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Salisbury Fire Department celebrates upcoming 200th anniversary  with historical marker and fire truck parade, Friday, Dec. 8
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Salisbury Fire Department celebrates upcoming 200th anniversary with historical marker and fire truck parade, Friday, Dec. 8

One of the oldest documented fire departments in the state of N.C., will celebrate its 200th anniversary, Friday, Dec. 8 with a historical marker dedication and a fire truck parade in downtown Salisbury.

Dating back to December 1817, 32 citizens pledged a total of $415 to start the process to purchase equipment “to protect the city from fire.” Thus beginning the formation of the Salisbury Fire Department (SFD).

To honor its 200 years of service from firefighters past and present, the historical marker in the form of a timeline plaque will be placed on the 100 block of E. Innes St., on the spot where the city’s first hook and ladder building once stood. The plaque dedication will begin at 10 a.m.

The anniversary celebration will continue with a nighttime fire truck parade beginning at 7 p.m., featuring dozens of fire vehicles, complete with blazing lights. The parade will travel through downtown Salisbury along Main St. from Kerr to Fire Station No. 5. 

“This anniversary celebration is 200 years in the making and we couldn’t be prouder of the service we’ve provided to Salisbury over that time,” said Fire Chief Bob Parnell. “We’ve seen a lot of changes in fire service even over the years that I have been fire chief, so you can imagine how we’ve evolved since 1817. This is a historic occasion in a historic city, and we are ever so grateful to be able to honor this occasion with our residents.”

“We are very proud of the Salisbury Fire Department and all our firefighters do to save lives and help protect our city, said City Manager W. Lane Bailey. “Our fire service is one of the top seven in the state in terms of insurance ratings alone. We are more than honored to celebrate 200 years of this well-respected establishment.” 

Throughout its 200-year history, the SFD has embraced a number of fire-related technological advancements with an emphasis on fire apparatus innovation. For example, in 1906 the city was one of the first to buy a steamer pumper, which was a horse-drawn, steam-building, coal-burning machine that pumped water to throw streams onto fires. The steamer cost $5,500, and was supplemented with a motorized hose wagon four years later. Motor-drawn by 1922, it was a reserve unit by 1931. The steamer was scrapped in 1942 during the metal drives of World War II. It is documented that the machine saved downtown Salisbury multiple times from potentially catastrophic fires throughout the early 1900s. In addition, in 1941 SFD was one of the first departments in the region to purchase an aerial device/ladder truck with a hydraulic ladder. The truck remains in inventory today and has been restored to its original specifications.

Some of the other advancements include the evolution from a combination fire service of paid and volunteer firefighters serving together to an all-paid fire department; a potential addition of a sixth fire station to keep up with city growth; and the collection of hybrid fire apparatus that can serve multiple purposes while fighting fires. 

Both anniversary events are free and open to the public.

For more information, call SFD at (704) 638-4457 or email Capt. Rodney Misenheimer at rmise@salisburync.gov

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The City encourages the community to stay informed, practice good hygiene, be aware, and be prepared.

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CDBG & COVID-19

On September 11, 2020 the City was notified of a second allocation of CDBG-CV funds in the amount of $200,221. To deploy these funds, Council will have to adopt an amendment to the FY20-21 Annual Action Plan to describe, broadly speaking, how the funds will be utilized. City Council held a public hearing on December 1 and opened a public comment period that ended on December 25, 2020. A draft was presented at the January 5, 2021 City Council meeting, and a public comment period closed on January 12, 2021.

Citizen input is sought regarding Amendment #1 to the 2020-2021 Annual Action Plan. This amendment proposes to reallocate an accumulation of previous years’ funds that resulted from the cancellation of projects. The funds will be allocated to the FY 2020 Lash Drive Sidewalk Project (increase of $55,656 over original budget) that was completed in 2022. Review the amendment by clicking on the button below:

Amendment 1 (PDF)

Contact Us

Staff Liaison

Hannah Jacobson
(704) 638-5230
Hannah.Jacobson@salisburync.gov

Current COVID-19 Restrictions

Executive Order 185:

  • Lifts the Modified Stay at Home Order established under Executive Order 181
  • Still requires face coverings in all public indoor settings
  • Allows many businesses to operate at 50% capacity
  • Extends onsite service of alcohol until 11 p.m.
  • Lifts the 100-person cap on some businesses that were operating at 30% capacity
  • Allows some indoor businesses – including bars and taverns, indoor amusement parks, movie theaters and indoor sports arenas – to open at 30% capacity (with a cap of 250 people)
  • Allows larger indoor arenas with a capacity of more than 5,000 people to open at 15% capacity with no cap (as long as additional safety protocols in place)
  • Increases the indoor mass gathering limit to 25 people (the outdoor mass gathering limit remains at 50 people)

Each of these routes arrives and departs from the central Transfer Site on Depot St. Any bus you board can take you to the Transfer Site. Any member of the public may ride on the bus. The buses do not operate on holidays.

Please note that the last time listed for a stop indicates the last bus will be traveling to that location and no further transfers are available.


Travel Mask Mandate

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/masks/mask-travel-guidance.html

The Transit Security Administration issued a security directive effective on February 1, 2021 requiring the wearing of masks by travelers to prevent spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. Conveyance operators must also require all persons onboard to wear masks when boarding, disembarking, and for the duration of travel.

This Order must be followed by all passengers on public conveyances (e.g., airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis, ride-shares) traveling into, within, or out of the United States as well as conveyance operators (e.g., crew, drivers, conductors, and other workers involved in the operation of conveyances) and operators of transportation hubs ( e.g., airports, bus or ferry terminals, train or subway stations, seaports, ports of entry) or any other area that provides transportation in the United States.

People must wear masks that cover both the mouth and nose when awaiting, boarding, traveling on, or disembarking public conveyances. People must also wear masks when entering or on the premises of a transportation hub in the United States. A copy of the Transportation Security Administration’s security directive can be found at www.tsa.gov


If you leave home, practice your Ws: Wear, Wait, Wash

Covid-19: What are the 3 w's for COVID-19? 1 Wear a cloth mask over your nose and mouth. 2 Wait 6 feet apart. Avoid close contact. 3 Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer.

Stay safe. When outside, stay at least 6 ft. apart.

Covid-19: social distancing in public parks and trails

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