During the 1940s and 1950s, members of the Raleigh Fire Department helped the Lion’s Club collect and refurbish toys for needy children at Christmas.
According to The News & Observer on Dec. 17, 1944, firefighters were among those helping with repairs. Crews at Station 2 and Station 3 were repairing the toys, while those at Station 1 were painting them.
Among the repaired toys were metal ones, “such as wheelbarrows, wagons, and stoves, all minus a handle or log or a wheel.” The firefighters also fixed “carriages, pianos, chairs, tables, desks, cabinets, pull-toys, carts, and tricycles.”
This undated photo shows Santa's helpers at Station 2. The fire station was then located in the basement of Memorial Auditorium and also housed the fire department maintenance shop, shown here. Station 2 was located at the auditorium from 1932 to 1969.
Among those shown is Captain Jack Keeter, standing in the back. He later served as Chief of Department from 1955 to 1973.
Learn more about Raleigh fire history at the Raleigh Fire Museum.
(Editor’s Note: This information and photo are provided by RFD historian Mike Legeros)
| Quarter 3 2022 |
|
| All Fires (All fire responses including brush fires, vehicle fires, dumpster fires, etc., along with residential and commercial property fires) |
|
| Cooking | 55 fires (57 percent of fires in buildings) |
| Smoking Materials | 5 fires (five percent of fires in buildings) |
| Approximate Dollar Loss Due To Fire | $3.9 million |
| Fire Extinguished by Sprinkler System | 14 fires extinguished by sprinkler systems. |
| Fire Department EMS Responses | 8,293 (60 percent of all responses) |