Current
Public News:
Surf City Gets Gift from
Uncle Sam
Jun 10, 2010
12:09 PM
By Mary Rose
Roberts (Article courtesy of Fire Chief Magazine)
The Surf City (N.C.)
Volunteer Fire Department was awarded a FIRE Grant to
purchase 800 MHz radios to improve radio interoperability
throughout its county, said Chief Demetrius Batts. The
county currently is transitioning from a VHF to an 800 MHz
system, so grant monies were used to purchase nine mobile
and 15 portable radios to ensure the volunteer department
could support countywide radio interoperability.
The rural department
needed such radios to communicate with surrounding
first-responder agencies during large incidents but
couldn’t afford to purchase them through its $113,000
annual operating budget that is used to pay for overhead
costs and training for 30 volunteer firefighters who
respond to 200 calls per year. So Batts hired a grant
writer for $550 to help complete the application. Although
he recommends using a grant writer, he said the county’s
transition to the 800 MHz system and the need for radio
interoperability was the core reason the grant was
awarded.
“Give that the county as
a whole was going to a different type of radio system
helped us out quite a bit,” he said.
Batts recommended that
rural departments use the federal grants to procure
equipment. “It is very hard to for volunteer departments
to purchase such equipment in order to provide coverage to
taxpayers,” he said. “So I would advise small department
to try grants because the money is out there.”
- A Sincere Thank You!
We here at the Surf City
Volunteer Fire Department would like to offer a sincere
and heartfelt THANK YOU to the members of
our community, and the County Commissioners of Pender
County for their continued support. Without all of you, we
would not be able to serve with pride, as we have for
over 40 years, and hope to do much longer into the
future.
- An extension of the
services we provide
Our part-time personnel
program enters its fourth year. The program has been
extended to include 2 personnel during the daytime hours
during the weekdays.
In the fall of 2006, the
Surf City Volunteer Fire Department began providing its
citizens and taxpayers with daytime personnel to man our
station. There is a firefighter on duty at the station
from 9 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday. This firefighter
is on hand to answer emergency calls, as well as handle
any other tasks during the day. This includes repairing
equipment, washing trucks, performing daily status checks,
and many other administrative duties. We invite the public
to stop by our station during the day and say hello. We
would be glad to meet you.
- A Friendly
Reminder
We would like to take a
moment and remind the motoring public of a North Carolina
General Statute that affects the safety of emergency
vehicles and emergency personnel while performing their
duties along our state's roadways. NCGS 20-157 reads as
follows:
§
20‑157. Approach of law enforcement, fire department
or rescue squad vehicles or ambulances; driving over fire
hose or blocking fire‑fighting equipment; parking, etc.,
near law enforcement, fire department, or rescue squad
vehicle or ambulance.
(a)
Upon the approach of any law enforcement or fire department
vehicle or public or private ambulance or rescue squad
emergency service vehicle giving warning signal by
appropriate light and by audible bell, siren or exhaust
whistle, audible under normal conditions from a distance not
less than 1000 feet, the driver of every other vehicle shall
immediately drive the same to a position as near as possible
and parallel to the right‑hand edge or curb, clear of any
intersection of streets or highways, and shall stop and
remain in such position unless otherwise directed by a law
enforcement or traffic officer until law enforcement or fire
department vehicle or public or private ambulance or rescue
squad emergency service vehicle shall have passed. Provided,
however, this subsection shall not apply to vehicles
traveling in the opposite direction of the vehicles herein
enumerated when traveling on a four‑lane limited access
highway with a median divider dividing the highway for
vehicles traveling in opposite directions, and provided
further that the violation of this subsection shall be
negligence per se. Violation of this subsection is a Class 2
misdemeanor.
(b)
It shall be unlawful for the driver of any vehicle other
than one on official business to follow any fire apparatus
traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than one block
or to drive into or park such vehicle within one block where
fire apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm.
(c)
Outside of the corporate limits of any city or town it shall
be unlawful for the driver of any vehicle other than one on
official business to follow any fire apparatus traveling in
response to a fire alarm closer than 400 feet or to drive
into or park such vehicle within a space of 400 feet from
where fire apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm.
(d)
It shall be unlawful to drive a motor vehicle over a fire
hose or any other equipment that is being used at a fire at
any time, or to block a fire‑fighting apparatus or any other
equipment from its source of supply regardless of its
distance from the fire.
(e)
It shall be unlawful for the driver of a vehicle, other than
one on official business, to park and leave standing such
vehicle within 100 feet of law enforcement or fire
department vehicles, public or private ambulances, or rescue
squad emergency vehicles which are engaged in the
investigation of an accident or engaged in rendering
assistance to victims of such accident.
(f)
When an authorized emergency vehicle as described in
subsection (a) of this section or any public service vehicle
is parked or standing within 12 feet of a roadway and is
giving a warning signal by appropriate light, the driver of
every other approaching vehicle shall, as soon as it is safe
and when not otherwise directed by an individual lawfully
directing traffic, do one of the following:
(1)
Move the vehicle into a lane that is not the lane nearest
the parked or standing authorized emergency vehicle or
public service vehicle and continue traveling in that lane
until safely clear of the authorized emergency vehicle. This
paragraph applies only if the roadway has at least two lanes
for traffic proceeding in the direction of the approaching
vehicle and if the approaching vehicle may change lanes
safely and without interfering with any vehicular traffic.
(2)
Slow the vehicle, maintaining a safe speed for traffic
conditions, and operate the vehicle at a reduced speed and
be prepared to stop until completely past the authorized
emergency vehicle or public service vehicle. This paragraph
applies only if the roadway has only one lane for traffic
proceeding in the direction of the approaching vehicle or if
the approaching vehicle may not change lanes safely and
without interfering with any vehicular traffic.
For purposes
of this section, "public service vehicle" means a vehicle
that is being used to assist motorists or law enforcement
officers with wrecked or disabled vehicles, and is operating
an amber‑colored flashing light authorized by G.S. 20‑130.2.
Violation of this subsection shall be negligence per se.
(g)
Except as provided in subsections (a), (h), and (i) of this
section, violation of this section shall be an infraction
punishable by a fine of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00).
(h)
A person who violates this section and causes damage to
property in the immediate area of the authorized emergency
vehicle or public service vehicle in excess of five hundred
dollars ($500.00), or causes injury to a law enforcement
officer, a firefighter, an emergency vehicle operator, an
Incident Management Assistance Patrol member, a public
service vehicle operator, or any other emergency response
person in the immediate area of the authorized emergency
vehicle or public service vehicle is guilty of a Class 1
misdemeanor.
( i )
A person who violates this section and causes serious injury
or death to a law enforcement officer, a firefighter, an
emergency vehicle operator, an Incident Management
Assistance Patrol member, a public service vehicle operator,
or any other emergency response person in the immediate area
of the authorized emergency vehicle or public service
vehicle is guilty of a Class I felony. The Division may
suspend, for up to six months, the drivers license of any
person convicted under this subsection. If the Division
suspends a person's license under this subsection, a judge
may allow the licensee a limited driving privilege for a
period not to exceed the period of suspension, provided the
person's license has not also been revoked or suspended
under any other provision of law. The limited driving
privilege shall be issued in the same manner and under the
terms and conditions prescribed in G.S. 20‑16.1
For more information on
the NC MOVE OVER LAW, lease visit the NCDOT
Website or the NC State
Highway Patrol Website.
Please help us help you
and others by driving safely, cautiously and attentively.
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