Firefighters make CCFD second home

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EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second in a series of stories regarding the Clarendon County Fire Department and its 40th anniversary. This week’s story focuses on the people who have made the department one of the safest and hardest working for the past 40 years.

Just 10 short years after the Clarendon County Fire Department was founded, it grew from a single employee to an organization with more than 250 volunteer firefighters.

When founded in 1977, the Clarendon County Fire Department had no office, and former Chief Carter Jones had a new wife and two young sons.

“It’s a wonder that Mary Jo stayed with me, but she recognized the importance and supported me,” said Jones, who remained chief until 1999. “She became the county’s first female firefighters. Both of our boys, Jonathan and Craig, grew up to become firefighters.”

Tasked with forming a fire service that could protect all parts of the county, Jones set out to recruit volunteers, holding community meetings in Wyboo and Alcolu to identify those willing to serve as firefighters and begin the 42-hour training program.

Jones trained his volunteers and those for the municipal fire services in the same programs, making sure all were up-to-date in training certifications.

As the program crept into the 1990s, the department expanded into additional communities, including Union-Oakdale, North Santee, Panola, Brewington-Foreston, Barrineau and Bloomville.

The 16th station at the Clarendon County Industrial Park in Ram Bay was added just recently.

But the staff is what made the department flourish and made these expansions possible, Jones said.

Chief Frances Richbourg was hired in the late 1970s, one of the first female career firefighters in the state, although she initially started part-time. She worked her way up to deputy chief until being appointed chief in 2000.

Others hired in the early days of the department included Battalion Chief Carl Floyd, who was brought on to oversee maintenance; and Capt. Tommy Sauls, who was employed to oversee fire prevention and inspections.

While in college, Circuit Court Judge George McFaddin was hired under a grant to work as the department’s second paid employee, and Lynvalle Stukes – now a businessman in Atlanta – was also hired under a grant program to work in fire prevention.

In these early days, about 50 percent of the calls for structural and vehicle fires were due to arson, Jones said.

“In the late 1970s and into the early 1980s, the county was plagued by a rash of intentionally set fires,” said Jones. “I realized something had to be done, so I solicited the help of now-Chief Richbourg and W.W. “Billy” Rowe to come together as a team to combat the growing arson problem.”

The trio attended classes all over South Carolina to learn the skills of fire investigations, later joined by the late Battalion Chief Henry P. “Mutt” Bozard and Battalion Chief Jay Bruner in their efforts.

“The Solicitor’s Office, then under the leadership of Wade Kolb and assistant solicitor R. Ferrell Cothran, now a circuit court judge, also attended classes to learn the red flags of arson,” said Jones. “They also participated in statewide training of fire investigators.”

With the help of Bill Fenters and State Farm Insurance of Manning, Clarendon County implemented the first accelerant detection canine program.

Richbourg traveled to Maine to train for several weeks as the handler for Widget, the state’s first “arson dog.”

“With the help of local law enforcement officers, the State Law Enforcement Division and others, this team of investigators held the highest conviction rate for arson in the state of South Carolina for many years,” said Jones.

From its inception in 1977 to 1999, the fire department was led by the County Fire Advisory Board, with the approval of County Council on matters of budget and policy. Bozard served as its chairman for many years, and the board included at various times Van Green, Morrison Davis, Billy Rowe, Gene Failmezger, Cecil Hodge, Percy Harvin, Samon James, Jeff Davis, Earnest Cooper, Jimmy Bruner and Bill Wallace.

County Council suggested abolishing the duties of the Fire Advisory Board in 1998, placing the day-to-day operations under council’s purview.

“Immediately, the firefighters of the department voiced vehement opposition to their plans and warned that it would be a terrible decision since the department was running smoothly under the current arrangement,” said Jones, who was fired and locked out of his office January 1999, along with three other paid employees.

“Word spread rapidly throughout the county of these actions, and the firefighters responded with equally significant actions,” said Jones. The majority of firefighters, Jones said, gathered about 7 p.m. the day of his dismissal at the courthouse, bringing all fire apparatus and engines from the county’s 15 existing stations.

“They placed their gear in protest on the front of the building and in essence said, ‘We can’t work under these conditions,’” Jones said.

