Outer Banks, North Carolina - Department profiles

[mnsand]

Hatteras Ladder 409 is this unique and interesting 1992 International 4900/Emergency One with a 50' and 1250/500. Emergency One serial number 10987.



There is rumors that Hatteras is thinking about a new ladder truck - that will be interesting.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

Final photo from Hatteras.



Is that Ford C laughing at me?





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[hfd556]

mnsand,



The photos were great. Really nice department break down of the apparatus from OBX. I was there 2 years ago. I visited Duck, Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head Station 16. My dad and I went there to see the Wright Brothers National Park. ff556

[Engine504Driver]

Mike,



As always, awesome pics !! Nice to see those rigs out in the open, at least the Hatteras-area rigs. Those stations always seem locked up tighter than a drum during the day whenever I've been by.



Not on this most recent trip there, but during my vacation 3 or 4 years ago, I stopped by the Hatteras Island Rescue Squad to get directions to the golf course. While there, I noticed there were ambulances there, but I'm pretty sure they were Dare County EMS units. As I drove on to the golf course, I went past the now-opened Dare County EMS Station 3, which was still under construction at the time. So I'm guessing the Rescue Squad was providing storage and station space to the county until their own station was completed.



Chris

[mnsand]

Our final visit will take us out of Dare County and into Hyde County to Ocracoke Island.



Ocracoke Island is the Outer Banks getaway spot. People who live on the Outer Banks go to Ocracoke for their own vacations, and that says alot about the character of this island. This area is absolutely beautiful.



From Hatteras, you take a 45 minute ferry boat ride to arrive at Ocracoke Island. Once on the island, you drive past 13 miles of open beaches, dunes, and marshland. The entire 13 miles of oceanfront is undeveloped...no buildings in sight. Just miles of clean beaches and sand. Oh, by the way, Blackbeard the pirate roamed these areas and eventually was beheaded in Ocracoke.



Once you are in the village of Ocracoke, there are a variety of stores and shops. The Ocracoke VFD is in the village and runs from one station. When my family visited, we drove by the station and no one was home. One truck sat outside. I did not have the opportunity to find anyone from the FD. When we returned home to Hatteras that evening, I called the station and found that someone was actually there. I was told I was fortunate because it was rare to find people at the station unless there is a call or station function. He was cleaning the apparatus bay floors. When I told him that I was interested in photographing the apparatus, he invited me to come the next morning. I had no problems enjoying the ferry boat right again and the nice scenery.



First photo is the station sign. The lighthouse on the picture is the Ocracoke Lighthouse, built in the 1800's and is the smallest lighthouse on the Outer Banks. That is also their old firetruck, which was sitting under numerous tarps near the station.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

Pumper 1 was out of service with mechanical problems sitting in front of the station. Last year I recall seeing that it was up for sale.



1967 Dodge Power Wagon 500/Darley 750/750.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

The guys at Ocracoke were just fabulous. Prior to arriving, they had washed all of the apparatus. They were truly excited that someone wanted to visit and take photos.



We then took the remaining three trucks down to the Ocracoke lighthouse, which is a popular tourist attraction for this village. The lighthouse is closed, but many people come by to visit.



We caused a bit of a traffic back up, at least for this area. We wanted to take some nice photos with the lighthouse in the background. No hard feelings from the people here....things are just a bit more relaxed in Ocracoke.



Pumper 3 is this two door 2001 KenWorth/Toyne 1250/1000 - yes, a top mount.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

Pumper 2 from Ocracoke is this 1987 FOrd F800/Grumman 1000/1000. It has Grumman serial number 17743.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

Here is Truck 1, a 2000 Ford F250 4x4/Aerofire 200/250/15 brush truck.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

We will finish Ocracoke and our Outer Banks tour with a couple of station shots of Ocracoke.



Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

Last photo from Ocracoke.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

And there you go.....a tour of Currituck and Dare Counties and Ocracoke. This area makes up most of the Outer Banks. I have told my family that if I strike it rich I am retiring with a house on the beach somewhere in the Outer Banks. We continue to go back year after year....there is something very nice and peaceful about this area.



I hope you have enjoyed the information and photos. My thanks to all of you who helped me fill in some informational gaps.



As I continue to get additional photos from this area, I will add them to this thread. Please, if you have photos that have not been posted, and especially older apparatus no longer in service, I would greatly appreciate the posts.



One final thing. I worked with Choice Marketing in creating a apparatus collector card set of apparatus from the Outer Banks. They are a selection of the FD's that were posted here. I have had a few folks inquire about these cards. If you are interested in obtaining a set, I have some available. Please contact me via email at mnsand@adelphia.net.



