At 22:52, Raleigh-Wake County 911 dispatched a Raleigh Fire Department box alarm to Louisburg Rd & Dansey Dr. Because the location was closest to New Hope Station 1, New Hope Engine 1 was added to the call. Engine 1 arrived second due, confirmed the fire was in the county, and reported a working fire at an abandoned house at 5000 Louisburg Rd, with fire showing from the rear of the structure.
New Hope Car 1 requested Engine 4 to respond, and due to the nearest hydrant being on the other side of Louisburg Rd, requested New Hope Tankers 10 and 11, and Rolesville Fire Department Tanker 157. Crews were able to quickly knock down the fire, with no injuries. WC 1 from Wake County Fire Marshall’s Office was requested for the investigation of the fire.
At 0305hrs, Wake New Hope Stations 1 and 2 (along with Knightdale FIRE Engine 132, Raleigh Engine 19 as closest unit, and an EMS box alarm from Wake County EMS and Eastern Wake EMS) were dispatched to I-540EB and Buffaloe Rd for a report of an overturned vehicle.
First arriving units found the crash at Tarheel Club Rd and I-540, advising the vehicle had driven off Tarheel Club Rd, and rolled down the embankment onto I-540. All occupants of the vehicle had fled the scene prior to their arrival. With there being no injuries or entrapment, New Hope Car 1 reduced the assignment to New Hope Rescue 14, Engine 4, and Engine 1. Engine 1 was assigned to provide scene protection and blocking for the North Carolina State Highway Patrol while they investigated the crash, until the vehicle could be removed, which is standard practice for our department.
The crews were standing in front of the Troopers’ cars waiting for the tow truck, when they heard what was described as an explosion from the back of Engine 1. A black SUV had crashed into the rear of the engine, moving Engine 1 forward 12 inches, before coming to rest against a road barrier. With the drive severely injured and pinned in the vehicle, Chief Price requested assistance from Knightdale, as well as additional EMS resources. The crews from Wake New Hope Fire Department immediately went to work to free the trapped driver. Once the drive was extricated, he was turned over to EMS, and transported to WakeMed Health & Hospitals with serious injuries.
“Complacency kills firefighters” Chief Price said afterwards. “If we hadn’t had Engine 1 there protecting the scene, that car would have crashed into the trooper cars, and then into our firefighters, or struck our firefighters at full speed. Using the truck as a barrier definitely saved the lives of all crews that night.”
Engine 1 will be out of service for several months while repairs are completed. During this time, reserve Engine 3 will be used as the primary engine out of Station 1.
At 5:02 pm, New Hope Station 2 was dispatched for a brush fire between Old Milburnie and Mitchell Mill Rd, in New Hope Station 2’s district. Brush 7 and Tanker 9 responded (along with NH Car 1), and upon their arrival, they found several acres burning. Additional resources were requested for structural protection, the equivalent to a 3rd alarm, and in total 60 firefighters staffed 34 pieces of apparatus to contain the blaze. In additional, a second alarm was requested by Wake EMS, bringing numerous ambulances and additional EMS resources to the scene. In total, New Hope Engine 1, Engine 4, Brush 7, Tanker 9, ATV 31, Car 20 and Car 1 were all operating at the scene. In addition, mutual aid assistance was provided by Eastern Wake FD, Hopkins FD, Raleigh FD, Rolesville FD, Wendell FD, Wake Forest FD, Zebulon FD, and the North Carolina Forestry Service. Eastern Wake EMS and Wake County EMS both sent units as well, and the Wake New Hope Ladies Auxiliary assisted with the rehab at Station 2.
Special thanks to Judy Vaughn and Vaughn Utilities for the donation of snacks, food, and drinks after the fire.
At 2230hrs, RW911 dispatched Knightdale FD, Eastern Wake FD, and Wendell FD, along with Eastern Wake EMS 62, for reported structure fire at 1109 Kingman Dr. Units arrived on scene shortly, advising heavy fire from the garage and attic, and upgraded the assignment to a working fire, requesting Wake New Hope Engine 4 and Wake County WC1 to the scene.
Engine 4 (A shift and 2 volunteer firefighters) and Cars 1 & 2 (Chief Price and Assistant Chief Sok) responded directly to the scene. Chief Price arrived and was assigned the operations supervisor, while Chief Sok and Engine 4’s crew were assigned salvage and extinguishment hotspots. The fire was marked under control at 2303 hours, and Engine 4s crew was released from the scene, and directed to cover Knightdale Station 1 until Knightdale Fire units became available. Engine 4 was released by Knightdale E132, and returned to its primary area around midnight.
May 21, 2019 – Every year Wake County EMS awards crews who perform an instrumental role in saving the lives of people in cardiac arrest. These patients are called into 911 not breathing and with no pulse, and through the combined work of the 911 dispatchers, Fire Department and Police Department First Responders, and Hospital personnel, the patient is able to survive, and are invited back at the annual event to meet the responders who (literally) saved their life.
This year, two Wake New Hope crews were recognized at the ceremony: Station 1 A-Shift, for a code save in April at I540 and Capital Blvd, and Station 1 B-shift for a code save in October on Capital Blvd.
