Outer Banks, North Carolina - Department profiles

[mnsand]

Engine 124 is a 1991 Emergency One Protector 1250/1000 with serial number 9310.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

Ladder truck duties in Southern Shores are handled by Truck 12, a 2000 American LaFrance Metropolitan complete with a 1250/400 and a 65' aerial.



Serial number H44219.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

This nice little brush truck is a 1998 GMC 3500/American Eagle/Emergency One. 250/200.



Serial number SE1884. I am not sure if that was the serial number for American Eagle or Emergency One. Brush 12 was photographed in July of 1998.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

"Storm" is another radio designation that you will find on apparatus located across the Outer Banks. Many of these trucks are old military apparatus that are put into service during hurricanes and other weather related events.



Here is Storm 12 from Southern Shores. I believe it is a Kaiser, but I have no other information on this truck. At one point, this was stored at the parking lot of the Southern Shores town offices. I have since seen it kept behind Southern Shores main fire station.





That will wrap up Southern Shores apparatus. Up next we continue in Dare County with Kitty Hawk.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[Chasselber1]

Does anybody have any pics from St. James Island fire dept.? They have our old ladder truck and I was lookin for some pics. thanks

[GA_Dave]

This nice little brush truck is a 1998 GMC 3500/American Eagle/Emergency One. 250/200.



Serial number SE1884. I am not sure if that was the serial number for American Eagle or Emergency One. Brush 12 was photographed in July of 1998.

SE1884 is a Superior number. Superior was a Canadian builder bought out by E\-One and later closed. Many small apparatus of this type were built at their facility and sold as E-Ones in the States. American Eagle, in this case, refers to the badging used by E\-One for this particular program truck. There was also a builder called American Eagle, but they had nothing to do with this rig. Still, there was another builder called American Fire Eagle, but that's a story we'll have to Hammer out another time. <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/hysterical.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[mnsand]

I was hoping to be further along in the profile of Outer Banks FD's....I have been a bit under the weather here lately and am looking forward to continuing.



We left off with Southern Shores and will now hit Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, and Nags Head. These three areas are positioned at the center of the Outer Banks, between the northern beaches of Duck and Corolla and southern beaches of Hatteras Island. These three towns are the largest of the local communities and form the heart of the Outer Banks. Typically, the other areas slow down and empty out during the off season and winter months. These towns have activity all year round and most of the restaurants, hotels, and shops are open all year round.



Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, and Nags Head run together into one long strip that covers Milepost 1 in Kitty Hawk to Milepost 16 in Nags Head. Often times this area is referred to as "Nags Head". Two major arteries run along the length of all three towns - Highway 158 and Highway 12 (also known as the Beach Road). Highway 158 has shopping centers, gas stations, putt-putt courses, restaurants, hotels, etc. Highway 12 has vacation homes, hotels and motels, and small stores.



The popular Wright Brothers Memorial and Jockeys Ridge State Park are located in this area.



Let's begin with Dare County Station 13 which is the Kitty Hawk FD. Kitty Hawk began in 1971 and is a combination carrer and volunteer department. Shortly (October 2006?), the Kitty Hawk members will be opening a very nice new station just down the street from the current Station 13. The town of Kitty Hawk will take over the existing station as their property yard.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

Let's start with some apparatus no longer in service at Kitty Hawk.



Another Storm unit, also an ex-military unit, was once kept to the rear of Station 13. I photographed this truck in 1997.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

Brush fire duties at Kitty Hawk were once handled by this 1978 Jeep. It has a 120 gpm pump.



I have not seen this Jeep in years at Kitty Hawk.



Photo from Mike Sanders collection.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

I photographed Tanker 13 in 1997. It is a 1972 Ford F/Carolina Fire Masters with a 500 gpm pump and 1300 gallon tank. It has been mentioned also that Atlas did some original work on this truck because two similar Ford's were purchased for FD's in the Outer Banks - the Kitty Hawk tanker and a pumper for Colington. Any Atlas experts in our Firepics group?



I was told that once leaving Kitty Hawk, this Ford became a "target" out on a military bombing range somewhere in North Carolina.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

If you ever drove by the Kitty Hawk FD, this one was always there. Another example of an equipment truck common to the Outher Banks FD's.



During my last visit about a month ago, this was not there. It may be gone now that a new ladder truck is in service at Kitty Hawk.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

Engine 13 at Kitty Hawk is this nice 2001 Spartan/Saulsbury with a 1750/750. This is a rearmount pump completely enclosed. Serial number 200038.



I was told at Kitty Hawk that the members really like this truck and an additional one may be ordered.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

This 1991 Grumman with a Cincinnatti cab is also in service at Kitty Hawk. It has a 1750/1000 with Grumman serial number 18499.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

This old Ford continues on the Kitty Hawk roster, but I am not sure how long. It is looking a bit rough. Also photographed in 1997, it is a 1972 Ford F750/John Bean 750/500 with serial number 75A95F7-5-17.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

Here is one that has held a variety of unit designations at Kitty Hawk. The front says "Engine 1", and the window has the designation of Truck 13. This is another example of the interesting Grumman aerials found at some of the Outer Banks FD's.



This is a 1984 Ford C/Grumman with a 50' telesqurt. It has a 1250gpm pump and carries 500 gallons of water and Grumman serial number 47170.



Note the large K1200 saw box carried on the front bumper.



When Kitty Hawk received their new Ladder recently, I assumed this Grumman would be gone. I was told that the FD plans on keeping the Ford as a reserve ladder and pumper.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

Kitty Hawks newest delivery is Ladder 13, a 205 Spartan Gladiator/Smeal 105' with a 2000gpm pump and 370 gallon water tank. Smeal serial number 3062.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

Last post from Kitty Hawk.



The FD also provides Ocean Rescue, as do many of the Outer Banks FD's.



I believe this ocean rescue truck has been replaced by a newer Ford F pick up truck painted in red.



Kitty Hawks older ocean rescue was photographed in 2004 and is a 2001 Chevy 1500 pick up.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

Leaving Kitty Hawk and continuing south on Highway 158 takes you Kill Devil Hills.



Kill Devil Hills is best known as the place where flight began. The Wright Brothers Memorial stands high atop Big Kill Devil Hill in the center of the town. The National Park Service owns a 314 acre chunk in the middle of Kill Devil Hills for its Wright Brothers memorial, visitors center, and museum.



The Kill Devil Hills FD was established in 1953 and is a combination volunteer and career FD. They run out of one station along Highway 158 with a variety of pumpers, aerial ladder truck, and miscellaneous support pieces.



A couple of apparatus no longer in service at Station 14.



Old Engine 1402 was this 1971 American LaFrance Pioneer 1000/500 as photographed in 1996.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

Also gone is old Engine 1401, a 1980 American LaFrance 1500/500 with a 50' telesqurt.



Photo from the collection of Mike Sanders.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

Currently in reserve status is this 1989 Emergency One Hush 1500/750. I was told this was originally an ex-demo pumper. No serial number.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA