About Us
The Rocky Mount Fire Department provides fire suppression, rescue and emergency medical services, hazardous materials mitigation, technical rescue, code enforcement, fire investigation, and public education to the city of Rocky Mount. The Rocky Mount Fire Department currently serves 57,477 residents (2010 census) in an incorporated area of 45.65 square miles. Our mission is to serve the City of Rocky Mount by protecting lives and property through quality and excellence in service. With values of integrity, honesty, respect, teamwork, and dedication, our vision is to provide continuous improvement at a measured and focused pace driven by high professional standards, collaboration, and innovation. The RMFD is consistently working towards and maintaining the highest level of professionalism, service delivery and effective programs for the citizens in the Rocky Mount area. The department was accredited through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) in 2003, 2008, 2013, and 2018.
History
Settlers ventured into the great falls of the Tar River area around 1734. Because of its Rocky terrain it was later referred to as the "rocky mound". The first post office was established in 1816 and the area was officially named Rocky Mount. The town was incorporated in 1867 and at that time the twin county city of Nash and Edgecombe was divided at the Tar River. It may only be assumed that fire fighting was accomplished by primitive means and that no formal means of fire protection existed for the community.
The Department
On October 8, 1894 Mayor T. H. Battle appointed town councilmen H. T. Bauman and J. C. Braswell to "canvass the town and ascertain if a Volunteer fire company could be organized". The department's first organized fire company was approved by the town Council on March 11, 1896. The fire company consisted of 26 African American men. Mr. C. C. McIntyre was the foreman. They were known as The "Colored Fire Company" and operated a ladder wagon and bucket Brigade from the 100 block of East Thomas Street. The department achieved Its official charter on August 6, 1896 along with its first fire chief J. R. Bissette. The first fire station was located at the corner of Sunset Avenue and Sorby's Alley. The building was large enough to hold the steamer engine, meeting Room and area for the mule to stay that pulled the steamer engine.
Water Supply
According to fire insurance maps of the town from 1885 to 1896 water supplies for fire fighting were not adequate. In 1896 the department's first Fire Chief had the town dig water cisterns for fire fighting in target areas of Town. In 1901 Rocky Mount's first water works system was in place. The Stony Creek was characterized as an inexhaustible water supply. The gravity and direct pressure system had a daily consumption of 100,000 gallons a day.
First Fire Apparatus
It is believed the first piece of fire apparatus purchased was a man-drawn ladder wagon purchased on April 8, 1895 for $355.00. The first and only Steamer engine the department has was purchased on July 14, 1896 for $2600.00. The steamer was an 1878 fifth size Silsby. A mule and man drawn hose reel was purchased along with the steamer. In 1914 the department received its first motorized piece of fire fighting apparatus. The new engine was a 1914 American La France chemical wagon. This dramatically improved the efficiency of the department's capability in the response to the alarm and the attack of the fire.
Alarm Notification and Dispatch
In 1905 the department purchased a large fire bell for notifying volunteers of a fire call. The bell's original home was in the three story tower of the Main Street Fire Station. In 1910 the department purchased its first of many Game well fire alarm pull boxes throughout the town. Along with this system bell striking machine was also purchased so that alarm box numbers could be sounded through the fire bell. This system is believed to have remained in place until the station was closed down in the early 1960s.
With the development of the telephone being installed in more homes along with fire alarm boxes the department utilized the use of a fire station emergency fire phone number one could call to report a fire also. By the early 1980s the city of Rocky Mount adopted the 911 emergency phone number making City Hall telecommunications the fire dispatch for the department and other city emergency services.
Growth of the Department
From the 1950s through the 1980s the department grew from two fire stations to five fire stations. A third 24 hour shift of personnel was added in 1974 to handle the workload. The fire prevention and training departments also expanded to meet the needs of the department and the city. In May of 1982 the Insurance Service Organizations upgraded the department from the current class 4 to class 3 rating. In 1990 the department grew in size again by relocating its fire station three and building an additional fire Station six. A two district concept was developed to provide lower response times to areas within the city. In March of 2000 the department began to deliver emergency medical first responder services, the same year new fire station four was opened. The new Life Safety and Emergency Management complex was completed in 2002. In 2003 the department's fire museum and fire station seven opened. On August 21, 2003 the department became an Internationally Accredited Agency by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International Inc. In May of 2010 the department was upgraded by the Insurance Service Organization to a class 2 department. This places the department in the top 0.5% of the fire departments in North Carolina. In August of 2018 the department won its reaccreditation status for a fourth time making it one out of 259 departments worldwide with this accolade.