Book looks at history of ‘Firefighting in Buncombe County’

Asheville's first horse-drawn fire hose carriage was purchased in May 1887. The first hose company was formed in 1884, after the first city water lines were installed. With 1,500 feet of hose, firemen were usually worn out by the time they reached the scene. By 1888, there were three hose carts and 40 volunteers. Asheville Fire Department photo, reprinted by permission from "Firefighting in Buncombe County" by Brian Lawrence. Available by publisher online at arcadiapublishing.com or by calling 888-313-2665.

Firefighting has played a big role in Brian Lawrence’s life. His father was a firefighter and he grew up around the firehouse outside Decatur, Illinois. His fascination with firefighting followed him through his teen years, through college and into his current role as an engineer with the Asheville Fire Department.

Lawrence’s keen interest in history complements his passion for firefighting in Firefighting in Buncombe County, a book scheduled for publication on Monday, Aug. 25. Lawrence is also the historian for the Asheville Fire Department, and the book supports his desire to salvage and preserve the stories of local fire departments.

“I spent time going through the archives of the Asheville Fire Department, hours pouring over accounts in the North Carolina Collection at Pack Memorial Library and additional time visiting each of the county fire departments,” Lawrence said.

Lawrence credits Buddy Thompson, who recently retired as an arson investigator, with encouraging him to compile the history for posterity.  “He was always encouraging me to put something together about the local history of firefighting.”

The result is a history of each fire department in context with a capsule history of each community. There are pictures (205 total) tracing the histories and nearly 20,000 words highlighting important events, founding fathers and critical supporters, such as local ladies auxiliaries. “They [the auxiliaries] played such important roles, especially in the volunteer departments,” Lawrence said.

In addition, the book has a section on supporting agencies, including rescue squads, and training to fight wildfires. “In 1921, Buncombe County became one of the first in the state to appropriate money for wildfire control,” Lawrence says.

The book was a three-year effort. His wife, Laura, a teacher at Asheville School, was supportive. The couple has two young children.

While events like the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, focused more attention on first responders, including firefighters, Lawrence says that in Asheville an important event for firefighters was the July 2011 fire that took the life of firefighter Jeff Bowen. He was the first Asheville firefighter since 1982 to die in the line of duty.

Others have also died through the years, and Lawrence notes their contributions as well.

Firefighting in Buncombe County will be available online and in local retail outlets. The book is published by Arcadia Publishing (arcadiapublishing.com).

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.