Town of Morrisville, NC
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History
The Town of Morrisville is located in Wake County, North Carolina, and is often referred to as the “Heart of the Triangle” for its central location in a dynamic region. Morrisville has grown from a small rural town into a thriving town with a population of approximately 29,968 based on a January 2021 estimate by the Town of Morrisville Planning Department. The Morrisville Fire/Rescue Department services the corporate limits and the surrounding unincorporated area in Wake County.
The town was originally chartered on March 3, 1875. The town grew as a railroad town, having one of the only train depots in Wake County in the late 1800s. After the citizens voted to repeal the original charter in 1933, the town became chartered again in 1947. The current charter is in the Town of Morrisville Code of Ordinances, part I Charter Sections 1-12. The department is legally established within the town’s Code of Ordinances and complies with the North Carolina General Statutes 160A, Article 14.
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YEAR |
MILESTONES & ACCOMPLISHMENTS |
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1955 |
Fire Department is organized April 1955 |
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Incorporated June 8, 1955 as Morrisville Rural Fire Company, Inc. |
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Serves communities of Morrisville, Carpenter, Upchurch, Green Level, and the largely rural farming areas of western Wake County |
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Charter members: Richard D. Knott, Hubert C. Sears Jr., Carl V. Light, Thomas A. Ferrell, and William F. Jones |
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Initial membership of seventeen active members and one honorary member, Willie Hester |
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Fire Chief is Richard "Donald" Knott |
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First fire station is a tin shed behind the Red & White store on Morrisville-Carpenter Road, owned by Cecil Sears and Bill Jones |
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First fire truck is a military surplus "deuce and a half" oil tanker that firefighters converted into a pumper with a 750 gallon water tank. It was formerly a Korean War-era tanker |
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1958 |
Fire Chief is D. Herbert Ferrell |
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1960 |
Fire Chief is Carl L. Light |
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Station #1 constructed at 100 Morrisville-Carpenter Road. Station consists of two bays. Built by members with materials donated by the community |
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Second fire truck added. Secondhand military surplus Dodge Power Wagon converted into a brush truck |
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1962 |
H. Cecil Sears becomes Fire Chief |
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1963 |
Green Hope Elementary School destroyed by fire. Built in 1927, the school hosted all twelve grades until 1952, when it became an elementary school. The building caught fire at 1:00 a.m. Local fire departments responded, but the building was destroyed. The cause was ruled as suspicious. Opposition to the integration of local schools was suspected as a motive. (August 15, 1963) |
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Plane crash at Indian Wells. The crash, near the Smith-Douglass fertilizer plant, killed the pilot |
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1964 |
Apparatus delivery: 1963 Chevrolet/Darley Champion, 750/500. First Class A pumper for department. Cost $11,000. Money raised entirely from donations and fundraisers. Placed in service the week of March 16, 1964 |
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D.H. Ferrell is Fire Chief, Assistant Fire Chief is K.T. Upchurch |
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Two bays and meeting room added to fire station. Plans to expand are underway as of March 27, 1964 |
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Angus Barn at 9401 Glenwood Avenue burns. Fire was discovered "about 7 a.m. by a passing truck driver" who calls the Raleigh Fire Department, reports the February 8 edition of The News and Observer. Rural fire departments from "Morrisville, Six Forks, and the Fairgrounds" responded, in addition to "a truck from Raleigh." By the time firefighters arrived, the roof had collapsed. By 8 a.m. "only the charred and cracked walls" stood above a "pile of cinders and twisted metal." Damaged was estimated at $250,000. (February 7, 1964) |
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1970 |
Apparatus delivery: Chevy tanker purchased, either 1969 or 1970 model year |
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1975 |
Station #2 completed at 6804 Carpenter-Fire Station Road (current street name and number). Members of both the Morrisville and Carpenter communities participated in the project. Nearly all of the materials were donated by the residents |
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Fire district increased from ten square miles to approximately twenty-five square miles |
