History of Wayside Volunteer Fire Department

Statesville, North Carolina

The Statesville Fire Department, utilizing a fire truck assigned to Iredell County, provided the early fire protection in the middle and northern sections of Iredell County. The firemen would respond to the incidents as dispatched. Later communities came together to establish their own fire protection when it was discovered that adequate service was not being provided.

The Cool Springs Volunteer Fire Department was established in 1960 to cover a portion of the eastern side of the county. Cool Springs provided protection to Wayside, Elmwood, Shiloh and other areas that would be taken over during the establishment of the Wayside Volunteer Fire Department.

There was a community meeting held on April 2, 1969 at the Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church located on Highway 70, east of Statesville. The purpose of this meeting was the development of a fire department, which would provide fire protection for the following areas: Glen Echo, Shiloh, Wayside, Salisbury Road, Amity Hill and Elmwood. The purpose of the initial discussion was to determine if the fire protection would be a sub-station of the Cool Springs Volunteer Fire Department or become an independent fire department. There was a committee formed to look into the development of the fire department. This committee would later become the Board of Directors. The members of the original committee were Maven Warren (Chairman); William “Bill” Warlick (Vice-Chairman); Don Holton (Treasurer); Mrs. Clyde Albea (Secretary); Marvin Sechrist; R.V. Fox; U.L. Isenhour; Allen Sain; Glenn Barkley; Don Galliher; David Warren; David Cline and Kenny Hall. The committee came back together in order to report that the department would become an independent department known as the Wayside Volunteer Fire Department.

There was another community meeting held on April 15, 1969, to discuss forming Building and Finance Committees. Bill Warlick, Marvin Sechrist, David Cline and the Reverend Paul Conrad were appointed to the Finance Committee and Ray Warren, Don Holton and U.L. Isenhour were appointed to the Building Committee. Boyce Gibson, a local attorney, met with the group to discuss the Incorporation and By-laws. Maven Warren would meet with Mr. Gibson at a later date to complete the paperwork.

On April 29, 1969, the Finance Committee submitted a letter to the group reporting the initial funding would be in the amount of $18,705.00. This funding would be sufficient to build a building; purchase the first truck, which would be a tanker; and operate for one year. The truck chassis would be purchased and the tank would be built and installed by J.C. Beck Machine shop, located in Welcome, North Carolina.

There were several other meetings to discuss various items of business such as boundary lines and training requirements. The neighboring departments involved in setting the boundary lines were Cool Springs, Troutman and Shepherd’s Volunteer Fire Departments and the City of Statesville Fire Department.

The initial boundary lines, starting from the western side of the district included these businesses: Southern Screw, J.C. Penney Distribution Center, Interstate Equipment and many others. The northern side of the district met with Cool Springs at Fourth Creek on Greenbrier Road and continued east to Elmwood Road. The district stopped at the Rowan County line on Highway 70 East and on Ostwalt Amity Road. Then the exact southern lines were just south of Ostwalt Amity Road and continued to the area of Pilch Road. This gave the Wayside Volunteer Fire Department approximately 25 square miles of district. The district size was later reduced due to the annexation by the City of Statesville.

A meeting was called to discuss property. The deed for the property, on which the fire department was to be built, had been written, and was to be taken to the sister of Pauline White Brown for final signatures and notary seal.

On June 27, 1969, the Statesville Newspaper reported that the construction of the fire station was in process. The station was being built beside the Wayside Grocery, located adjacent to the intersection of Bethesda Road.

The Board of Directors met and appointed Ray Warren as the first Chief of the Wayside Volunteer Fire Department.

The department had made arrangements for the purchase of the first two apparatus. They were both 1969 models: a Ford/Howe 750 gallon pumper and a Ford 1000 gallon tanker. Both of these apparatus were delivered and placed into service. An exact “place in service” date could not be located. Later in the year, the department received a 1952 Dodge Weapons Carrier that was converted into a Brush unit.

It was believed that the first fire the department responded to was an assist call with Cool Springs at the Southern Screw building located on Barkley Road.

Around June 1970, the Wayside Volunteer Fire Department, along with the North Carolina Department of Insurance, established the fire district and became official.

After the official establishment, the department began holding fish fry’s and sending letters to the community, in an effort to raise funds. The first budget that could be located, after the initial budget, was in the amount of $10,350.00

In 1978, Ray Brady was appointed Chief of the department. He remained in that position for 13 years.

In the early 1980’s, the existing building was expanded to house the additional equipment needed. At this point, the department had acquired a step van that was used as an equipment truck. A 1979 Chevy truck was purchased and converted to a Brush unit. Members of the department joined together in order to build the skid unit that was in place. The department was self-supporting through fund raising efforts.

The budget of 1980-81 was submitted in the amount of $25,681.90. This would support the operation of department during that time. The department sold the old weapons carrier unit for $600.00. This money was placed back into the general operating budget.

In 1989, the department purchased a Ford Pumper. This was purchased to replace the original pumper that was presently in service. The department had also started to process of purchasing land in order to build a sub-station in the Amity Hill area. Land was purchased at the intersection of Ostwalt Amity Road and Triplett Road. This station would house the pumper that was replaced to have some type of fire protection at the station. The original tanker was still in operation.

Kenny Hall was appointed Chief of the Wayside Fire Department in 1991. At this time, additional apparatus, pumpers/tankers, were purchased. Both were built by EEI.

The year the two new apparatus were purchased, the operating budget was $71,478. This was one of the first budgets where Iredell County started assisting departments through the countywide fire tax.

In 2004, Tony Armstrong became Chief of Wayside Volunteer Fire Department with a budget that had risen to $227,000. In 2009, Tim Warren became Chief.

In 2011, construction began on a new department, located at 234 Bethesda Road, on land purchased from Dr. & Mrs. Edward Allison Ramsey. The land was originally owned by Dr. Ramsey's grandparents, Clarence Johnston Allison and Mary Susan Allison. The move from the department's original location at 2349 Salisbury Road to this new location was completed in December 2011.

At the time of the move, the Board of Directors approached Mark Rackley and Pete Deans, asking each to serve as Chief of Administration and Chief of Operations, respectfully. Both men have extensive fire training with Chief Deans serving roles as volunteer for 30+ years and in a full-time paid position with this department for over 10 years. Chief Rackley began as a volunteer at Wayside Volunteer Fire Department in 1986 and later became a career firefighter with the City of Statesville Fire Department in 1994. Like Chief Deans, he too, already served in a paid position, but on a part-time basis. With decades of firefighting experience and years of commitment combined, the decision for the first Chiefs of the newly built department was effortless. Both men assumed their role officially on January 1, 2012.

The department currently operates with a 1999 American LaFrance pumper, a 2010 Pierce pumper/tanker, and brush truck housed at the main station. A 1989 FMC tanker, purchased in the early 1990’s, serves as first out pumper at the sub-station. A 1994 GMC pumper/tanker, along with a brush truck are also housed at that location.

As of this writing, April 2012, the annual operating budget of the Wayside Volunteer Fire Department stands at $282,000.