History

Since 1959, Bay Leaf community members serve as volunteer firemen with Stony Hill. But need grows for a separate fire department on "this side of the river." ^bfdh

1961, meeting called of all residents of community at Bay Leaf Recreation Club, some 120 families, to organize volunteer fire department.  Stony Hill Fire Chief Owen Ray and offer's his department's support. Agreements are made to draw new boundaries with Bay Leaf taking over some of the Stony Hill's area. The river is designating as the line. Members of the Steering Committee volunteer to make preliminary plans and meet again on July 25. (July 18, 1961)^bfdh

1961, frequent meetings held through the fall.  Boundaries are established, officers are elected, and fire equipment is listed^bfdh

1961, first fire engine is borrowed from Stony Hill. ^bfdh

1961, first fire station is a single bay in multi-bay building at 11717 (?) Six Forks Road owned by Ollie Holliday, present site of vegetable stand next to Fire Station One^bfdh

1961, incorporated by the first Board of Directors as Bayleaf Volunteer Fire Department, Incorporated on August 4, 1961.  Later renamed Bay Leaf Volunteer Fire Department, Incorporated. ^{sos, bfdh}

Board of Director members:

• L. H. Davis
• Ollie Holliday
• Irvin Jackson
• Bill Parker
• George Norwood

with first officers subsequently named:

• George Lobinger, Fire Chief
• John Grimes, Assistant Fire Chief
• Ed Grice and Bill Parker, Captains
• Hazel Bailey, Treasurer
• and Susan Lobinger, Secretary^bfdh

Membership dues established as $10.00 per household per year.  Wake County Board of Commissioners appropriates $100.00 a month in support.  Most of the initial funds are spent in September to purchase a fire horn. ^bfdh

Beginning a tradition that has continued to present day, an addition is added to the annual bazaar which has supported the Bay Leaf Recreation Club for years. A portion of the proceeds go to support  the fire department. A profit of $944.00 is realized from the sale of raffle tickets for a 1956 Plymouth automobile at Christmas.^bfdh

Used truck is purchased and rebuilt as pumper. This every-night-of-the-week work of the firefighters results in the formation of another club to support the needs of the fire department, the WOLF Club, Widows of Living Money.  Club members raise money through such efforts as collecting trash for radio contests and selling household cleaners, cards, candy, and even fresh fish.^bfdh

1967, special fire tax established within district.  Fire department no longer operates on membership fees.^bfdh

1967, first fire station constructed at 11617 Six Forks Road, at the intersection of Six Forks and Norwood roads.  Department borrows $6,970 for same, increasing operating budget from below $5,000 a year to over $10,000 a year.^bfdh

1970's, apparatus purchases: pumper and tanker.  Fire department borrows money from the Farm Home Administration.

1970's (?), apparatus includes:

• Ford C Series / Bean pumper-tanker
• GMC / Pierce mini pumper
• Tanker purchased from New Hope^oh

1979 (?), apparatus delivery: 1979 Ford / FMC tanker

Early 1980's, land for new fire station at 11713 Six Forks Road donated by Ollie Holiday, one of the original Directors, and his wife.  Money again borrowed from Farm Home Administration.  Department budget now over $60,000 a year.^bfdh

1983, fire station dedication ceremony held at Fire Station One.  Event begins at 3:00 p.m. (October 9, 1983)^fdr

1983, Fire Chief is Hal Atkinson (October 9, 1983)^fdr

1985 (?), apparatus delivery: 1985 Pierce Dash pumper

1985 (?), apparatus delivery: 1985 Pierce Dash pumper / tanker

1986, apparatus delivery: chassis for brush truck delivered (April 1986)^fdr

1986 (?), apparatus delivery:  1986 Ford F-350 pick-up

1987 (?), apparatus delivery: 1987 Chevrolet Suburban

1989 (?), apparatus delivery: 1989 Pierce Lance pumper / tanker

1991 (?), apparatus delivery: 1991 E-One Cyclone rescue truck

1992 (?), apparatus delivery: 1992 Ford Super Duty brush truck

1992 (?), apparatus delivery: 1992 E-One Cyclone pumper / tanker

1993, Fire Station Two dedicated at 13116 Norwood Road ^fdws

1996 (?), apparatus delivery: 1996 Chevrolet Suburban

1999 (?), apparatus delivery:  1999 Pierce 105' rear-mount aerial w/1250 GPM pump and all-wheel steering

2002, absorbs Six Forks Fire Department.  Fire station at 1431 Lynn Road placed in service as Bay Leaf Fire Station Three (July 1, 2002)

2002, apparatus delivery: 2002 American LaFrance Eagle pumper/tanker, lettered for Six Forks Fire Department.  Placed in service at Station #3 as Unit 121 (August 2002)

See Wake County apparatus register.

• ^bfdh Bay Leaf Fire Department History, compiled by Susan Lobinger
• ^cfd Cary Fire Department records
• ^dah NC Department of Archives and History
• ^fdr Fire department records
• ^oh Oral history
• ^rt Raleigh Times
• ^sos NC Department of the Secretary of State
• ^wcfa Wake County Firemen's Association records

Last updated: June 10, 2004

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Copyright 2008 by Michael J. Legeros