October is Fire Prevention Month and a great time to honor the men and woman who serve our towns and county, either as paid or volunteer emergency service providers. It is also a good time to consider volunteering as a service to the community.

The Elizabethtown Fire Department (EFD) is the largest in Bladen County with seven full-time staff, five part-timers and twenty-six volunteers.

Under the guidance of Chief Hollis Freeman, the Department is responsible for the sixty-five square mile fire district, which is home to 9,000 people (or 30% of the county’s population) and covers the incorporated area of the Town of Elizabethtown and the unincorporated area of the district surrounding the town.

Providing fire protection is a century-old tradition in Elizabethtown with several locations serving as fire stations over the years. In 2020, the primary fire station was moved to a new, state-of-the art building on East Broad Street. The building is equipped with kitchen facilities, sleeping quarters, large training room and offices. Its large bays hold two engines, a 75-foot ladder truck, a medium level rescue truck, military brush truck and an ATV as well as the original 1929 antique fire truck.

(The original 1929 Fire Truck can be seen in the Annual Christmas Parade)

According to Freeman, who is a 16-year veteran of the Department and has served as Chief for the last three years, the EFD responds to approximately 750 calls a year ranging from fires and accidents to emergency medical response, technical rescues, and wildland fires. They also provide mutual aid to all the other fire departments in Bladen County and assist Bladen County Emergency Management Services with storm incidents, like hurricanes, by keeping the roads open and residents safe.

Additionally, the EFD provides community safety education through programs like car seat safety checks with Bladen Safe Kids, and participates in events like Touch a Truck, Kids’ Appreciation Day and Trunk or Treats.

(Handing out Fire Prevention info at Bladen County Library’s Trunk or Treat)

Freeman said that one of the biggest concerns for EFD and the other fire departments in Bladen County is the lack of volunteers. All Fire Departments in Bladen County rely heavily on volunteers. Freeman added o to that 72% of all North Carolina Firefighters are volunteers.

Volunteering as a firefighter does offer benefits like the NC Firefighter State Assoc. pension fund, accidental death benefits, and life insurance; but it is the feeling of service to the community that makes it worthwhile. Chief Freeman said the training alone provides invaluable skills.

Young people can start with the EFD at the age of 16 as a junior firefighter and both East and West Bladen High School offer State Firefighter training. Once18, participate in all live fire training exercises and all events. The State recommends 36 hours of training a year that can be completed at any fire station.

Chief Freeman encourages anyone interested in becoming a volunteer to contact their local department. The thirteen Bladen County Fire Departments are: Ammon, Bladenboro, Bay Tree Lakes, Carvers Creek, Clarkton, Dublin, East Arcadia, Elizabethtown, Hickory Grove, Kelly, Lisbon, Tar Heel, White Lake and White Oak.

For more information on becoming a volunteer, go to www.VolunteerFireNC.org.

As part of Fire Prevention Month, local Fire Departments are reminding people to check their smoke alarms and keep their doors closed while sleeping.