"Engine 61" to Ride Again!

We have been fortunate to work out an arrangement with CFD Local 61 to acquire their old 1958 Mack B Model fire engine. It had been a part of the union for many years and up until the early 2000's was active in their program. It has been sitting up for several years and we will restore it and return it to duty in the CFD as part of our program and to recognize the contributions of all Local 61 members over the years.

As all of you know who follow our Team, we always give our vehicles a name or number to perpetuate their history and to give them a special identity in their work in our Team. "Engine 8", "Engine 11", "Big Red", and the "Never Forget" Camaro are all examples. We believe it is fitting to call this old Mack "Engine 61" in honor of Local 61, one of the oldest Locals of the International Association of Firefighters. We hope you all agree and will follow our progress as we begin this restoration.

Fire On Nunan Street!

Crews from Charleston, North Charleston, St. Andrews and James Island were called into town today for a fire on Nunan Street involving three houses. Fire began in an abandoned structure and quickly spread to the adjacent exposures before being stopped "dead in its' tracks" with an aggressive attack by "C" Shift, 3rd Battalion personnel backed up by our brothers and sisters from the other departments.

The Brotherhood

Some will say that “The Brotherhood” no longer exists in the Fire Service, but, my friends, it is alive and well in the Charleston Fire Department. Yes, we have our disagreements and sometimes we don’t even like one another very well, but when the times get tough, you all rise to the challenge, are there for one another, and truly show what “brotherhood” is all about. Brotherhood, you see, is not something you get with the badge, or is it issued with your uniforms. You must pay it forward and invest in each other in order to truly experience what is all about. Whether it is a trip out-of-town to pay your respects to another firefighter in a different state, attending the funeral of one of our own, packing a hospital waiting room in support of a brother and his family, or simply helping a brother clean up his yard when he is ill, it is, and will always be about the brotherhood. For any who don’t think it exists, look around you. You may be pleasantly surprised. Stand proud my friends, there is much to do in the future and the brotherhood cannot be taken away.

Services for Engineer Matthew Kinsey

The wake for CFD Engineer Matthew Kinsey, Retired, will be held at the Harleston Boags Funeral Home located at 121 Calhoun Street, Charleston, on Wednesday, December 14, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, December 15, beginning at 11:00 a.m., at the Centenary United Methodist Church located at 60 Wentworth Street in downtown Charleston.

The Beginning of the Christmas Season!

The past two weeks have been filled with a lot of holidays events and we have had great fun being a part of it! On December 1st, we participated in the Harleyville night time Christmas Parade where we unexpectedly won the second place trophy in the Fire Department Division. On Sunday, December 4th, we enjoyed a great time in the annual Christmas Parade with our Fire Department Kids. Our CFD Retirees' "Hooked Up" Christmas Program was held on Thursday, December 8th and over seventy folks brought toys to support the Salvation Army Toy Drive. They were treated to a delicious meal and an interesting program entitled "The Traditions and History of Christmas in Charleston", presented by Leigh Mishoe, of Sandlapper Water Tours. We followed that on Friday, December 9th, with the MUSC Employees' "Debi Kids" Toy Drive and Parade where we were honored to have the Grand Marshal and his family riding on Engine 11 with us. Saturday, December 10th, brought us to the St. Andrews Firefighter Community Assistance Fund Event to raise money for SAFCAF and the Carolina Children's Charity with "Photos with Santa" and a great pancake breakfast at Outback Steakhouse, West of the Ashley. We concluded our run today with the Summerville Christmas Parade. Special thanks to Capt. Demeail Seabrook and my daughter, Leigh, for handling some of the driving duties so we could get all of our big toys in the show. Thanks to all who worked so hard to make this an amazing start to the holidays!

The Passing of a Brother........

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Engineer Matthew Kinsey, CFD Retired. We will post information on his wake and funeral services as they become available. Please keep his wife Donna and their family in your thoughts and prayers.

The Brotherhood is Alive and Well!