Gov. David Beasley activated the South Carolina National Guard to provide fire service in Clarendon County for about four weeks, Jones said. Ultimately, the county reinstated the former chief for retirement purposes and named a replacement after an extensive search. This replacement barely lasted a year before the county finally chose Richbourg, who has served in the role ever since.

“Interestingly, the county was obligated to repay the state for the National Guard’s activation, amounting to just under $100,000,” said Jones.

Jones said that in 2017, the department operates out of 16 fire stations with nearly 30 pieces of apparatus and nine support vehicles.

“It is manned by 37 career firefighters and more than 110 volunteer firefighters,” he said. “For the last several years, the department has consistently responded to some 1,100 alarms annually with a vast majority being medical calls to assist EMS or rescue calls to wrecks or other accident incidents.”

Jones said today’s firefighters are trained not only to fight fires, but also to deal with hazardous materials, swift-water rescues, active shooter incidents, CPR and basic medical emergencies, along with fire investigations, building and safety inspections, community risk reduction, and traffic and incident management.

“Recruitment of new volunteer firefighters and retaining current members has become a major emphasis for the department,” he said. “Training to meet current standards requires an applicant to undergo over 160 hours of basic training before being appointed as a firefighter. However, now the department actively seeks individuals who may not want to fight fires but may rather participate as a medical first responder or who may only wish to drive and operate fire apparatus or serve as a traffic control officer. There is a place for nearly anyone who wishes to serve within the department.”

Jones said that several who joined the department when it was first established or shortly thereafter are still in active roles, including Alfred Breedin, who can be seen frequently directing traffic at various incidents.

Others he named included Van Green, Johnie Boxley, “Mutt” Bozard, Michael Brooks, Jay Bruner, Jimmy Bruner, Ronnie Buddin, Bruce Buddin, Billy Clemmons, Charlton Rhett Coker, Tommy Conway, Earnest Cooper, Glen Costello, Jim Darby, Tim Duke, Michael Bryant, Glenn Davis, Ed Gamble and Billy Davis. Roosevelt Demery, Don Drose, John Ducworth, Robbie Durant, Charles Eaddy, Margaret Eagerton, Mary Jo Jones, DuValle Elliott, Gene Failmezger, Billy Dubose, Claude Walker, Bill Rogers and Dickie Felder, Carl Floyd, M. Jones Gamble, Steve Gamble, the Rev. Tommy Burgess, G. Wayne Gibbons, Richard McFaddin, Earl Green, George Hardy, Nick Hardy, Rubin Hardy and Russell Harrelson.

Al Harris, Wayne Scott, Judy Scott, Charlie Clark, Carroll Harrington, Jimmy Wells, Cecil Hodge, Gregory Holliday, the Rev. Samon James, Bert Holladay, Fred Huth, Marion Jenkinson, Martha Jenkinson, Dennis Kropf, Michael Lane, Sammie Levy, Will Lowder, Dan McInnis, Ray Richbourg and the Rev. Charles Hattaway.

Ernie Mahoney, C. B. Mathis, Candy White, Dexter McKenzie, Rev. Mark Potter, Brutus Lowery, Cody Odom, Lawrence Odom, Wade McLeod, Don McLeod, Rev. Allen McWhite, “Chuck” Milam, Albert Mobley, Don Nash, Mike Nash, Walt Newman and John Meyers.

Gerald Raymond, Bill Dubose, Gene Morris, Lee Reaves, Jim Reaves, Dusty Rhodes, Frances Richbourg, W. W. “Billy” Rowe, Robbie Spigner, Dale Stegall, David Tindal and Ricky Webster.

Bill Wallace, James “Buddy” Way, Larry Williamson, Tony VanRyn, Etty VanRyan, Moe Outlaw, Ed Outlaw, Morrison Davis and Jefferson Davis.

“We have been blessed to have never suffered a line-of-duty death over these 40 years,” said Jones. “I could never name everyone who has made this possible and who have kept this department going.”

Richbourg said those "who joined our department in those early days embraced the vision of service to the community and the importance of being family or brotherhood to get the job done.”

“Even today, this attitude continues to be instilled in our firefighters,” she said.