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At a meeting of the City Council on November 10, 1909,
Councilman J. C. Ballard made a motion that the town purchase from the
Nott Fire Engine Co. two 55 gallon two wheel chemical fire engines and
one hook and ladder truck. The totat cost was $900, 1/3 in cash, 1/3 in
one year, and 1/3 two years from delivery date with no interest. The
motion carried. The hook and ladder truck was $200 and the chemical
fire engines were $700. All parts for the fire engine were guaranteed
for ten years. A. H. Huss served as mayor then.
After a
night fire on November 4, 1909 Chief Beam (Police Chief) received $1.50
for extra work.
On
February 24, 1910 Mayor A. H. Huss and the City Council appointed Dr.
R. J. Morrison and E. E. McDowell as Chief and Assistant Chief
respectively, of the fire department. They were instructed to pay those
joining the department according to services rendered. Chief R. L.
Mauney (1970 - 1984) was the first paid Fire Chief. The first paid
employee was Sam Whitesides of Shelby.
In 1921, a new LaFrance truck was purchased. It arrived from New York
City in a Seaboard box car. J. E. Costner, Sr. was Fire Chief at this
time. This truck made its last call May 18, 1957 to Bryan Hulls in
Flay. It is preserved in the Cherryville Historical Museum on Main St.
The fire department was moved to the new City Hall building in 1956.
Some other
Fire Chiefs not already mentioned were I. M. Bums, Bob McLurd, Giles
Friday, J. Ralph Beam, Sr., Roy Carpenter (volunteer), and Joe Van Dyke.
On July 1, 1986, Jeff Cash was appointed by the City Manager, Janice
Hovis, to the position of Fire Chief. During Chief Cash's term as Fire
Chief the department has experienced the following:
- The
fire department acquired, from the City of Lincolnton, a 1953 American
LaFrance 65 foot Aerial Truck.
- The fire department purchased a custom
Emergency One Pumper in May 1988.
- In March 1989, the cities Insurance
Protection class changed from a class 7 to an improved class 4.
- In August 1990, Chief Jeffery C. Cash
was elected NC Firefighter of the Year by his peers of over 40,000
firefighters across NC.
- In 1995, Chief Cash was elected by the
firefighters of the state of NC to be a member of the Board of
Directors for the NC State Firemen's Association.
- In December 1995, we began a
Scholarship Program for the children of firefighters which is given
annually in honor of retired Chief Roy Carpenter and in memory of Wayne
A. Eaker.
- Chief Cash served as officer for 3
years on the Western North Carolina Firemen's Association and in 1996
served as President.
- The fire department formed a Ladies
Auxiliary Program in January 1996.
- In july 1996, the fire department
began offering a medical First Responder Program with their paid
employees and several volunteers who are certified as an Emergency
Medical Technician Level.
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