About Us

1770 – General Assembly of the Province of North Carolina “an Act Regulating the Town of Salisbury”. Among the provisions of this act was the protection against fire. Every householder was required to keep upon his premises a ladder and a leather bucket of not less than two gallons capacity.

The Salisbury Fire Department has a long history that is marked by faithfulness to duty and outstanding progress. Salisbury's first fire company was formed December 8, 1817 as the townspeople expressed their desire to form a fire department, the Town officially organized a firefighting company.

The Citizens of the Town of Salisbury donate funds amounting to $415. “We whose names are hereunto subscribed, do promise to pay to the Commissioners of the Town of Salisbury the sum opposite to each of our names on demand for the purpose of enabling them to procure an engine and other fire apparatus as they may think necessary for the safety of the town. Witness our hands at Salisbury, N.C. This 8th Decem. 1817”. An official copy of our originating document was presented to the fire department by William D. Kizziah, Rowan County Register of Deeds, on July 30, 1948.

1818 – Laws of North Carolina. Chapter CVI. An Act concerning the Town of Salisbury. Be it enacted by the general assembly of the State of North Carolina, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of same, That the commissioners of the of the town of Salisbury, be, and they are hereby authorized to form and organize one or more fire companies in said town, and to make such rules and regulations for the government and operation thereof, as to them may seem necessary, and to compel the inhabitants of said town to procure fire buckets, and said commissioners shall provide a convenient and fit place for keeping in safety the fire engine of said town.

1866 – A new fire engine was purchased replacing the fire engine destroyed during the occupation of Salisbury by Gen. Stoneman during his raid. The new engine, a hose carriage, and 300 feet of leather fire hose purchase totaled $1150. The new fire engine was purchased from Rumsey & Company of Seneca Falls New York for $500. The new apparatus was a Piano Style No. 1 Fire Engine. The hose carriage cost $200. The hose cost $1.50 per foot. A Negro Fire Company was organized in Salisbury. This company consisted of about 30 members whom were exempt from paying poll taxes in return for their services.

The formal organization of the Salisbury Hook and Ladder Company No 1 took place 22 years later in 1877.

1887 – First municipal water works established. A standpipe was erected on 100 block of West Fisher St. containing 250,000 gallons of water. They installed 5 miles of water mains and 52 fire hydrants. The water was pumped from Crane Creek (current Corbin Hills golf club area) along Stokes Ferry Rd directly into the standpipe. The North Carolina Firemen’s Association was formed this year as a statewide association of firemen. The NCSFA held its annual convention in Salisbury in 1896, 1904, 1933 and 1940. Alexander Parker, former Salisbury Fire Department Chief, was delegate to organize the NCSFA; Chief Parker remarked, “One of the greatest organizations of the State to protect life and property. We can’t honor a better class of men, than the firemen, who risk their lives to save our lives and our property.”

1896 - A new Central Fire Station was constructed at 117 S. Lee St. The building was occupied around 1900. This station also served as the Town Hall and Calaboose. As a fire station, it remained in service for 65 years. The building would go on to become a restaurant and later a flower shop.

The first steam pumper was purchased for $5,500.00 in 1906. It was an American LaFrance Metropolitan Steam Pumper, second-size (#3216), 600 GPM. This pumper is credited for saving Salisbury from a conflagration in the Empire Block of S. Main in Dec. 1909. The steamer 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.

In 1912, Salisbury fire department purchased its first motorized fire truck. An American LaFrance Type 10 Hose and Chemical. The Registry number was #212. A public fire alarm box system was installed with 20 fire alarm boxes installed on street corners.

The first motorized pumper truck was purchased by the fire department in 1920. It was an American LaFrance Type 75, triple combination pumper, Reg. #3087. This truck retired the last 4 horses. Paul Brown, descendant of Fire Chief WA Brown, owns this truck toady.

Engine 3, a Series 500 American LaFrance type 575 CO pumper, Reg. #L-1168 was received by the department in late 1939. The pumper cost $9,000. It will pump 750 gallons per minute and carries 100 gallons of on board water.

