FAIRFIELD COUNTY — Fairfield County Fire Services is short
on volunteer firefighters – way short. To combat that shortage the fire service
is hosting an open house on Thursday. It starts at 6 p.m. at the new Fairfield
County Administration Building, located at 350 Columbia Road.
“We are down, we have 120 volunteers that are rostered, and
about 60 of those are active with us,” says Fairfield County Fire Chief Jason
Pope. “We need at least 60 more countywide to meet the needs of our county.
“In the western portion of Fairfield County, Jenkinsville
and Blair, we only have about 4 volunteers,” Pope said. “We sometimes are so
short that we have to seek help from Richland and Kershaw Counties for recent
fires.
“The purpose of this open house is for the public,” Pope
said. “It’s for the public, for those who may be interested in volunteering who
maybe don’t have all of their questions answered. They just want to come, want
to hear from us, to describe a little bit about what it means to be involved in
the fire department, what it’s about.”
A Volvo truck carrying ammonium sulfate burst into flames after colliding with a pickup on I-77 southbound. | Photos: Fairfield County Fire Service
FAIRFIELD COUNTY – An early morning three-vehicle fatal crash including a truck carrying ammonium sulfate occurred Thursday near exit 32 on I-77, sending plumes of chemical smoke and flames into the air.
A shelter-in-place order was issued for the area that, at one point during the morning, included the Town of Ridgeway.
Aerial view of crash
The crash occurred at 3:59 a.m. near mile marker 32 when the
three vehicles, all traveling in the south-bound lane, collided.
A 1999 Chevrolet
pickup truck made an improper lane change, according to Master Trooper Gary
Miller of the SC Highway Patrol, and was struck by a 2003 Peterbuilt truck. The
pickup was then struck by a 2020 Volvo truck pulling a trailer transporting the
ammonia sulfate.
The Volvo truck and the pickup truck went off the right side
of the roadway, through a guard rail and into a ravine, killing the driver of
the pickup truck. Both vehicles burst into flames.
Killed in the crash was Charles Wayne Hartley, 54, of
Lancaster, SC, according to the Fairfield County Coroner’s office. The driver
of the Volvo truck was transported to an area hospital with
non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Peterbuilt tractor was not
injured.
The Volvo truck’s chemical cargo caused the Fairfield County
Fire Service to issue a shelter-in-place at about 8 a.m. for a one-mile radius.
By 8:30 a.m., a shelter-in-place order had been issued for
the Town of Ridgeway.
The southbound lane on I-77 was closed at the 34 mile marker and the northbound lane was closed at Exit 27. Traffic was re-routed to Hwy 321 on the west side of the interstate and to Highway 21 on the east side of I-77. Traffic was slow through Ridgeway and Blythewood throughout most of the day as the detoured traffic made its way back onto I-77 via Blythewood Exit 24.
By about 9:45 a.m., Fairfield Fire Service Director Jason
Pope said the burning chemical substance had been identified and an action plan
was put into place with crews working to extinguish the fire as well as control
the scene.
“We did not expect any immediate danger to life and health,
however, the shelter-in-place order was still in effect until about 10:45 a.m.,
Fairfield County Sheriff Will Montgomery said.
A hazmat unit, First Call, was on scene and a large tent was
set up in the outside southbound lane of I-77. Firetrucks responded from
Fairfield, Ridgeway, Rock Hill and Columbia. Eleven Fairfield County
firefighters (5 paid and 6 volunteers) were on duty as well as the Fairfield
County Rescue Squad, EMS, the Sheriff’s office, the SC Highway Patrol, SC
Department of Transportation and the Department of Health and Environmental
Control (DHEC), according to Fairfield Fire Service Director Jason Pope.
By 10:45 a.m., Montgomery announced that the fire had been
contained, the shelter-in-place order was lifted and the northbound lanes of
I-77 were opened.
By 2:10 p.m., after 10 hours, the fire units had cleared the
scene as the remnants of the two burned trucks were lifted by heavy equipment
into a truck with a boxcar trailer. Shortly thereafter one of the southbound
lanes was opened.
“It was a multi-agency response,” Pope said. “We were on
scene from about 4 a.m. until about 2:30 p.m. when the SC Highway Patrol took
over and all the lanes were open again.”
The crash is being investigated by the S.C. Highway Patrol.
BLAIR – After power had been out at their home for several hours on Sunday due to the storm, a Blair family of five tried to stay warm by building a fire in the home’s fireplace.
