N.C. fire department hit by fire de-certified by state

They’ll no longer be rated and certified until the station and equipment that were lost have been replaced

September 23, 2014 01:40 AM

The Daily News

BEAUFORT, N.C. — Carteret County, for now, has one fewer fire department.

The county was notified this month by the Office of the State Fire Marshal that due to the extent of a fire at the North River Volunteer Fire Department, the department no longer will be considered rated and certified until the station and equipment that were lost have been replaced.

A June 22 fire that broke out in one of the bays of the station at the North River VFD destroyed the building, trucks and most of the essential equipment used by the department.

Fellow firefighters from Central Fire Department in Lexington County donated a fire engine to the department, and Carteret County Emergency Services continues to assist North River in its efforts to rebuild.

Since the fire, Beaufort Fire Department has verbally committed to provide fire protection to the North River fire district, with the support of the members of the North River department.

However, Emergency Service Director John Ford said that due to the state’s notification, an official contract with the Beaufort Fire Department is required.

“The action is necessary to ensure that the residents in the North River Fire District are in a recognized fire district by the Office of the State Fire Marshal and being served by a recognized and certified fire department,” Ford states in a news release.

The state required a plan of action to show which fire department would be a primary department responding to calls in the North River district.

Beaufort Fire Department is being dispatched to all fire-related calls in the North River district until the North River department is re-rated by the state.

North River Fire Department members, who are volunteers, have the opportunity to temporarily join the Beaufort Fire Department to continue to serve their district.