Today, a group of CFD members, led by Battalion Chief John Winn, traveled out to Adams Run to spend the morning with Captain Richard Ridge, CFD Retired, and his wife Maggie. Captain Ridge has been quite ill and it was great to visit with them. We spent the morning helping them clean their yard to get them ready for the holidays. Around midday, we were treated to our own tailgate party as Assistant Chief Robbie O'Donald and his sons served up a great barbeque lunch to us all.

Captain Richard and Maggie wish to express their sincere gratitude for all who came out today and, our behalf of all of us there, we thank them for giving us the opportunity to get together with them to share in a special time.

Remembering the Worcester 6

Charleston Christmas Parade is this Sunday!

Attention CFD families, lineup for the Christmas parade this coming Sunday, December 4, will be on Calhoun Street almost in front of the Gaillard Auditorium (Division 1, Position 28) no later than 1:30 p.m. Please have the kids wear something red or green if possible and bring a Santa hat for them if you have one. We are looking forward to beautiful weather and a great time!

CFD Christmas Party Coming Up!

NOW THAT WE HAVE YOUR ATTENTION!

Don't forget that next Friday, December 2, 2011, will be the CFD Christmas party. Festivities begin 7:30 p.m. at Mad River in Charleston. The CFD Wives' Club and CFD Local 61 will be hosting this year's party! Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at the door. However, it would be helpful to get yours early for planning purposes. TICKETS INCLUDE FOOD, DESSERTS, BEER AND WINE! GREAT door prizes include gift certificates to different places including a $50 gift card to Market Street Saloon, FD items, passes to Holiday Festival of Lights, jewelry, bottles of "adult" beverages, etc. Please RSVP and spread the word! If you have any questions, contact the following people or any member of the CFD Wives Club at cfdwives@aol.com, Robby Baldwin, Engine 107C, Earl Dunlap, Engine 119B or Bill Bartlett, Engine 119A.

THIS IS AN EVENT FOR CFD MEMBERS AND THEIR GUESTS ONLY! PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SEND OUT INVITES TO OTHER CFD MEMBERS. SORRY, THIS EVENT IS NOT OPEN TO OTHER FIRE DEPARTMENTS.

"Fire Engines for Families"

The CFD Basketball Team will take on the Charleston Police Department team on Saturday, December 3, beginning at 12 noon, at the Arthur Christopher Gym on Fishburne Street in downtown Charleston. All proceeds will go to support the "Fire Engines for Families" program that enables the CFD to donate to needy families at Christmas. Come out for a great game and a great cause!

Wedding Bells in the City!

Today, we were happy to participate in the wedding of Mt. Pleasant Firefighter Bryan Newman and his bride, Katie, by transporting them on Engine 11 from the church in downtown Charleston to their reception at Shem Creek. Congratulations Bryan and Katie and thank you for allowing us to be a part of your special day!

New CFD Recruit Class Begins Training!

Twenty-four new recruits have begun their twenty-six week training program to enable them to join the ranks of the CFD. They are currently in Emergency Medical Technician class before beginning their actual firefighter training. The EMT training will keep them busy until the end of the year. We wish them well and look forward to working with them in the coming months!

St. Andrews Firefighter Community Assistance Fund to Sponsor "Breakfast and Pictures with Santa"!

On Saturday, December 10, 2011, from 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., the St. Andrews Firefighter Community Assistance Fund, in conjunction with the Outback Steakhouse on Sam Rittenberg Blvd., West of the Ashley, will sponsor "Breakfast and Pictures with Santa". Come on out and bring the kids for a great pancake breakfast and photos made with Santa! All proceeds from this event with benefit the Carolina Children's Charity.

CFD Retirees Mark Your Calendars!

The next meeting of the CFD Retirees' "Hooked Up" program will be held on Wednesday, December 8, 2011, beginning at 7:00 p.m., at the Pinecrest Baptist Church on Ashley Hall Road, West of the Ashley. A & M Brown's BBQ from Moncks Corner will be serving a holiday dinner followed by a special Christmas program. We invite all of our retirees to attend with a guest. Remember that we are supporting the Salvation Army "Debi's Kids" toy drive again this year. Each man should bring a new, unwrapped boy's toy and each of the ladies should bring a girl's toy.

Please R.S.V.P. to Gerald Mishoe at (843) 609-8300 if you plan to attend as we need to be prepared with the caterer.