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Apparatus deliveries: 1975 Ford/Darley Champion pumper-tanker, Chevy 1200 gallon tanker, and a brush truck (either a 1975 Dodge Power Wagon or 1972 Ford) |
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1976 |
Six female firefighters join: Johnie Faye Howard, Gayle Mills, Cathie Pendergraft, Anne Knott, Andrea Young, and Trudy Harris. They are the first female firefighters in Wake County |
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Ladies Auxiliary "Firepals" is organized |
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1980 |
Apparatus delivery: 1980 Darley purchased to replace 1963 pumper |
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1984 |
Fire department obtains ISO Class 6 rating |
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Electrical fire at airport control tower. Morrisville Fire Department responds with other departments. Air traffic was impacted for eight hours |
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Station renovations and additions: three bays and a new roof were added to Station #1. The direction of the bays was also changed to face north instead of east |
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1985 |
H. C. "Cecil" Sears Distinguished Service Award is created, to recognize members for their hard work |
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Apparatus accident: Chevy brush truck struck by a train, while crews battled a grass fire along the tracks. None of the five firefighters are injured. The truck is pushed at least 40 feet down the tracks. The collision happened about 3:30 p.m. (August 14, 1985) |
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Apparatus delivery: 1985 Grumman/KME AerialCat rear-mounted aerial platform |
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1987 |
Apparatus deliveries: two 1987 Duplex/E-One pumper-tankers |
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1988 |
First part-time firefighters hired. Six are hired, two per shift, to assist the volunteers in answering calls. The town pays for 50% of their salaries |
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1989 |
Apparatus deliveries: two 1989 Ford C8000/E-One pumper-tankers |
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1991 |
Tony Chiotakis becomes first full-time Fire Chief. He's hired as a career employee of the town |
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1992 |
Station #1 completely renovated. The building was named in honor of charter member and former Fire Chief H. Cecil Sears |
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1994 |
American Eagle commuter plane crashes in Morrisville at night, approximately five miles short of runway. Fifteen of eighteen people aboard were killed. The crash snapped the fuselage in half and scattered wreckage across 500 yards of rugged woods. Responders took tractors and off-road vehicles to reach crash site off Davis Drive |
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Rural fire department merges with the town in December, and a complete municipal fire department is created |
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1995 |
Radio system purchased, 800 Mhz |
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1997 |
Apparatus delivery: 1997 Simon-Duplex/Salisbury heavy rescue |
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1999 |
All part-time positions upgraded to full-time career positions. The shift personnel were: |
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Third station completed on 10632 Chapel Hill Road. Designated Station 2. The 8,500 square-foot facility includes a 10,000 gallon underground cistern (drafting pit) for fire pump service testing. Roof and forcible entry props are later built on the grounds |
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Full-time staffing started at both Station 1 and Station 2 |
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Apparatus note: 1985 Grumman/KME AerialCat is refurbished by KME |
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2000 |
New patch designed by Cliff Cates and David Health |
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2002 |
Apparatus deliveries: two American LaFrance Eagle pumpers |
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2003 |
New town hall opens on Town Hall Drive. Fire Administration and Fire Prevention relocates to the building from Station 1 |
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Mike Chambers becomes Fire Chief |
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Full-time firefighters hired to provide 24/7 staffing at Station 3 |
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2004 |
1991 KME/Salisbury rescue sold to town of Clayton |
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Apparatus adds: 1989 Simon-Duplex/Saulsbury/KME (originally from Atlantic H&L Company 1 in Port Washington, NY), and 2000 Ford F-550 light rescue from Clayton Area Rescue Squad |
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2005 |
Todd Wright becomes Fire Chief |
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Department becomes member of North Carolina SafeKids. All three fire stations are designated as permanent car seat checking stations |
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2006 |
Apparatus deliveries: two 2006 KME Predator pumpers |
