Fort Mill Fire Department celebrates 100 years
The town’s firefighters have a big week ahead of them, one they’ll spend with some of the youngest and oldest stakeholders they can find.
“We are celebrating 100 years of service for the community, with the community,” said Chipper Wilkerson, interim fire chief.
The department has several events planned for the milestone anniversary, coinciding with National Fire Prevention Week. An invitation-only banquet at the fire station on Tom Hall Street comes Oct. 8, followed by a public open house 1-4 p.m. Oct. 10. The department also has school visits planned.
The open house will include fire station tours, light refreshments and an anniversary cake, along with a chance to meet Sparky the fire dog and see fire trucks. For younger guests, it may be a repeat visit with firefighters. During Fire Prevention Week, firefighters will visit preschoolers, kindergarteners and third-graders at every elementary school in town.
About 3,000 students will be involved.
Russell Rogers, a lifelong Fort Mill resident named fire marshal in January, said the events are the latest efforts for a busy department. Along with adding the fire marshal position, the department is working to renovate or build a new station in the Dobys Bridge Road area. Plans for another station or substation on Springfield Parkway were part of the recent debate concerning impact fees in Fort Mill, which were approved and will bring money for fire service.
The department is up for a safety review late this year that could impact insurance rates.
“It’s all good for the town,” Rogers said of expanding fire service efforts, “and it’s good for the residents.”
The private event Oct. 8 will celebrate many of the people who helped the department get where it is today. About 100 people will attend.
“We invited all of the past members that are still alive and their families to come out,” Rogers said. “We’ll celebrate them. We’ll hand out some awards.”
John Marks: 803-831-8166, @JohnFMTimes
Learn more:
Firefighters will use the anniversary and public events to promote fire safety, mainly having smoke alarms in every room where someone sleeps. For more on fire safety, visit firepreventionweek.org or sparky.org/fpw. For more on activities in Fort Mill, visit fortmillsc.gov.
This story was originally published October 1, 2015 at 2:59 PM with the headline "Fort Mill Fire Department celebrates 100 years."