HISTORY

SEAVILLE FIRE RESCUE

HISTORY

of the SEAVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE & RESCUE COMPANY

PRIOR TO THE FORMING OF THE SEAVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE & RESCUE COMPANY, THE AREA WAS SERVED BY THE MARMORA AND OCEAN VIEW VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANIES. AS THE TOWN'S POPULATION GREW, THE NEED FOR A FIRE COMPANY INCREASED. DURING THE SUMMER OF 1964, THE SEAVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY WAS PLANNED.

INITIALLY THE MEMBERS JOINED THE MARMORA VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY, AND A 1944 INTERNATIONAL FIRE TRUCK WAS LOANED TO SEAVILLE AND HOUSED IN A GAS STATION THAT WAS LOCATED ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE PRESENT FIRE HOUSE.

IN SEPTEMBER OF 1964, ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION WERE FILED WITH THE STATE AND THE FIRE COMPANY WAS OFFICIALLY ESTABLISHED UNDER COMMAND OF CHIEF LARRY LILLY. IN MARCH OF 1965, THE COMPANY PURCHASED ITS FIRST FIRE TRUCK, A 1944 DIAMOND T. THIS TRUCK WAS EVENTUALLY SOLD TO A RESTORER OF OLD FIRE TRUCKS. IN MARCH OF 1965, OUR LADIES AUXILIARY WAS FORMED. ON OCTOBER 4, 1965 THE COMPANY PETITIONED THE TOWNSHIP TO CREATE A FIRE DISTRICT IN SEAVILLE.

The 1944 Diamond T pumper at the firehouse in 1967.

IN JANUARY OF 1966, CONSTRUCTION OF THE FIRE HOUSE WAS STARTED ON LAND DONATED BY CURTIS CORSON, SR. WHERE THE PRESENT FIRE HOUSE STILL STANDS. A YEAR LATER THE SIREN WAS INSTALLED ON THE FIRE HOUSE AND THE COMPANY PURCHASED AN OLD FUEL TRUCK TO USE AS A WATER TENDER (1100 GALS). DURING 1967 THE COMPANY BY-LAWS WERE ESTABLISHED. OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, SEVERAL FIRE TRUCKS WERE PURCHASED AND SOLD, INCLUDING A 1947 HAHN, A 1962 SEAGRAVES PUMPER AND A GMC PUMPER.


Early members of the fire company with the 1947 Hahn.

IN 1975, THE COMPANY HOUSED ITS FIRST NEW TRUCK, A 1975 GREAT EASTERN PUMPER.

IN 1977, CONSTRUCTION OF THE SOCIAL HALL WAS STARTED. THE SOCIAL HALL IS USED FOR NUMEROUS COMPANY FUNCTIONS, TRAINING AND FUND RAISING. THE COMPANY RAN BINGO GAMES EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT FOR 15 YEARS.

THE HALL WAS AND STILL IS AVAILABLE FOR RENT BY THE PUBLIC.

Curtis T. Corson, Sr.

SEAVILLE’S DARKEST TIME CAME IN 1979. ON MAY 10, 1979, AN EARLY MORNING FIRE TOOK THE LIFE OF CURTIS T. CORSON, SR.

HE IS THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE COMPANY TO FALL IN THE LINE OF DUTY. CURTIS’S LEGACY IS NOW FOREVER ETCHED IN STONE AT THE COUNTY MEMORIAL IN CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE.




Engine 1932 served from 1985 to 2005.

IN 1985, THE COMPANY PURCHASED ITS FIRST ENGINE WITH “JUMP SEATS”, AND ITS FIRST PIERCE FIRE TRUCK, ENGINE 1932. THIS ENGINE SERVED THE FIRE COMPANY FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 YEARS.

IN 1986, THE COMPANY TOOK ON ITS FIRST BUILDING EXPANSION PROJECT. THE ADDITION TRIPLED THE SIZE OF THE STATION, WHILE LEAVING THE ORIGINAL 2 BAY STATION WITHIN



The firehouse and equipment in 1986.

