HISTORY OF VANDER FIRE DISTRICT

 

 

On November 17, 1955 the Vander Volunteer Fire Department was organized in response to concerned citizens of the Vander area. The Fayetteville Fire Department no longer responded to calls outside of the city limits. The people of the area knew their homes, businesses and lives were in danger after witnessing local resident Paul Allen’s barn burning to the ground. The Vander Volunteer Fire Department was organized on November 17, 1955.

 

At this time, 35 people expressed their interest in obtaining a charter for the corporation. A motion was made and the Vander Volunteer Fire Department was officially chartered on November 21, 1955.At that time the following nine Board of Directors were selected: William White, W.L. Crumpler, Rebekah Evans, Lena Bullard, Paul Allen, G.W. Horne Jr., Lester Huggins, Edwin Williams and Norman Carter. At the initial meeting, Chief Carl Cain of the Fayetteville Fire Department was very helpful in advising the organization of the type of equipment that would be needed for rural fire fighting. The first fire apparatus the fire department had was a 1942 Chevrolet military surplus vehicle with a front mount pump. The truck was housed under an old oak tree at the intersection of Rockhill Rd and Clinton Rd. On really cold nights the truck was taken to the dry kill room at Thomason Plywood Corp.

 

On April 26, 1956 a motion was made that the women of the area be organized into a volunteer ladies auxiliary. Lena Bullard was responsible in organizing this task.

 

During this time the department could be reached over 3 private telephones, listed under the Vander Volunteer Fire Department. The first phone was located in the home of Chief Norman Carter, the second at the Assistant Chief Hubert Edge’s home and the third at Thomason Plywood Plant. About a year later, a fourth phone was placed at Eastover and was listed as Eastover Station Fire Department. The telephones and trucks were manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week. At all times the chief and assistant chief knew where the other was and if one went out of the community, the other was on duty.

 

Mrs. Reba Carter, wife of the chief, and Mrs. Billy Edge, wife of the assistant chief, sounded the siren and dispatched the fireman as they arrived at the station. The department made rapid progress in their purchases and in 1957 owned four fire apparatus. Three trucks were at Vander and one at Eastover. All four trucks were equipped with wire clippers, suction hose, ladders, etc.

 

On February 15, 1956 the urgent need for a firehouse was discussed as well as its size. To help achieve this goal on May 27, 1957 H.A. Bulla and wife Hattie Bulla donated the land next to Brock’s filling station. The Board of Directors asked that any person wishing to donate money or material for the building contact a member of the department. They also requested that people within the fire district pay membership dues, which was set at $10.00. If equipment was called to protect the property of a non-member, there was a charge of $25.00 per truck. This membership money was of great assistance in getting the trucks housed. At the end of 1957 a 30x50 fire station was completed. It consisted of 2 bays, a meeting room, and a bathroom.

 

The first actual fire truck purchased was a 1959 Ford Howe, 3 man tilt cab with a 500-gallon tank, and a 500-gpm pump. On March 13, 1962 a mutual aid agreement between the Fayetteville Fire Department and Rural Fire Departments in Cumberland County was signed. In the mid 1960’s the first turn out gear was purchased for the Fire Department.

 

On May 11, 1967, a special meeting was called at Vander Fire Department. It was at this meeting the decision was made for Eastover to cover its own territory. They were no longer a part of Vander Volunteer Fire Department.

 

A 1967 Ford John Bean two door custom tilt cab with a 500-gallon tank and a 500-gpm pump was purchased and placed at the Bethany station. The first agreement of mutual aid between fire departments of Cumberland County was signed on February 16, 1968. Also in 1968, a tax levy was passed. This meant more money for the fire department. A 1969 Ford FMC 7 man tilt cab truck with a 750-gallon tank and a 750-gpm high-pressure pump was purchased. Also in the late 1960’s an International Tractor Trailer with a 2700-Gallon tank was purchased.

