Colfax Fire Department is a combination department. We respond to various types of incidents including medical.
After the loss of a home in the Sandy Ridge Community on December 18, 1957, neighbors began talking about the need for starting a fire department. At the time of the fire, Talley's Crossing Fire Department was the first department on the scene and was assisted by Beeson's Fire Department. Other fires in the Colfax and Sandy Ridge area which influenced the start of the department were the loss of another home and a fire at a machine shop.
The first meeting to discuss the organization and the need of a fire department was held by the PTA of Colfax School. At that time the closest fire protection was Kernersville Fire Department and they charged a fee of $50.00 to respond outside the city limits, with the money having to be paid up front. At that meeting, a citizen made the motion to start a fire department and so began the process of organization. Additional meetings were held in January, February and March of 1958 to start forming Colfax Fire Department. Fire service authorities met with the group on March 10, 1958 to assist in the organization of the department. Donations began to pay for the first fire truck and fire station. In April of 1958 the incorporation paper was started. There were 33 citizens that were the original charter members of the fire department.
The first meeting of the department was held in March 1958 and officers were appointed. There were two land sites offered by land owners in the community to build the first fire station. A lot on Hwy. 421 was offered as well as property on Sandy Ridge Road near Clinard Farms Road. The decision was made to go with the site donated on Hwy. 421 due to the location being nearest Colfax School. Whitt's Esso was also nearby and was the local hangout. Property owners of the community donated saw logs from their land and members of the department cut and carried the logs to Kernersville Lumber Company where they traded the logs for building materials, concrete blocks, etc. The bay floor was originally gravel and was poured in sections later as funding became available. The construction on the station started prior to the first truck being delivered. The department moved into the station in the winter of 1958. The second station was built in 1965 or 1966 at the community building on Joe Drive.
The first fire truck was delivered in September 1958. It was a 1958 Howe ordered through Grubbs Ford in Kernersville. The cost of the truck was $10,217.85 with an annual payment of $1,643.57. There were three people that co-signed for the truck, and they were also named the first Fire Commissioners. The truck was delivered prior to the completion of the fire station and was temporarily stored in Lonnie Potts' garage. As a reference, an engine of today's standards would cost four hundred thousand plus.
In the event someone in the community needed the fire department they would call Whitt's Esso at phone number 5725 during the daytime or 3624 or 5723 at nighttime and whoever answered the phone would go to the station and set off the siren. These three phone numbers were either at a member's residence or the Esso Station. When volunteers heard the siren they would come to the station to find out the location of the call and get the truck and respond to the fire. Someone would have have to standby at the station to let everyone know where the call was. When the second station was started the community would call the local Prison Camp to report a fire. The Prison Camp Guards had the ability to set off the siren at the station from their location. In December 1967, the members started a turkey shoot as a fundraiser to purchase monitors for people to be notified from home. Cost of each monitor was $165 and the most active members would get them first.
The first fire that the department responded to was a chicken house fire on Idol Cox Road. The total loss was $10,000 and 4,400 chickens.
The department started out with six sets of turn out gear and the gear was rotated among the members on the call. Members of the department would purchase their own gear and equipment for the trucks and on training nights would "pass the hat" for money in order to put fuel in the trucks.
A Training Officer with Greensboro Fire Department assisted with training the members and setting up the training programs.
The Ladies Auxillary of the Fire Department was organized in June of 1959 and the first meeting was held on July 6, 1959 with officers being appointed at that time. The Ladies Auxillary assisted the fire department with the fundraisers and provided refreshments to the firefighters while they were out on emergencies as needed. The Golden Age Party, which is an annual event held for the Senior Citizens of the community, was also started by the Auxillary and is still held as an annual event. Those who attend look forward to this event year after year. Thanks to the Auxillary for this continued commitment.
Colfax Fire Department has changed drastically from the day of being totally volunteers and passing the hat by the members to put fuel in the apparatus, to being a combination department continuing to be supported by volunteers, part time and career staff. The department is now on a tax base which provides for the daily operations and the replacement of apparatus. Even with the drastic change which has occurred since 1958, the one thing which remains constant is our commitment of providing the best possible protection from the ravages of fire along with rescue and medical emergencies to the citizens of the Colfax and Sandy Ridge community.
Thanks for your continued support of Colfax Fire Department
The mission of Colfax Fire Department is to provide the citizens of Colfax Fire District protection of life and property.