IN 1990, THE COMPANY DECIDED IT’S NEXT TRUCK NEEDED TO BE A TENDER/PUMPER AND ENGINE 1943 WAS ORDERED FROM PIERCE. 1943 SERVED THE COMPANY FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 YEARS. THE COMPANY DONATED THEIR 1962 SEAGRAVE ENGINE TO HORRY COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA AFTER THEY LOST SEVERAL TRUCKS TO HURRICANE HUGO. ENGINE 1943 WAS HOUSED AND DEDICATED TO HENRY PEW, A CHARTER MEMBER OF THE FIRE COMPANY.

THE MID-1990’S PROVED TO BE A BUSY TIME OF CHANGE FOR THE COMPANY. IN 1995, THE COMPANY OFFICIALLY CHANGED ITS NAME TO THE SEAVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE AND RESCUE COMPANY TO ENCOMPASS A NEW ERA IN THE FIRE SERVICE. ON JULY 1, 1995 THE COMPANY ALONG WITH THE MARMORA AND TUCKAHOE FIRE COMPANIES BEGAN A FIRST RESPONDER PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM WAS STARTED TO PROVIDE QUICKER RESPONSE TO FIRST AID CALLS DURING THE HOURS WHEN THE RESCUE SQUAD WAS NOT STAFFED BY PAID PERSONNEL. THE COMPANY INITIALLY USED A 1987 CHEVY ASTRO VAN AS ITS FIRST RESPONDER VEHICLE WHICH WAS REPLACED A YEAR LATER WITH A 1996 CHEVY SUBURBAN, 1912. IN 1996, THE COMPANY HOUSED A PIERCE RESCUE/ENGINE 1934. THIS ENGINE ALSO HAS A FULL COMPLIMENT OF EXTRICATION AND EMS EQUIPMENT.

OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS NOT MUCH CHANGED WITH THE COMPANY, A COUPLE OF FORD PICKUP TRUCKS WERE PURCHASED FOR SUPPORT AND TRAFFIC CONTROL, 1911 AND 1910.



Our 2006 Pierce Telesqurt, Engine 1960.

IN 2003 THE COMPANY REALIZED ONCE AGAIN THEY WERE OUT OF SPACE AND INITIAL PLANNING FOR SECOND BUILDING EXPANSION BEGAN AS WELL AS RENOVATIONS AND EXPANSION OF THE SOCIAL HALL. IN 2006 THE CONSTRUCTION WAS COMPLETE AND THE COMPANY NOW HAS A STATE OF THE ART FIRE HOUSE.

DURING THIS TIME THE COMPANY ALSO SOLD ENGINE 1932 AND PURCHASED A PIERCE MINIPUMPER, 1920, WITH A C.A.F.S. SYSTEM AND A PIERCE TELE SQURT, ENGINE 1960. THE TOP MOUNT LADDER IS ACTUALLY THE LADDER OFF OF MARMORA’S OLD TELE SQURT (1560) WHICH THE COMPANY INITIALLY PURCHASED BEFORE SENDING IT TO PIERCE TO BE MOUNTED ON A NEW TRUCK.



The firehouse after the expansion in 2007.

TO DATE THE COMPANY HAS SETTLED INTO ITS NEW STATION AND CONTINUES TO PROVIDE FIRST RATE EMERGENCY SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE 3 ENGINES, A MINI-PUMPER, AND 2 SUPPORT/TRAFFIC VEHICLES.

STARTING IN 2011, THE COMPANY FORMED A TRUCK COMMITTEE IN ORDER TO BUILD A REPLACEMENT TRUCK FOR RESCUE PUMPER 1934. AFTER A LONG, DEDICATED TWO YEARS, THE COMPANY TOOK DELIEVERY OF A BRAND NEW PIERCE ARROW XT PUC RESCUE PUMPER, 1932, IN NOVEMBER OF 2013. IN 2019, THE COMPANY TOOK DELIVERY OF A 2019 PIERCE ARROW TANKER PUMPER XT PUC, 1941. IN 2023, THE TRUCK COMMITTE APPROVED THE PURCHASE OF A PIERCE ENFORCER ENGINE TO REPLACE THE CURRENT 1932. DELIVERY IS EXPECTED WITHIN THE NEXT 5 YEARS.