake Forest Station 3. The Forestville Road facility will be staffed with three fighters per shift. Nine new Wake Forest firefighters graduated on Friday, June 19. How closely do the Gazette and Weekly articles align? We'll let our readers opine on factual or editorial differences. And it's just great to see coverage of Wake County fire department happenings in the news. Please keep the articles coming. Read the Gazette article.
+ 0 - 1 | § ¶Apex Station 4, Wake Forest Station 3Lee Wilson posted photos this week of Apex Public Safety Station 4 at 1615 E. Williams Street, e.g. Highway 55, and Wake Forest Fire Station 3 at 1412 Forestville Road. Both are nearing completion. See his photos.
Lee Wilson photos