Our Team Trains with Salisbury Fire Department!

Five members of the Charleston Firefighter Support Team traveled to the Salisbury, North Carolina Fire Department on Tuesday of this week to present a three day training program for the newly formed Peer Counseling Team in the SFD.  Our relationship began with the SFD in 2008 after they lost two firefighters in March, 2008 in a cabinet manufacturing warehouse.  Our Team members have made several trips to Salisbury and members of their department have visited and trained with us in Charleston since that time.

Christopher Wells, our Peer Counselor clinician, John Winn, Sr., Bryan Kleskie, and Demeail Seabrook, Peer Counselors on our Team, and Richie Denninger, our former Peer Supervisor, made up the group that presented the training.  Special thanks to all of these men for "making us proud".

On behalf of all of them and our entire Team, we thank Chief Bob Parnell and his entire department of their hospitality shown to our folks while in Salisbury.  We are looking forward to continuing our relationship with the SFD folks as both of our Teams continue to grow.  

A Celebration on the High Battery!

Today, we were honored to be a part of the wedding day of Easley firefighter Pierce Womack and his bride Kristin. They were married in a ceremony at the Palmer House on the High Battery and we rode the bride and groom around the Battery on Engine 11 after the ceremony. Pierce is the son of Easley Fire Chief Butch Womack. Chief Womack is a Past President of the South Carolina State Firefighters' Association and an avid supporter of our Team. We were happy to be able to help make Pierce and Kristin's day special and to show our appreciation for Chief Womack's unwaverly support of the Charleston Fire Department.

A Special Congratulations!

We are pleased to join the entire CFD family is wishing special congratulations to our own Battalion Chief Richard Waring in the announcement of his appointment as the Chief of the Summerville Fire Department. Chief Waring is returning to where he began his Fire Service career nearly twenty years ago as a volunteer and to where his father served as Fire Chief before his retirement.   We wish Chief Waring all the best in his new position.

"Celebrating Our Fire Department Children"

The Charleston Firefighter Support Team, along with the CFD Wives' Club and the CFD Retirees' Program members, is moving along with our preparations for a special entry in the Annual Charleston Christmas Parade, being held on December 4 this year.   We have secured the reservation for our parade float to be titled "Celebrating Our Fire Department Children" and invite all of our CFD children to join us to ride on the float in the parade.  This idea came from our desire to do something special for our fire department children this year and this parade is always a highlight of the holiday season for our community. We will have our Team's Engine 11 and Engine 8 escorting the float to give us additional room to accommodate all who wish to participate with us.  We are asking that all of the children be dressed in something red such as a shirt, blouse, jacket or sweater to add to the holiday theme.  Parents are invited to ride with their children, as space permits, or to walk along beside with our Team members.  Please call the Team office at (843) 225-3850 to let us know if you wish to participate so we can plan for how many to expect. We look forward to seeing you there!

The Passing of a Brother...........

It is with sadness that we inform you that CFD Retired Engineer Henry Snyder passed away on October 12, 2011. Engineer Snyder was hired with the CFD on April 2, 1968, promoted to 3rd Driver on May 4, 1973, and then to Engineer on December 27, 1975. He was assigned to Tower 105 in the "Truck House" on Coming Street where he drove for Captain Raymond Simmons. Engineer Snyder retired on April 22, 1994.

The wake will be held at Bethel AME Church located at 464 Society Road in McClellanville on Monday, October 17, from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.. The funeral service will be conducted at Bethel Church on Tuesday, October 18, beginning at 1:00 p.m., will full Fire Department honors.

Any fire department member available is requested to attend either of the services in recognition of Engineer Snyder's service as a City of Charleston firefighter. Personnel should wear their Class A uniform as a sign of respect for his years of service.

Charleston Fire Department Holds Promotional Ceremony!