Shortly after, they noticed fire in the wall around the chimney.
They reportedly tried unsuccessfully to douse the fire, and called 911. The
blaze quickly spread, according to officials.
The first Fairfield County Fire Service units arrived at the
home, located on 99 Road in Blair, about 3 p.m. and reported heavy fire. Units
from Newberry County also responded for mutual aid.
According to the incident report, it took firefighters
several hours to control the fire which occurred during the weekend winter
storm that brought freezing temperatures and ice-forming rain to Fairfield
County.
No injuries were reported. The Red Cross assisted the family with food, housing and other necessities.
In addition to this house fire, Fairfield County fire units
responded to over 100 calls that same day for downed trees and power lines,
according to Fairfield County Fire Service Director Jason Pope.
“We can’t say enough about the men and women of the Fairfield County Fire
Service,” Pope said. “They have been running all day; over 100 downed trees and
power lines and a house fire. This just shows their dedication and commitment
to our citizens.”
FAIRFIELD COUNTY – The Fairfield County Fire Service has
been awarded a $28,000 grant from the Volunteer Strategic Assistance and Fire
Equipment (VSAFE) program. This program is administered by SC State Fire with
funding provided by the SC General Assembly.
The funding will be used to purchase a complete set of
vehicle extrication tools to include a spreader, cutter and ram, along with all
the necessary accessories and mounting brackets.
WINNSBORO – Fairfield County Council passed a resolution
last week to recognize Oct. 6 – 12 as National Fire Prevention Week. The
county’s fire chief, Jason Pope, accepted the resolution from County Council
Chairman Neil Robinson and reminded council and the audience of ways to prevent
fire injuries and deaths. At left is Councilman Moses Bell and at right,
Councilman Jimmy Ray Douglas. For home fire inspections, call Pope at
803-712-1070.
Cooking fire destroys Ridgeway home. | Fairfield County Fire Service
RIDGEWAY – A cooking fire that broke out in the kitchen of a mobile home a little after 3 p.m. on March 2 destroyed the home, located on Reese Lane in Ridgeway.
The home was being rented by a couple and their four-month-old daughter.
The mother told the fire service that she was cooking in the kitchen when her baby started crying in another part of the home, according to the incident report.
The mother said she went to check on the baby and when she came back into the kitchen, “the whole place was in flames,” according to the report. She then grabbed her baby and ran from the house.
Three other stations were called to the home, which was fully engulfed.
“Cooking related incidents are the leading cause of house fires nationwide,” Fairfield County Fire Service Director Jason Pope said. “We just want to caution folks to stay in the kitchen while you’re frying, grilling, boiling or broiling food. Use a timer to remind you if you are simmering, baking or roasting food. And keep anything that can catch fire – oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains – away from your stovetop,” Pope said. Another suggestion, he said, is to keep a lid nearby to smother small grease fires.
“And if a fire starts, just get out,” he said, “close the door behind you to help contain the fire, and call 911 or the local emergency number after you leave. If you try to fight the fire, be sure others are getting out and that you have a clear way out.”
“For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed,” Pope said.
“It isn’t a crisis for Fairfield County…yet, but if the trend continues it will be,” said Jason Pope, the Director for Fire Services for Fairfield County.
According to statistics cited by a Dec 6, 2018 info gram from the U.S. Fire Administration, 70% of the nation’s firefighters are volunteers. Over half of the volunteers in the country are over 40 years old. And replacements are not keeping up with demand.
Pope
“There is a generational decline in volunteerism and the reasons are multi-faceted,” said Pope. “Fairfield County is a transient community with so many of our residents leaving our area for work every day that we have fewer people at home and available during the day. Back in the mill town days supervisors would often let employees off from work to fight local fires.
“Young people have lost a sense of community. We typically have two-income households now with more debt and multiple jobs with less time available to volunteer.”
Pope says the problem is compounded with the different kinds of fires that occur now.
“Today’s homes are burning faster and hotter,” Pope explained. “In Fairfield County, the firefighters are like soldiers going into battle on the front lines. We were called out on over 1000 calls in 2018, and we have only 4 full time firefighters and around 120 active volunteers. Our volunteers are some of the most dedicated people you’ll fine. It’s tough work, but also rewarding and exciting work.”
It is also a big commitment of time for the training. Twenty or thirty years ago, the basic volunteer firefighter training was 40 hours. Today volunteers have to undergo 140 hours of training. And a basic fire Emergency Vehicle Driver Training class is necessary just to drive the fire vehicles.
