New Rock Hill firefighters’ museum is great addition to city

What child isn’t awed by the sight of a fire engine, sirens blaring, tearing down the road to help someone in need? In fact, many adults never lose their sense of excitement when watching a fire engine pass by.

Now kids and adults can examine fire engines – not to mention lots of other firefighting gear and artifacts – up close at the new museum in the Headquarters Fire Station on Elizabeth Lane in downtown Rock Hill. City firefighters have been at work on the museum, which opened its doors Monday, since 2007, using mostly money they raised themselves.

They also have done most of the hands-on work, designing the museum using ideas from other museums across the state and doing nearly all the construction in their off hours over the past three years. And firefighters raised more than $10,000 themselves to pay for the museum and its contents.

But they have received some welcome help from the community as well – donations of work or money from local merchants and friends of the department. For example, Panther Heating and Cooling donated and installed the HVAC system for the museum for free.

In the spring, the Junior Welfare League of York County plans to donate the proceeds from its 2014 Gobble Wobble 5K walk and 8K run to the museum. Members aren’t sure yet how much money that will be, but last year’s recipient got $25,000.

The money will serve a worthy mission: teaching fire safety and, it is hoped, saving lives. Children will be able to try on firefighting coats and hats, sized just for them, slide down a vintage fire pole, ring an antique bell used as a fire alarm in the 19th century and climb aboard a fully restored 1924 fire engine, the second motorized vehicle the department owned.

But while the youngsters are having fun, firefighters hope to insert some important lessons about fire safety in the home. One part of the museum contains mockups of a kitchen, bedroom and living area to use in training children how to avoid household fires and what to do in an emergency.

Firefighters hope that they can impart lessons that not only will stay with children for a lifetime but also might be passed on to peers and even parents. Money from the Junior Welfare League will be used to buy computers and other electronic equipment for even more interactive exhibits, which will be fun for kids but also will help them learn about fire safety.

Admission is free, and visitors can drop by 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Large groups should make an appointment.

Firefighters hope the museum can be ready by this summer to serve as a site for children’s birthday parties on the weekends and evenings in exchange for a donation to the museum. It seems like an ideal place for a children’s party.

We are grateful to all those in the community who contributed time or money to this project. But we are especially grateful to all the firefighters who raised money, helped plan, helped build and participated in a variety of other ways in this labor of love.

The new museum is a tribute to their courage and devotion, and the many things they do to keep the residents of this community safe

This story was originally published March 19, 2015 at 8:25 PM with the headline "New Rock Hill firefighters’ museum is great addition to city."