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Department obtains ISO Class 3/9S rating |
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Department begins First Responder program, providing basic life-saving level of care |
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Department adds Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and Honor Guard |
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Department joins North Carolina USAR Task Fork 4, a Type III team consisting of members from Apex, Mooresville, and Troutman fire departments |
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Fire Prevention Division is restructured |
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Station 3 relocated next door to new Cary Station 7, a shared facility. Old station 3 is sold and later opens as "Firehouse Auto Repair." |
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2007 |
Apparatus delivery: 2007 Ford F-550/Seagrave brush truck |
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First firefighters sent to a fire academy. Nathan Lozinsky, Phillip Farland and James Waddell (Valedictorian) attend Durham Fire Department fire academy |
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First Responder program upgraded to EMT level of care |
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2008 |
First retirement, Fire Marshal Gayle Mills |
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Firefighters deployed to Hyde County to assist with fighting wildland fires |
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Apparatus changes: Ladder 2 sold in/around January (Department uses 1993 E-One ladder from Parkwood until new platform arrives), and 2008 KME Predator AerialCat rear-mounted aerial platform delivered February 25, 2008. Placed in service in May |
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2009 |
Apparatus delivery: 2009 Pierce Contender pumper-tanker. Named as New Pumper 3. Delivered June 2, dedicated on July 4, 2009 |
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Fire Explorer Post 263 organized |
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2011 |
Department receives initial Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) Accredited Agency status. One of only eleven accredited fire departments in the state at the time. |
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2012 |
Station 1 relocates to Town Hall Drive. The $3 million, 13,000 square-foot facility first houses Ladder 1, Rescue 1, reserve Engine 1, Utility 20, and the technical rescue trailer. Dedicated February 28, 2012 |
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2013 |
North Carolina USAR Task Force 4 is disbanded by the state, along with other teams |
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Apparatus delivery: 2013 Spartan/Rescue 1 heavy-duty walk-around rescue. Replaces 1989 Simon-Duplex/Salisbury/KME rescue. Delivered June 6, 2013 |
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2014 |
Apparatus delivery: 2014 Smeal Spartan rear-mounted aerial ladder. Delivered June 4, 2014. Placed in service in July |
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2015 |
Department celebrates sixty years of service. On June 6, 2015, a celebration was held at Station 1. The event opened with the Honor Guard leading an apparatus parade down Town Hall Drive. Visiting fire departments included Cary, Raleigh, Durham Highway, and even Warrenton. This was followed by an open house. The anniversary activities also included a banquet for past and present members |
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2016 |
Department receives second consecutive Commission of Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) Accredited Agency status |
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2018 |
Scott Criddle named Fire Chief |
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2019 |
Apparatus delivery: 2019 Spartan/Smeal aerial ladder. Named Ladder 23 |
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Entered into reciprocal automatic aid agreement for emergency dispatch and response with Town of Cary and Town of Apex, known as the CAM (Cary-Apex-Morrisville) |
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2020 |
Fire department obtains ISO Class 1 rating |
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2021 |
Apparatus delivery: 2021 Pierce 100’ Ascendant aerial ladder. Town’s first mid-mount platform. Named Ladder 22. Dedicated August 21, 2021 |
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Department receives third consecutive Commission of Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) Accredited Agency status |
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2023 |
Nathan Lozinsky named Fire Chief. Formally sworn in at ceremony held on February 7, 2023. |
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Apparatus delivery: 2003 Sterling tanker, which was transferred from the Town of Apex. Named Tanker 23. |
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Station 3 relocates to 1021 Harris Mill Road, after a 17-year facility share with Cary Fire Station 7. Fire Station 3 is home to Ladder 23, Tanker 23, and Battalion 4. Dedicated September 26, 2023. |
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2025 |
Thomas Dooley, Jr. named Fire Chief. Formally sworn in at ceremony held on March 14, 2025. |