Thirty-nine members of the CFD were officially promoted today in a ceremony before family and friends at the International Longshoremen's Hall on Morrison Drive.  Congratulations to the following men in attaining this goal in their careers:

Battalion Chiefs:

 

     Christopher Vanhoy       

Richard Waring 

Captains:

John T. Cole

Anthony Morley 

                      William Haigler                        

Derek Noffsinger 

James Jacques 

Aubrey Tillman

Kenneth Jenkins 

John Tumminia

    John Eran McClary     

Engineers:

Thomas Axson

William Ryan Glover

Leslie Baker

  Adam Mims    

 Bryan Bolick   

Thomas Tallent

Michael Campbell 

Jerry Warren   

   Michael Chandler     

  Richard Worrell    

Joseph Eberling

Christopher Zailski

Assistant Engineers:

McCray Chappell

Jonathan Massie  

Joseph Curtis

Kyle Minasian 

Michael Gorby    

Brad Mizzell

Albert Graziani 

Troy Nave  

Christian Hallock

Michael Pack   

George Justice

Russell Patterson

Thomas Leslie 

  Richard Summers   

  Ryan Malone    

Ryan Ward

We applaud each of you for your hard work and are looking forward to working with you in your new positions!

Getting It Done in the City!

Charleston firefighters responded to a house fire this afternoon on Amherst Street downtown.  First arriving units found heavy fire and smoke in a two story wood frame house with exposures on the B & D sides. I was on Savannah Highway, West of the Ashley, and watched the smoke as I drove downtown.  Using my best training and memories of the old days, I listened to the radio and watched the smoke and I could tell they were getting the job done. Well, when I finally made it there, it was obvious they had just plain "opened up a can of whoop ass" on it. Sorry folks, that's simply what came to my mind.  They laid into it with "big water" and made short work of it.  Nice job guys and thanks to St. Andrews Rescue 301 for the back-up!

We're Excited! - Fire Prevention Week Starts Saturday!

Fire Prevention Week kicks off with a bang on Saturday with the Charleston parade. Here is a list of all activities that we know of for the week for all those interested:

Oct. 8th - Charleston Fire Dept. parade - Line-up at 9 a.m. on Horizon Street behind the Charleston PD Headquarters. Parade will begin @ 10 a.m. and end at Lockwood and Spring Street.

Oct.10th - Summerville Fire Rescue and Old Fort Fire Dept. parade lineup will begin at 5 p.m. on Springview Lane, across from Summerville Medical Center. Parade will begin at 6 p.m. Parade will end at Lowe's on N. Main Street at approximately at 6:30 p.m. for a static display until 8:00 p.m. 

Oct.11th - St. George Fire Department display - This will be at Reid's Grocery Store, 5982 West Jim Bilton Blvd. in St. George. It will begin at 6:00 p.m. and end at 8:30 p.m.

Oct.11th - Goose Creek Fire Dept. display - This will be held at Walmart Supercenter Parking Lot on St. James Avenue. Display begins at 6:00 p.m. - until.

Oct.12th - Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms' display and parade - The parade lineup will be at 4:00 p.m. Parade begins at 4:30 p.m. on J.C. Long Blvd at Isle of Palms' Station One. It will finish at the Sullivan's Island Station where the display will be held. Display begins at 5:30 p.m.

Oct. 12th - Ashley River Fire Dept. display - This will be held at the Windsor Hill Food Lion Crossing, located at 3640 Ashley Phosphate Road. Display begins at 6:00 p.m. and goes until 8:30 p.m.

Oct. 13th - James Island Public Service District Fire Dept. Expo - This event will be held in the parking lot of the James Island Lowes at 770 Daniel Ellis Drive, from 6 p.m.- 9 p.m.

Oct. 14th - St. John's Fire Dept. display, location and times to be posted later. 

Oct.15th - North Charleston Fire Department display - This event will be held at Lowe's located at 7555 Northwoods Blvd. Display wiill begin at 10 a.m. and end at 2 p.m.

If anyone knows of any other events or parades not shown here, please e-mail me at gerald@scfirefighters.org so I can add them.

The Charleston Fire Department Wives' Club is having a yard sale to raise money for future Club events on Saturday, October 8th, at the Salvation Army Worship Center located at 2135 Ashley River Road, West of the Ashley. Doors open at 8:00 a.m. and they invite any and all to come out and join them for some great bargains for a good cause.