The first aerial ladder truck was purchased in 1941. This was an American LaFrance open cab type M-190 65' aerial ladder truck Reg. #L-1627. This truck was replaced with another American LaFrance 85' ladder in 1965. Aerial Co No 1 was lovingly restored and currently resides at station 5.

That same year, a new headquarters fire station was built to accommodate the bigger pieces of equipment. The old quarters were so tight, one truck couldn't turn left out of the station. They would have to turn right and go around the block..

In 1973, staffing levels were increased to allow a third shift to be added and personnel worked 4 days, 4 nights, and had 4 days off. Firefighters handled dispatching duties up until 1977 when dispatchers were hired to dispatch the city and county fire departments.

On 1978, the Salisbury Fire Department entered into the first responder program by converting a step van into an ambulance. Transport was still handled by a county agency, but the unit was transport certified if needed. It was indeed needed many times.

Station 2 was closed and rebuilt 10 blocks south of the original station 2. This move provided better protection of a growing city. The original substation was closed on February 22, 1980 at 1800 hours. The day shift was the last shift to occupy the old substation. The night shift came on duty to the new Station 2.

A new 110' Pirsch ladder truck was bought in 1986 and a major purchase of apparatus was made from E-One in 1988. Three custom pumpers with enclosed cabs were bought to replace an aging pumper fleet. Also purchased that year was a 3,000 gallon tanker from Grumman to respond to non-hydrant areas of the City. 1987 saw a change in the way that fires and other emergencies were reported. The county put in service the 911 system and moved the dispatchers to a new communications center. The last of the fire alarm boxes were removed from service.

The 90's saw more technology changes take place. The department changed over to the 800 MHz trunked radio system and computers were installed in the fire stations. In 1993, a Hazardous Materials Team was developed in partnering with the county's emergency management division to respond to hazardous materials incidents within the City of Salisbury and Rowan County.

After many years in the planning, the department was evaluated by ISO in 1995 and received a Class 3 rating. As the 90's come to a close, we received a squad truck as a generous donation from a local industry. This addition became part of the ladder company and carries additional equipment. Another generous donation came in the form of a defibrillator unit. Personnel were certified in EMT-D with additional units budgeted to place one on each front line engine.

The long awaited fourth station opened its doors on January 1, 2007. A 2000 E-One 95' Platform is housed at station 4, along with a reserve ladder, foam trailer, reserve engine, and a Hazardous Materials Team. A time capsule was placed in the station inside of a fire hydrant to be opened in 20 years. This station protects a residential and retail district around them.

March 7, 2008 was a sad day for Salisbury Fire Department and all of Salisbury. A massive fire at the Salisbury Millworks Company claimed the lives of 2 firefighters and seriously injured another. Firefighter Justin Monroe and Firefighter Victor Isler, LODD. Captain Rick Barkley was very seriously injured, but eventually returned to the job as an inspector until his retirement in 2018.

Utilizing the Quint concept, Salisbury Fire Department was rated an ISO Class 2, the first North Carolina fire department to be rated as such!

2017 was Salisbury Fire Department 200th anniversary year. The actual date was December 8th, 2017. A historical marker commemorating the original fire station location on East Innes Street was dedicated. To further celebrate, a large fire truck parade traversed Main St and ended at Station 5 for a public celebration of 200 years of service to our citizens. This parade was held in the cold weather while a light snow, sleet and some rain fell making a beautiful background for a night time parade! As an interesting side note, during preparations for the historical marker dedication, a structure fire alarm was received for 310 S Main Street. Ironically, Aerial Co No 1 was traveling S Main at the time and was in the right place at the right time. Exactly 200 years to the day since Salisbury Fire Department was formed, and 76 years after the purchase of Aerial Co No 1, and, 10 years after the restoration began, Aerial Co No 1 was first on the scene for this call.

Salisbury Fire Department was founded in 1817 - The first Fire Chief was Alex Parker.

G.G. Seaford

Unknown - Unknown

P.H. Merony

Unknown-1898

M.V.P. Capps

1898-1904

J.V. Wallace

1904-1906

G.L. Sides

1906-1908

W.A. Brown

1908-1937

C.L. Burkett

1938-1961

A.F. Shipton

1962-1984

T.E. Melvin

1984-1985

S.I. Brady

1985-2004