Come On Out & Join Us!

Come join us on Wednesday, June 2, beginning at 6:00 p.m., for the Bessinger's Car Show at Bessinger's BBQ on the Charleston 9 Memorial Highway. We will be there with Engine 11, "Big Red", our Fire Chief's car, and of course, the "Never Forget" Camaro. You can enjoy good food, listen to a live band, and see tons of great cars and trucks on display!

Please Help Us Out!

The CFD Wives' Club will be hosting a food drive for The Salvation Army at the Charleston 9 Remembrance Picnic on Sunday, June 6, 2010 at Brittlebank Park. If possible, please bring a non-perishable food item to donate. Hope to see everyone there!

Good Bye to a Friend......

It is especially difficult to share with you that Engineer Sammy White, CFD Retired, passed away today at his home in Charleston. Sammy joined the CFD in June, 1966 and served until July, 1991. He served the majority of his career in the truck house and was the driver of Truck 5 upon his retirement. I first became friends with Sammy in my twenties when he drove for Captain Phil Hawkins. He would take me under his wing when I visited Coming Street and he taught me a great deal about pride in the job and brotherhood among firefighters. Little did I know that many years later, when I would return to the fire service to work in the counseling unit, Sammy and I would renew our friendship in the CFD Retirees’ “Hooked Up” program. I last spoke to him at Engine 8’s 100th anniversary party two weeks ago. Sammy and I would laugh about the “old days” and I always called him the best “wheel man” I ever knew. Sammy could put Truck 5 in the most narrow of alleys and shortest of streets without hesitation. He was truly a “truckman” in every sense. Our most sincere condolences go out to Ms. Pearl and the entire family. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time.

Engines 108 & 115 are in the House!!

The new Engines 108 and 115 were delivered today to the CFD. This has been a long-awaited day for the department and they represent the latest in firefighting technology. Hats off to the apparatus committee who worked long and hard to spec these trucks and thanks to Capt. Brian Kropp for these great photos!

Congratulations to the Newlyweds!!

We are always pleased to support our firefighters any time we can and on May 15, we were honored to have Engine 11 transport Firefighter Josh Graham and his new wife, Mandy during their wedding on Charleston's Battery. Josh is a firefighter in the North Charleston Fire Department and his mother, Ann, is the Chief of IOPFD. Congratulations to Josh and Mandy on their special day. Also thanks to CFST Peer Counselor Joe Johnston for being their "wheel man"!

Sertoma Club of Summerville Louis Mulkey Golf Tournament a Success!

This past Saturday, May 22, Engine 11 was called into service once again for the 1st Annual Sertoma Club of Summerville Louis Mulkey Scholarship Golf Tournament at the Pine Forest Country Club in Summerville. Engine 11 was on display during the tournament and "Lil Red", our golf cart, was used for the guests of honor, Michael and Ann Mulkey, Louis' parents.

The Loss of a Good Friend.....

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Captain Jack Young, CFD Retired.  Captain Jack passed away today after a long illness.  He will always be remembered as a good man, and a Captain who  prepared his firefighters for the job.  I was blessed to have met him early in my career when he was at Station 12.   Thank you, Captain Jack, for sharing your love of the job with us all. You will be missed.

CFD Huger Street/Engine 8 Celebrate 100th Anniversary!

We celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the CFD Huger Street/Engine 8 Station today with many members of the CFD and the community in attendance. Thanks to the men of Engine 108 for their hospitality!

Congratulations to Our CFD Kids!!

This is a special time of year to congratulate all of our CFD kids who are graduating. Whether it's preschool, elementary school, middle school, high school or college, we are proud of them all. Special congratulations to all the Moms and Dads, or other folks, who have guided these young people each day as they have reached this special time in their lives!!

What's Cooking in the Garage?

As you know, we have several vehicles in our Team for our public outreach programs. Well, after our recent appearance at the Fallen Firefighters' Survivors' Poker Run, we were, once again, bitten by the bug! Catch a glimpse of the next addition to come. Don't want to tell you too much yet, but it will be red!!! Hope to have it ready for the Fire-Rescue Conference in Myrtle Beach.

Sertoma Club of Summerville to Present First Annual Louis Mulkey Dinner & Golf Tournament!

The Sertoma Club of Summerville is presenting its' first Annual Louis Mulkey Dinner & Golf Tournament on May 21 & 22, 2010, at the Pine Forest Country Club. Dinner will be on Friday, May 21, at 7:00 p.m. and the golf tournament will tee off at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Click on the heading above for more information!

A Mother's Day Tribute

Years ago, when I was a young boy, my Daddy taught me that success in my life would be measured by the influence of many women, whether it be my mother, my future wife, sisters, daughters, granddaughters, friends, co-workers or others that came into and through my daily existence. My mother, Mary Mishoe, continually showed me just how right he was as I enjoyed her love and guidance for many, many years. Today is a day we honor our mothers and I have always observed it as a day to say thank you to all of you that are such a special part of my life. Thanks to my other Moms, Betsy and Vada, my wife, MoJo, whom I could not live without, my sister, LuAnn, whom I love dearly, my daughters, Leigh-Leigh, Heather, Lisa and Stephanie, my other “daughters”, Elena, Jessie, Jessica and Nikki, all who make me proud each day to be their Dad, my granddaughters, Haley and Chase, who give my life special meaning, my co-workers, Cupcake and Munch, who make a working day as fun as ever, all of our CFD wives and mothers, the Charleston 9 women, mothers, wives, fiancées and sisters, who continue to show great courage and, most of all, to my Momma, Mary, who left us some years ago but continues to live on with me each day with her beautiful spirit.

Happy Mother’s Day, I love you all and thanks for being a part of my life!

Gerald

Remembering Our CFD Families.....

We have many friends and family members of the CFD in the flooded areas of the Tennessee and Kentucky region. Please keep all of them in your thoughts and prayers in the days ahead.

Engine 11 has been is heavy demand lately and the old clutch was beginning to give up.  Thanks to Mr. Dennis Slagle, the CEO of Mack Trucks, Inc. and Wayne Geiger, Vice President of Hughes Motors here in Charleston, Engine 11 is getting a new clutch this week. Mack Trucks and Hughes Motors delivered Engine 11 to the Charleston Fire Department in December, 1960, almost 50 years ago and they wanted to support our efforts by helping us out.  Many thanks to Mack Trucks and to Hughes Motors for their donation. 

A Visit to the "House of Hook"

We finished off a big weekend by visiting Carolina Dragway, better known as the "House of Hook", to make some shakedown runs with the "Never Forget" Camaro.  We recently repowered our hot rod with a 632 cu. in. engine making over 1000 h.p.  We were pleased with the initial runs in the low 5 second range and wil travel to Darlington Dragway next weekend to run again. 

A Busy Weekend for our Team!

This has been a busy weekend as we began with Annie's wedding last night, participated in the Fallen Firefighters' Survivors Benefit Poker Run today and we're off to Carolina Dragway in Jackson, SC tomorrow to run the "Never Forget" Camaro. We were especially excited to be at the Poker run today with all our toys. Several of our CFD folks rode and our Team was able to donate $ 125.00 in race team t-shirts sales and our "Chariots of Fire" prints to the cause. What a great time in our  lives!!