Thanks again,





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[firemag]

BEST POST EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest]

Excellent post Mike, my last trip to Ocracoke was back when the Ford/Grumman was less than a year old and the Dodge/Darley was in like new condition.



Enjoyed the entire set!

[Guest]

One of the best post ever IMHO.

[Guest]

[quote name='mnsand' post='33298' date='Sep 12 2006, 17:58 ']Let's start at Nags Head with some units no longer in service.



I wish I had some more information on this ALF. It is my understanding is that Nags Head obtained this ALF from Annapolis, Maryland.



1963 ALF 900 1000/500.



Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA[/quote]



Mike,



I have it as:

1961 AMERICAN LAFRANCE

900 SERIES 1000GPM/300GWT SERIAL #D910-PMC7-1-8636 DELIVERED 10-31-61.

It was originally owned by the Eastport VFD which is part of the Annapolis, MD FD.

It was rehabbed at some point with the larger booster tank and painted white (originally red).

Easport sold it to Nags Head around 1987.

[mnsand]

[quote name='DESOTO' post='34593' date='Sep 16 2006, 22:00 ']Mike,



I have it as:

1961 AMERICAN LAFRANCE

900 SERIES 1000GPM/300GWT SERIAL #D910-PMC7-1-8636 DELIVERED 10-31-61.

It was originally owned by the Eastport VFD which is part of the Annapolis, MD FD.

It was rehabbed at some point with the larger booster tank and painted white (originally red).

Easport sold it to Nags Head around 1987.[/quote]





Desoto,



Thank you for the clarification and data on the ALF. I have been doing some digging on this truck.



Here is the ALF at Annapolis, Maryland (Eastport) painted red





Mike Sanders photo collection





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

And here is the ALF painted white at Annapolis (Eastport).





Mike Sanders photo collection.







Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[Rob Pryor]

Mike,



What a great series....Much like you, I have visited the "island" many times, and wasn't able to locate anyone to let me in to see the apparatus and stations.....You were a little more persistent and for that I am thankful.......especially for the Ocracoke shots!!!!



As far as Chicamacomico is concerned and why the change to Rodanthe.....You asked, and here is the reason....from [url="http://www.hatteras-nc.com/history/waveshis.htm"]http://www.hatteras-nc.com/history/waveshis.htm[/url]



Waves History



The whole area was once known as Chicamacomico or Chicamacomico Banks, derivatives of Indian names that dated back to the Raleigh colonists and the earliest maps. In 1874 the postal service changed the name of the entire northern end of the island to Rodanthe. Growth in the area continued however, and by the early 1900s, three distinct villages had become established in the broad Rodanthe area. By the 1930s, this village was know as South Rodanthe (Waves), and was the center village between North Rodanthe (now Rodanthe) and Clark, aka Clarksville (now Salvo).



Confused? So was the Postal Service. In 1939, South Rodanthe got its own post office and became Waves. The northernmost village became "Rodanthe," no longer needing the "North" to distinguish it from its sister village.





Another page on that site says the postal service probably changed the name because it was easier to pronounce!!!! Go figure.

[mnsand]

[quote name='Rob Pryor' post='38043' date='Sep 29 2006, 11:27 ']Mike,



What a great series....Much like you, I have visited the "island" many times, and wasn't able to locate anyone to let me in to see the apparatus and stations.....You were a little more persistent and for that I am thankful.......especially for the Ocracoke shots!!!!



As far as Chicamacomico is concerned and why the change to Rodanthe.....You asked, and here is the reason....from [url="http://www.hatteras-nc.com/history/waveshis.htm"]http://www.hatteras-nc.com/history/waveshis.htm[/url]



Waves History



The whole area was once known as Chicamacomico or Chicamacomico Banks, derivatives of Indian names that dated back to the Raleigh colonists and the earliest maps. In 1874 the postal service changed the name of the entire northern end of the island to Rodanthe. Growth in the area continued however, and by the early 1900s, three distinct villages had become established in the broad Rodanthe area. By the 1930s, this village was know as South Rodanthe (Waves), and was the center village between North Rodanthe (now Rodanthe) and Clark, aka Clarksville (now Salvo).



Confused? So was the Postal Service. In 1939, South Rodanthe got its own post office and became Waves. The northernmost village became "Rodanthe," no longer needing the "North" to distinguish it from its sister village.





Another page on that site says the postal service probably changed the name because it was easier to pronounce!!!! Go figure.[/quote]





Rob....neat history. I have always wondered about that. Thanks for the post.



Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA