Chief Joseph Dixon joined the department in July of 2018. He made tremendous advancements in the department in his time here. He implemented a reorganization of the department to include the positions of Deputy Chief and Lieutenant allowing for more advancement opportunities within the department. This reorganization was also a cost-saving effort not only within the department, but the city of Goldsboro. He has encouraged new and differing training opportunities to allow the personnel to grow in their knowledge of the fire service. He was an advocate, not only for the employees of GFD, but for the citizens of Goldsboro as well. Chief Dixon left the department to pursue other opportunities in March of 2021.

Goldsboro Firefighter, Carol Taylor, passed away on November 14, 2008 following a shift at Station 4. Her crew at responded to an electrical fire call a few hours prior to shift ending and they did not return back to the station until close to 0800. She was found in her home later that day after suffering from an apparent heart attack. Firefighter Taylor had served her community for over 11 years.

Before the sun had even risen on February 19, 2005, a fire broke out at the Paramount Theater on S. Center St,  destroying years of history. An officer from Goldsboro Police Department noticed the flames and called dispatch around 04:00. Over 60 members of Goldsboro Fire Department were on scene, as well as members of New Hope, Rosewood, and Elroy Fire Departments. Volunteers from Mar Mac and Pinewood Fire Departments were on standby to assist with any other calls that Goldsboro would receive that day. Multiple aerial units were utilized to help contain the fire to just the Paramount Theater. There was a real danger of the entire block of businesses going up in flames. Chief Greenfield knew after assessing the situation that the theater was not going to survive the fire, and therefore focused on preventing the fire from spreading to the other structures beside the theater. Crews stayed on scene well into that day to keep watch for hot spots even after the fire was out. On February 15, 2008, only three years after the devastating fire, the Paramount Theater was rebuilt and opened for business.

In 1998, Goldsboro Fire Department’s Station 5 was opened and operating on Central Heights Rd. This station resembles Station 2 in style, but includes one more bay.

In early 1980, it was decided a new fire station was needed for Goldsboro. The station was built with 2700 square feet of usable area at a cost of just over $100,000. The station was designed to blend in with the residential neighborhood in which it was located. On December 13, 1982, this new station was placed in operation on Poplar St as Goldsboro Fire Station #4.  An Engine Company from Station 1 was transferred to Station 4 and no new personnel were needed to be hired at that time.

Chief Willard Herring became Fire Chief on January 9, 1969 and was the youngest Fire Chief Goldsboro had hired up to that point. During that first year, a new 1000 gallon pumper was put into service, replacing a 750 gallon pumper and bringing the total number of 1000 gallon pumpers in the department to 3. Chief Herring was able to oversee the development of a Training Grounds for GFD in 1970. In 1973, Goldsboro Fire Department was able to obtain a new modern type rescue unit. Personnel attended an ambulance school and were certified by the Emergency Medical Service of North Carolina as Ambulance Attendants. 1974 brought about a change to the department in the way of a three platoon system. This reduced the number of hours the men had to work from 72 to 56 hours per week. This is the current system used today. During this year, Chief Herring was approved to hire 6 additional personnel to help outfit the third platoon. In 1976, Chief Herring moved Headquarters from the Ash St location, to the new property on S. Center St.

Chief Herring retired in 1997 with 28 years of service as Fire Chief, making him the longest serving Fire Chief in the history of Goldsboro Fire Department.

Picture below is Chief Herring with his nephew, Scott Wells, and daughter, Sharon Herring checking out the 1919 La France 

Chief Wesley Howell became Fire Chief in 1949 until 1968, making him the second longest serving Fire Chief of Goldsboro Fire Department. Additional personnel were hired during his time as Chief and the department was able to be organized on the basis of four pumper companies and one ladder company. A Training program was also established to instruct the personnel in the use of equipment, location of fire hydrant and fire alarm boxes, fire methods, fire hazards, fire prevention, and so much more. In 1967, the Goldsboro Fire Department with Chief Howell’s guidance was able to obtain a level 4 insurance rating due to the increased personnel, fire apparatus, training, and fire prevention methods.

Chief Howell was a community-minded Fire Chief, realizing that being a leader in the community involved more than just supervising the fire department. He encouraged the children of the community to do well in school, offering them incentives such as spending the night in the fire house if they received all A’s on their report card. He also offered tutoring in math for those students that were making poor grades in that subject. Chief Howell retired in December of 1968 with 40 years of service to Goldsboro Fire Department.

Chief Howell pictured here the 5th from the left, top row.

Chief A W Gurley served as Fire Chief from 1941-1949. During his time as Chief, he knew that more and better equipment was needed. However, due to the war, it was almost impossible to obtain major equipment.  Once World War 2 ended, Chief Gurley renewed the efforts to improve the department’s equipment. In 1947, a new Pumper Apparatus was purchased from the American LaFrance Company in Elmira, New York. Also in 1947, Chief Gurley was able to hire an additional 6 firefighters which allowed the department to go to a two platoon (shift) system. Unfortunately, Chief Gurley passed away suddenly on his way home from work in 1949.

A.W. Gurley pictured on the far right.

Chief Max Cohn became Fire Chief in 1930. He recognized the overgrowth of the department, and knew that a new facility needed to be built. In 1939, Chief Cohn was able to fulfill that need, and a new station was built on Ash St. He retired just two years after the new station was built, but later returned to the department to serve as Assistant Fire Chief after the passing of his wife. At least two new apparatus were purchased during his time as Chief.

During the year 1919 while Leslie Yelverton was serving as Chief, another piece of motorized equipment was purchased and put into service. The 1919 America LaFrance was put into service as the second motorized apparatus at Goldsboro Fire Department. This truck was a one-thousand gallon per minute capacity pumper. After this new pumper was put into service, Old Mary Alice was not longer needed and therefore put into reserve until 1940.  Mary Alice was retired in 1940 and placed at Herman Park as a Memorial. During World War 2 when our country was in desperate need of metal, the Mary Alice proudly answered her last call to the junk yard. The 1919 was able to continue to serve the department for several decades before being used only in parades and special events. It is currently still home at Goldsboro Fire Department and being restored to its former glory.

Goldsboro Fire Department was established in May of 1881. Before that time, the Eclipse Fire Engine Company was serving the community.

The Mary Alice

This steam engine pumper, pulled by two horses, was purchased in 1880 by Charles Dewey, the Chief of Eclipse Fire Engine Company during that time. It was named in memory of his daughter. This engine cost the department just under $4,ooo to purchase, which at that time was a hefty expenditure as most chemical engines were under $1000.  The Mary Alice was kept in service with the Goldsboro Fire Department during the transition to the new department. The apparatus was rumored to have set a world record for the speed in getting the steam to the correct temperature the fastest and then spraying water the farthest. It served the department as a front line apparatus until 1919, and then was used as a reserve engine until 1940. It was then retired and put on display at Herman Park. During World War II, there was a great need for scrap metal. The Mary Alice was escorted down the streets of Goldsboro one last time on her way to be used for the needed metal for the war.

Personnel

Very few of the personnel were paid members, most served in a volunteer capacity. The picture below is of the firefighters at the beginning of century with The Mary Alice. It is one of the oldest known photographs of the Goldsboro Fire Department. The man sitting in the front of the Mary Alice was Lon Pearsall, who at that time was the only known paid firefighter. Him and his family actually lived in the fire station and was responsible for making sure everything was ready to go when the need arose. The man in the back by the window was on duty that day, monitoring the Gamewell Telegraph system and would notify the firefighters if any emergency happened.

Uniforms

Uniforms were not regulated in the early days of Goldsboro Fire Department. Most of the volunteers could not afford to purchase extra clothing beyond their daily needs. The Department did not have the funds available to issue uniforms beyond the protective gear. The fire personnel were just asked to dress the best they could with what they already had available. Dress uniforms started to become more standardized around the 1940’s when the department was able to issue the uniforms to the personnel.