Carolina Fire Rescue EMS Journal has been built with a capacity for 1000 students.This facility replaced a 1936 school that housed 500 students.The 1936 facility has since been converted into a special needs and county wide day care facility. We have had numerous residential subdivisions added along with a multistory apartment complex. Additionally, like most modern volunteer organizations, we strive to have a high retention rate amongst our members. In today’s society, most people think that firefighters are all paid career personnel. We work within the community to show that we are members of the community as well. We do this by participating in several “911 Sunday” events throughout Cabarrus County on the anniversary of 9-11.
What are you doing for fundraising? We no longer do any active fundraising as we are a fully tax supported organization. We have been fully tax supported since 1974. Historically speaking, we conducted barbecues, square dances, woman-less weddings and other events. Since becoming tax supported we have conducted fund raising through the sale of “911” porch light flashers to support our medical responder program in the late 80s and early 90s. From time to time individuals or businesses donate funds to the department which are placed into a firefighter’s fund.
What upgrades will you make to your department this year? This calendar year we, along with all other public safety agencies in Cabarrus County, will be upgrading our communications system to an all-digital 800 MHz system. We will be joining into a regional communications system anchored by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Communications Department. With this transition to a regional system we will be able to communicate with six counties and numerous municipal agencies. We are currently in the planning stages of replacing a 1988 pumper/ tanker with a modern rescue pumper or pumper/ tanker.
www.carolinafirejournal.com
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