 

Around 1969 the fire department was rated by the Department of Insurance in Raleigh. The Vander Volunteer Fire Department (Vander/ Bethany area) received a 9a rating. In the early 1970’s the fire department acquired a 1967 Chevrolet Station Wagon that was used for EMS. On July 12, 1974 a deed for the land at 3509 Clinton Rd. was signed over to the Vander Fire Department from Joyce Allen Pratt and husband Joseph B. Pratt to build a new fire station.

 

In 1974-1975 Vander Fire Department helped in getting a Rural Water Supply System (Quick Dump) and automatic mutual aid response was developed. In 1975 a FMC Tanker 3 man tilt cab with a 1500-gallon tank and a 450-gpm pump was purchased. Also a 1975 FMC 3 man tilt cab 1250-gallon tanker with a 450-gpm pump was bought.

 

In the early 1970’s a county program called CEDA hired Bobby Jackson and Allen Bass as the first part time employees at Vander. In 1974 the fire department hired David Chavis as its first full time employee. In 1975 Bethany separated from Vander Fire Department and started covering its own territory. In the early part of 1976 construction of a new and bigger fire station was started. In 1977 the station at 3509 Clinton Rd. was finished. This building consisted of three large bays, a radio room, a bunkroom, two restrooms, one shower/restroom, a kitchen, a training room, a recreation room, a lobby, and 3 offices. In the late 1970’s the Vander Fire District was able to bring their insurance rating down from a 9a rating to a 7 rating from the Department of Insurance. The new rating dropped the cost of the homeowner’s insurance for the citizens in the fire district. In 1977 a GMC Van was purchased to cover EMS services. Also in the late 1970’s there was a 1968 Kaiser Jeep four wheel drive 5 ¼ ton purchased and used as a brush truck. A 1952 dodge military type vehicle was also purchased in the late 1970’s to be used as a service truck. A 1981 E-1 pumper 5 man tilt cab with 1000-gallon booster tank, a 2000-gpm pump and a 75-gallon foam tank with an on board foam system was purchased. Around 1985 a separate building was built out behind the station. The two-story building consisted of two storage rooms, one infection control room, a single bay and a fitness room up stairs.

 

In the mid 1980’s Vander Fire District was able to drop their insurance rating from the Department of Insurance from a 7 to a 5. Once again this drop in rating saved the citizens of the district more money on their homeowner’s insurance. In 1985 the fire chief’s association bought a foam trailer and delivered it to Vander Fire Department. A 1986 E-1 mobile command unit was purchased to carry specialized equipment. In 1989 a GMC 4x4 pick up truck was bought and used as a brush truck. Also in the late 1980’s, a 1940 Seagrave fire engine was donated by Monsanto Corporation and partially restored by Vander Fire Department. A 1991 E-1 pumper/tanker with a 1250-gallon booster tank, a 2000-gpm pump and a 100-gallon foam tank with an on board foam system was purchased. On June 25, 1992 the Vander Fire Department held it’s annual meeting. At this meeting a petition was read from area citizens requesting a satellite station in the Cedar Creek area. In August the application process began for Cedar Creek fireman. The fireman passing the application process would begin training at Vander Fire Department. In 1993 turnout gear and pagers were purchased for the Cedar Creek firemen. Also during this time, the land at 4960 Tabor Church Rd was purchased for the Cedar Creek Fire Station. In May of 1993 a siren for the Cedar Creek Station was donated to Vander Fire Department from Yadkin Road Fire Department.

