Eastern Carolina Firefighters Association Makes History in Greene County
"We wanted to go to every county that we hadn’t gone to before,” Hayes told the crowd. “This took us three years to finish.
The Eastern Carolina Firefighters Association (ECFA) held its quarterly meeting Thursday night at the Snow Hill Rural Fire Department, marking a historic milestone for the organization, which is in its 101st year of existence. The gathering drew approximately 130 attendees, filling the firehouse to capacity and requiring extra chairs to be brought in from an adjoining conference room. Members from 8 of Greene County’s 11 volunteer fire departments were in attendance.
The evening marked the first time in the association’s history that it had held a meeting in Greene County, completing a years-long effort to host a quarterly gathering in every county within its 33-county eastern North Carolina territory.
A Mission Three Years in the Making
Association President Ronnie Hayes, fire chief of the Leland Fire Department and the Eastern Director for the North Carolina State Firefighters’ Association, credited the accomplishment to the dedication of past leaders. He specifically cited past president Jennifer Smith, now deputy fire chief of New Hanover County Fire Rescue and current president of the North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs, as the person who initiated the mission to reach every unvisited county.
“We wanted to go to every county that we hadn’t gone to before,” Hayes told the crowd. “This took us three years to finish. This is the last county that the Eastern had not hosted a meeting in, in all of our counties, which is like 33 counties. I’m tickled to say that endeavor: the boards before us started it, we just finished it off.”
Hayes noted that the association is in its 101st year, though he acknowledged that some historical records were lost to hurricane damage, making earlier history difficult to fully verify.
A Warm Welcome in Snow Hill
Snow Hill Rural Fire Department Chief Todd Whaley welcomed the overflow crowd with evident pride, noting the significance of the occasion for the region.
“I do think this is a great thing,” Whaley said. “It’s the first time in Greene County, from what the guys told me today. It’s a huge opportunity for everyone in the eastern part of North Carolina to get together and come out and learn more about the fire service.”
CW Williams sponsored the meal for the evening, drawing a round of applause from the crowd. The invocation was delivered by Richard Proctor, a member of the ECFA board, who offered prayers for active members across the state facing health challenges, for the military, and for the communities the firefighters serve.
Association Business and Elections
Hayes introduced the full board before turning to the meeting’s agenda. Board members present included First Vice President Michael Peaks of Williamston Fire Rescue EMS; Second Vice President Allen Wilson of Surf City Fire Department; board members James Strickland of Morehead City Fire Department, Richard Proctor, Jason Edwards of Nashville Fire Department, Douglas Todd of Tri-Beach Volunteer Fire Department, and Travis Mercy; Secretary Lee Kennedy of Faison Fire Department; Treasurer Edwin Ezzell of Old Dock Cypress Creek Volunteer Fire Department; and past president David Yergeau of Whiteville Fire Department.
In a highlight of the evening, Hayes announced that Jason Edwards had been elected as the association’s appointee to the North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs board, following voting that had begun the previous evening.
Hayes also updated members on the association’s website and mobile app, which came back online in February after crashing the previous November. The association took the opportunity to switch to a single vendor managing both platforms. Scholarship applications for emergency services and general scholarships remain open until midnight on May 1, with three awards available in each category for students and firefighters connected to departments in eastern counties. Winners will be announced at the July meeting.
The association’s Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) school, normally held in March at Cape Fear Community College, has been postponed to the last week of October. The Eastern Carolina Public Safety Seminar remains scheduled for the first weekend of October, also at Cape Fear Community College. A new Adam Snyder Scholarship Award of $750 will be offered next month to help send a member to the RIT school.
An Innovation Award was also announced, designed to recognize departments for programs that meaningfully improve community service or in-house training.
State and Regional Reports
Representatives from several statewide fire service organizations delivered updates during the meeting.
North Carolina State Firefighters’ Association: Doug Biss, first vice president of the NCSFA, delivered the association’s report. He was joined by Executive Director Barry Overman, a longtime eastern North Carolina fire service leader and former ECFA president, who was available after the meeting to answer questions about relief fund benefits and cancer coverage. The association also introduced its new Chief Operating Officer, Rick Hill, and new Finance Officer, Laura Nicholson. Biss announced that the South Atlantic Fire Rescue Expo will be held August 12 through 26 at the Raleigh Convention Center in Raleigh, noting that concerns about a recent fire at the venue had been resolved. Legislative Day is set for May 20 in Raleigh at 323 Jones Street. Biss reminded attendees that North Carolina remains the only state in the country without a current state budget, making fire service advocacy especially urgent this year.