“The training at the State Fire Academy is free,” Pope said, “But it’s challenging. You do have to really want to do it,” Pope said.
“While volunteers don’t get paid,” Pope said, “they do get a small stipend of $18 for every meeting/training session and fire call they make. But that’s certainly not pay.
“Being a volunteer firefighter is about people wanting to help their neighbors. Wanting to give back to their community. Wanting to be part of something good. ‘Service Above Self’ is displayed on our logo patch,” Pope said with pride. “And that’s what it is.”
At its current pace, the nation, like Fairfield County, is not keeping up with the need for volunteer firefighters.
“If national trends hold true, counties and municipalities like ours will soon be having to hire 40 full time people,” said Pope.
To find out more about becoming a volunteer, visit Fairfield County Fire Service on Facebook, Instagram and on Twitter at Fairfield Co Fire or call Pope at 803-712-1070 or drop by the station at 315 S Congress St, Winnsboro.
Greenbrier/Bethel Fire Chief Sammy Castles joined the Ridgeway firefighters in the dedication of the new engine. | Photos: Barbara Ball
Following tradition, firefighters and friends push the new engine into the station.
RIDGEWAY – Jason Pope, Director of the Fairfield County Fire Service, welcomed members of the Ridgeway community to the dedication of the county’s newest fire engine, Engine 71, at the Ridgeway Fire Station last week.
After remarks from Ridgeway Fire Chief Jamie Webb and several county officials, those officials as well as county firefighters participated in the traditional ‘pushing’ of the truck into the station. The new engine brings the station’s trucks to five, including another pumper, a tanker, a squad truck and a brush truck.
The fire station was constructed and dedicated in 2017.
Assistant County Administrator Davis Anderson, Ridgeway Town Councilman Don Prioleau, Ridgeway Fire Chief Jamie Webb, County Councilman for Ridgeway Dan Ruff, County Administrator Jason Taylor, Ridgeway Town Councilman Dan Martin and Director of Fairfield County Fire Services Jason Pope.
WINNSBORO – Fire stations throughout Fairfield County presented their volunteer firefighter of the year awards during Fairfield County Council’s annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner on May 4. Awardees pictured with Deputy Director Greg Gerber are, from left, Lewis Loftin, Blackstock; Brandon Edwards, Lebanon; Ned Gwin, Dutchman Creek; Melissa Adams, Ridgeway; Willie Bell, Southeastern; Gerber; Larry Robinson, Blair; Charles Lee, Mitford; Sammie Castles, Greenbrier; Caleb LeGrand, Community; Tavaris Brown, Rescue Squad. Adams was also named Firefighter of the Year for the entire county. James Feaster, Feasterville, and Tommy Sawyer, Jenkinsville, not pictured, were also Volunteer Firefighters of the Year.
WINNSBORO – There was good news and bad news about the 20 grass fires that burned 100 acres along Highway 315 S. in Jenkinsville last week.
Pope pointed out the need for more firefighters at County Council meeting on Monday.
The good news: “Thanks to the quick actions of our volunteer firefighters, there were no injuries and no structures damaged. Our emergency units did amazing work,” Fairfield County Fire Director Jason Pope reported to County Council on Monday evening. He also reported that the fires, first thought to have been arson, were determined by the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Department to most likely have been set accidentally, possibly by sparks from a chain being dragged behind a vehicle.
The bad news: “If the fire had happened during the week, instead of 2:15 on Saturday afternoon, we might have had a different outcome,” Pope said.
“We have 120 volunteer firefighters in Fairfield County,” Pope said, “but we need twice that many.”
Pope recently drew attention to the need for more volunteer firefighters in the County. He agreed to donate a check for $300 (contributed by the County’s fire chiefs) to the County’s recreation department if the department’s new director, Russell Price, would agree to be lifted in a ladder truck bucket to the top of the clock tower. Price agreed, and Greenbrier Fire Chief Sammy Castles, standing on a ledge above the clock’s face, greeted Price with the check, a handshake and a firefighter’s helmet that Price wore on the ride down.
“I’m trying whatever I can to get the word out that we desperately need volunteer firefighters,” Pope said.
According to the County’s incentive pay rates, volunteer firefighters receive $25 per call. Non-firefighters receive $10 per call. Other incentives include $5 for attending approved firefighter meetings, $15 for attending approved training classes and $15 for responding to wrecks with injuries. Maximum compensation for the month is $250 .
For information about becoming a volunteer firefighter, call 803-712-1070.
