Children were eager to climb into Engine 321 and enjoyed learning about the gear and equipment used by our firefighters.

On Friday, July 23, 2010 Providence Volunteer Fire Department took part in WeddStock, the newest summer concert series in the town of Weddington. Providence VFD provided EMS coverage for the event and our department also supplied additional personnel at the concert to answer questions and discuss fire safety with local residents. Engine 321 was on display and children were allowed to enter the truck and get a firsthand look at our gear and equipment.

WeddStock is a family oriented event that features live music, food, fun and games for the kids. The event on July 23rd was the first in a series of concerts that will take place on Hunter Farm in Union county. Three concerts remain in the summer series and are scheduled for July 30th, August 6th and August 13th. Providence VFD will be present at each remaining event to provide EMS coverage and support for those in attendance.

For more photos from this event click here to view the related photo gallery.

Department members at the WeddStock concert proudly represented Providence VFD and provided EMS coverage throughout the afternoon and into the evening hours.

The CPR certification class provided each student in attendance an opportunity to practice their skills on a specially designed dummy. Hands-on training is a critical component of the CPR certification program.

On Saturday June 12, 2010 citizens from our fire district and neighboring areas attended a CPR certification class hosted by Providence VFD.

The instructor for the class, EMS Lieutenant Matt Morse arrived at the station early Saturday morning to make final preparations for the day’s events and to ensure that everything was on-track for a successful class.

As the students began showing up at our fire station they were escorted to the training room and the CPR certification class began promptly at 9:00AM. All those in attendance enjoyed the class and ultimately received their certification in the life saving procedure known as Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).

This CPR certification class was a great experience, not only for the citizens that attended the class but also for the members of our fire department who enjoy seeing residents take a proactive role in the safety of their local community.

The Providence Volunteer Fire Department will hold its Annual Meeting on Monday, June 7, 2010 at 7:30PM at the fire station located at the intersection of Hemby Road and Weddington Matthews Road. This event is open to the public and all citizens in the local community are invited to attend.

The above image was captured on April 3, 2010. Following the several training exercises conducted by Providence VFD on that day, a handful of the members who attended the burn posed for a photograph.

In April 2010 the Providence VFD was allowed the opportunity to host three training fires off Weddington Matthews Road in the Providence fire district. A live-burn or training fire gives the members of a department “on the job” experience while simultaneously demonstrating the different effects of fire behavior on a given structure. These essential live-burn exercises are typically carried out in abandoned homes or homes scheduled for demolition. After members have a chance to conduct training exercises on the house, the structure is usually burned to the ground and the debris is cleaned by a third party.

The first, in a series of live-burn exercises hosted by Providence VFD occurred on April 3, 2010 directly off Weddington Matthews Road. Firefighters participated in several training routines intended to prepare our members for real world scenarios that could occur in the wide variety of residential and commercial structures that exist in the local community that we protect.

The second training fire was held on April 10, 2010; firefighters from Wesley Chapel VFD, Carolina VFD and Beaver Lane VFD joined members from Providence Volunteer Fire Department to practice interior firefighting techniques. Several small rooms within the house were set on fire and allowed those in attendance to practice interior firefighting techniques. Due to heavy winds on the day of this training fire the house was not allowed to burn completely but firefighters from the various departments enjoyed the opportunity to work and train together.

On April 28, 2010 the Providence VFD held its third live-burn event for the month. The members of our department returned to the house where the April 10th live-burn occurred. As previously noted, the strong winds on the original date of the training exercise prevented the house from being completely burned to the ground but on April 28th the weather and the winds cooperated and the house was completely burned.

Following the live burn training event on April 3, 2010 the house, which was scheduled for demolition was allowed to burn to the ground while supervised by members of Providence VFD on-scene.