 

In 1993 a Ford E-350 Type III Ambulance was purchased. In April of 1994 the building for Cedar Creek Fire Department was approved by the board of directors.. In August of that same year the building was started. In 1995 an E-1 five-man cab pumper/tanker for Cedar Creek Fire Department was ordered. It had a 1000-gallon tank and a 1500-gpm pump. Cedar Creek Fire Department had its open house on November 16, 1996. Around this time the women from the area formed a Cedar Creek Ladies Auxiliary. The Cedar Creek Fire Station received a 9s rating from the Department of Insurance. Also, Monsanto donated a four-bottle stationary cascade system for the Cedar Creek Station. A 1997 Ford F-350 4x4 brush truck was purchased for the Vander Station. When the purchase was made, the 1989 GMC 4x4 that was currently at the Vander Station was taken to Cedar Creek Fire Station to be used as an EMS unit. A 1998 Grumman tanker was purchased from Cotton Fire Department and placed at the Cedar Creek Station On January 1, 2000 Sherry Bishop was hired as the first and only full time employee at the Cedar Creek Fire Station. A 2000 F-150 4x4 was purchased and used as a utility vehicle at the Vander Station. Also, a 2000 F-350 4x4 brush truck was purchased for the Vander Station. When this purchase was made, the 1997 brush truck from the Vander Station was moved to the Cedar Creek Station. On November 3, 2000 the Cumberland County Fire Chief’s Association transferred ownership of a 1985 Step Van used as a Mobile Air Unit. In 2001, two E-1 pumper/tanker’s were purchased. Both had a 1250- gallon tank and a 1250-gpm pump. One of these trucks was placed at the Vander Station and the other was placed at the Cedar Creek Station. In September of 2002 the old Fayetteville Hazmat truck was given to the Cedar Creek Fire Station to be used as a service truck. On October 7, 2003 the Vander Fire District decided to apply for a FEMA grant to be awarded in 2004. On September 24, 2004 the fire district received a letter of grant approval from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in the amount of $139,321. The awarded grant money allowed to the fire district to make several needed purchases. A fixed station emergency generator was purchased for the Vander Fire Station and the Cedar Creek Fire Station. A thermal image camera was purchased for the Cedar Creek Station. Two pagers, (20) pieces of extrication equipment, a Rescue Randy manikin, a fog generator, (41) Firefighter Essential books, and several training CD’s and DVD’s were purchased for the stations to both use. Also, two video projectors were purchased for the Vander Station and Cedar Creek Station. In 2005 Cumberland County EMS gave a 14 ft.

 

1971 McKee rescue boat to the Vander Fire Station to be used for medium rescue services. In 2005 the fire department decided to have Vander Fire Station and Cedar Creek Fire Station rated by the Department of Insurance as one district. The district went from a 9s (Cedar Creek Station) and a 5 (Vander Station) to a combined 6 rating. Also in 2005 a second FEMA Grant was applied for. On August 26, 2005 the Vander Fire District received a letter of grant approval from the U.S. Department Homeland Security for the amount of $197,687. At this time the Fire District is planning on purchasing (36) SCBA masks with extra bottles and (40) complete sets of turnout gear. Also, they plan to purchase (2) RIT packs and (2) spare 60-minute bottles for the RIT packs. Over the years the department has shown great dedication to its community and to other communities. In 1986 the department gave aid to Pender County when they faced a 70,000- acre woods fire. In 1989 the department sent its mobile command unit to St. Stevens, South Carolina after Hurricane Hugo devastated them. In 1996 the department sent its mobile command unit to Carolina Beach after Hurricane Fran struck them. Also at that same time personnel was sent to Sneads Ferry to assist them after the storm. In 1998 personnel along with an apparatus from the department was sent to Florida to help with wild fires. In 1999 the department sent personnel to assisted Wallace, North Carolina with damage after Hurricane Floyd.

 

As the Vander Fire District celebrates 50 years of dedicated service to the community, they would like to thank everyone for their support over the years. The firemen in this district are the main reason for the fire departments success. With out the dedication and long training hours put forth by these men, the response to the community would not be as great as it is. The fireman would like to give a special thanks to the ladies auxiliary from both stations. They have always been dependable and ready for anything that comes their way. It is our wish that the up coming years will be as successful as the past 50 years.