By Jonas Silver, Town of Knightdale NC
On Saturday, November 12, 2016, at 3pm, the North Carolina State Emergency Operations Center put out an immediate request for 100 FEMA Type I Engine Companies and Brush Trucks for deployment to the Lake Lure fire in the North Carolina Mountains. Knightdale Fire Department and Eastern Wake Fire were deployed on November 12 at 6pm, and their deployment is expected to last seven days.
Knightdale Fire Department and Eastern Wake Fire Department partnered to assist the state in deploying a Type I Engine Company with five personnel. The Knightdale Fire Department sent Lieutenant Candler Thornton and Firefighter Evan Guinn. The Eastern Wake Fire Department sent Captain Brian Bunn, Engineer Henty Stubblefield, and Firefighter Matt Toler. Wake County sent four engines and five brush trucks.
Knightdale personnel arrived Sunday, November 13 at 12:30am. After checking in, they were deployed to the fire at Lake Lure, 30 miles southeast of Asheville NC. They were then assigned to protect structures in the Broad River area.
This is the second event the Knightdale and Eastern Wake team have partnered for in recent months. They previously worked together on Hurricane Matthew relief efforts, assisting the White Lake Fire Department in Bladen County immediately following Hurricane Matthew.
The Knightdale Fire Department is online here.