If you have any items you'd like to donate, please email them at cfdwives@aol.com or come to The Salvation Army Worship Center on October 7, between 6:30 & 7:30 p.m., to drop items off. Thanks for the support!

CFD to Kick-Off Fire Prevention Week!

The Charleston Fire Department is kicking off Fire Prevention Week with their Fire Prevention Parade next Saturday, October 8, beginning at 10:00 a.m., downtown. All departments are invited to participate. Please call the Charleston Chief's office at (843) 720-1981 and let them know you are coming. Also we invite you to post on our Facebook page if you know what your department's plans are for Fire Prevention week so that we can support your events.

What an Amazing Day!

Today was quite a day as we took part in the arrival of the "Pink Heals" Tour as they rolled into town.  We started out about 8:00 a.m. with Engine 8 and our Fire Chief's car, on  a drive from Summerville via Highway 17-A through Moncks Corner and on to Jamestown. From there, we followed Highway 45 through the Francis Marion Forest to McClellanville where we picked up the pink trucks and escorted them into Charleston and a stop at MUSC.  Later in the afternoon, we joined them at Park Circle in North Charleston with an enthusiastic crowd of supporters.  We took hundreds of photos and invite you to view some of them on our Facebook page by clicking on the above caption.  The photo posted here really says it all. Thanks to Allen Duke, the Red Knights Motorcycle Club, the "Pink Heals" folks, the Women Firefighters of the Lowcountry, and all the other firefighters and people who let us share the great day with them.  

"The Bullet" To Make Her Debut This Week!

We have completed Engine 8 and she will make her first official appearance for our Team this coming week as part of the escort for the "Pink Heals Tour" as they arrive in town.  We will meet them in McClellanville at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning and escort them to the MUSC Horseshoe where they will be part of the MUSC Health Fair. Later in the afternoon, it's on to Park Circle in North Charleston for another appearance with the pink fire engines starting at 3:00 pm. before we wind up the day with them at a stop at the Market Street Grill in Northwoods Mall from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Should be a great day. Come out and join us!

Come Join the Party!

On Saturday, September 10, 2011, the St. Andrews Firefighters' Community Assistance Fund will hold their first block party to raise funds for their cause. This party will be held in the Avondale business district at Magnolia Road and Savannah Highway, West of the Ashley. The party will include a silent auction, jump castle, dunkin' booth, and fire trucks for the children, big and little.

SAFCAF is a 501 (3)(c)  tax exempt foundation whose mission is to provide residents or organizations with financial or volunteer assistance as needed. This block party will be SAFCAF's first big fundraiser and promises to be a day of fun for all.  In addition, many of the Avondale merchants and restaurants will be offering a 10% discount on purchases during the day.  Plan to come out and join them for live music and entertainment for the entire family!

Tennessee Fire Chief to Head S.C. Fire Academy

Chief Shane Ray of Pleasant View, Tennessee, has been named the new Superintendent of the South Carolina Fire Academy. He will begin work October 3, 2011.

“I look forward to the opportunities and challenges of this position and am excited to join the South Carolina team,” Ray said. “My passion for fire service training is long standing, and I believe we can work together to continue and advance fire service training in South Carolina.”

The Fire Academy’s mission is to provide statewide training for South Carolina fire service personnel: paid, volunteer, airport crash rescue firefighters, industrial fire brigade and other emergency response personnel. The Fire Academy provides basic and advanced training for firefighters, fire officers, instructors and fire department support functions, which include public fire education, fire prevention, inspections and fire investigations.

Chief Ray began his fire service career in 1984 and worked through the ranks of career and volunteer organizations serving from firefighter to chief. He also served six years as Mayor of the Town of Pleasant View. Ray currently serves as Chief of the Pleasant View Volunteer Fire Department and as Associate Director of Public Fire Protection for the National Fire Sprinkler Association.

“We are excited for Chief Ray to join our team in South Carolina,” S.C. State Fire Marshal Adolf Zubia said. “South Carolina firefighters are anxious to welcome him and look forward to his innovative training ideas that will help South Carolina lead the nation in training.”

Chief Ray is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University, Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government fellowship program, the University of Maryland’s Leadership Development Program, and the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program. He was selected as Fire Chief Magazine’s Volunteer Fire Chief of the Year for 2005, Eastern Kentucky University’s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year award for 2006, and is the Tennessee Fire Chief of the Year 2011.

Chief Ray currently serves as Chairman of the Tennessee Fire Chief’s Legislative Committee, Chairman of the Tennessee Fire Service Coalition, and is International Director for the Volunteer & Combination Officers Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

Carolina Children's Charity's 8K Run and 2 Mile Fun Walk Set for September 24th!

The 8th Annual Carolina Children's Charity's 8K Run and 2 Mile Fun Walk  will be held on Saturday, September 24, 2011, starting at the  Hanahan Recreation Center, 3100 Mabeline Rd. Hanahan, South Carolina, located behind Trident Technical College on Rivers Avenue. Our firefighters are huge supporters of the Carolina Children's Charity and we invite our entire fire department family to come out to support this event.

Click on the above headline to view all of the details!

Brotherhood Ride 2011 Has Begun!

Join us in supporting our CFD firefighters as they begin their ride to Ground Zero to honor all of the firefighters, police officers and EMS personnel lost on September 11, 2001. Matt Thomson, David Griffin and John Cole of the CFD are riding in memory of those lost. Thanks to each of them and to all of the others who are riding as they make us proud!  They will be stopping in Charleston this Sunday, August 28 and leaving on Monday morning, August 29. Watch for updates amd come out and cheer them on!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_3IW6Pgp5jY

A True Talent!

These prints are from original watercolors by CFD Firefighter Adam Hurst.  It is our honor to display his work here and in our office.  Adam truly has a gift and we thank him for sharing it with us!  Anyone interested in his work can contact him directly at (850) 445-1985.

"Celebrating Our Fire Department Kids"

I was blessed to be born a firefighter's child in Conway, South Carolina. One of the fondest memories of my childhood was when we would ride on the fire truck in the town's Christmas parade. Well, today we are excited to announce our “Celebrating Our Fire Department Kids” theme for the Christmas parade in downtown Charleston on December 4, 2011. We are inviting all of our CFD kids to join us in the parade by riding on our float or one of our fire trucks. Our Firefighter Support Team is pleased to co-sponsor this event with the Charleston Firefighters' Local 61, the CFD Wives’ Club and the CFD Retirees’ Group. Stand by for details as we will be sending out more information as we draw closer to the holidays. Hopefully, we can create some of those fond memories for our fire department kids! Please make plans to join us for this fun time!

The Loss of a Brother Firefighter...........



Chief Dennis Cauthen

We extend our most heartfelt sympathy to the members of the Elgin Fire Department and to the family of Chief Dennis Cauthen who passed away yesterday morning after becoming ill while fighting a fire in Lancaster.  

Visitation for Chief Cauthen will be held on Thursday evening, August 18, 2011, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., at the Lancaster Funeral Home in Lancaster, South Carolina. Funeral services will be held Friday, August 19, 2011, at the St. Luke's Methodist Church in the Elgin communuity, beginning at 3:00 p.m.  Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

CFD Retirees' "Hooked Up" Meeting Coming Up!

All of our Charleston Fire Department retirees are invited to attend our quarterly "Hooked Up" meeting to be held on Thursday, September 15, 2011, beginning at 7:00 p.m, at the Charleston Baptist Church Fellowship Hall. Dinner will be served with a special program to follow. Please come out and join us for a night of good fellowship and good food!

Work on "Never Forget" Camaro Progressing!

Repairs are well underway on the "Never Forget" Camaro. We have torn it down, assessed the damage, and ordered the parts. She will be back in full race and show trim soon!

Bessinger's Car Show Held Tonight!

Engine 11 Anchoring the Line of Classic Vehicles!

The Infamous Crew of Engine 116 C

Jeff Madden's 31 Ford Pickup Powered by a Cummins Diesel!

Engine 11's Newest Fan!

We attended the Bessinger's Car Show on Savannah Highway tonight with Engine 11. Thanks to Capt. Seabrook and his crew of CFD Engine 116 for taking care of getting Engine 11 to the show.  As usual we had a blast and we thank all of our friends who came out to support us!