North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs: The NCAFC report touched on several upcoming initiatives, including new executive development programming being expanded statewide. The next session will be hosted by Winterville Fire Rescue EMS and Pitt Community College, with the first week scheduled September 21 through 25 and the second week October 26 through 30. Membership dues will increase to $50 per year beginning in July 2026, a change officials said is necessary to sustain expanded programming. The association’s accidental death and dismemberment benefit will also increase to $30,000. Eastern representative Allen Wilson was recognized, as was President Jennifer Smith, whom the speaker credited with putting people into action and driving meaningful initiatives throughout the year.
North Carolina Emergency Management Association: Scott Rogers, representing the NCEM Association, reported that the organization’s fall conference will be held October 13 through 15 at the Greenville Convention Center. He highlighted that for the first time in state history, North Carolina has achieved 100 percent compliance in Tier 2 hazardous materials facility reporting, a development he called a significant accomplishment for public safety funding. He also noted that 115 new aquatic rescue technicians have been certified through the NC HEART (Hill Aquatic Rescue Team) program over the past year, with another 50 scheduled for certification the following week.
North Carolina Fire Marshals Association: Amy Burton, one of three Eastern directors for the North Carolina Fire Marshals Association, noted that she grew up in Jones County and attended school in the area, joking that Snow Hill had some history for her. “This is my stomping ground", Burton said. “I spent a lot of time doing some not-so-favorable things in Snow Hill.” She reported that the NCFMA has grown from 725 members to nearly 1,100 in just six months. She encouraged anyone in a department holding an inspector certification or a fire marshal designation to visit the association’s website. Former president Brian Kelly and First Vice President Charles Eldridge were both in attendance. The association’s Fire Marshals Institute is scheduled for September 21 through 25 in Greensboro, featuring an awards banquet recognizing fire marshal and inspector of the year in each region.
North Carolina Association of Rescue and EMS: Mac Smith, representing the association on behalf of Commander Joshua Maed and Vice Commander Robert Poe, announced that the organization is in the process of rewriting its equipment standards. The annual rescue and EMS conference will return to Fayetteville in September and will again feature both BLS and technical rescue competitions, including a junior division for youth squads.
North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Foundation: Jeffrey Shaw, representing the foundation, announced that the 21st Annual Memorial will be held May 8 and 9 at Nash Square in Raleigh. A family dinner is planned for Friday evening at Raleigh Station 1, followed by a candlelight service, with the main memorial ceremony beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday. Twelve families will be honored this year, four from eastern North Carolina. Shaw encouraged departments to check the dollar checkoff box on their annual roster form, noting that one dollar per member goes directly toward the memorial expansion project currently being developed in partnership with the City of Raleigh. The foundation is also planning an Honor Guard competition at the upcoming South Atlantic Fire Rescue Expo, with a $100 entry fee supporting the memorial fund.
North Carolina Hazmat Association: Mike Peaks, also representing the NC Hazmat Association on behalf of President Kyle Bill, reminded members that departments do not need to maintain a technician-level hazmat team to join the association, and that membership opens access to significant training opportunities. He also encouraged departments to speak with their county emergency managers about HMEP (Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness) grant funding, which he said can cover a wide range of transportation-related training at no cost to the department.
Office of the State Fire Marshal: Tony Bailey, representing the OSFM, was recognized for a recent promotion within the office. Baily was named Division Chief of Ratings and Inspection. Kevin Gordon was also congratulated on his promotion to Division Chief of Training Commission. Bailey urged departments to intensify smoke detector outreach, noting that civilian fire fatalities continue to rise statewide. He highlighted the state’s ongoing PFAS foam collection and disposal program, discussed the heightened wildfire threat across North Carolina, and reminded members about the North Carolina Emergency Training Center, which offers weekly classes. The North Carolina High School Firefighter Challenge is scheduled for June 22 through 26 for students in high school and junior firefighter programs.
Tribute to a Fallen Leader
Before wrapping things up for the night, the association paused to honor the memory of Chief Roy Spell, a distinguished leader in the North Carolina fire service who had served as fire chief in Elizabeth City and Greenville. Spell also served as a deputy chief with the Wilson Fire Department and as president of both the North Carolina State Firefighters’ Association in 2002 and the Eastern Carolina Firefighters Association. A moment of silence was observed in his memory. His visitation was scheduled for Friday in Wilson, with funeral services to follow on Saturday.
Looking Ahead
The 50-50 drawing raised $522 for the evening, split between the winner and Snow Hill Fire Department. The association’s next quarterly meeting is scheduled for July 9 at the Sandy Bottom Fire Department in Lenoir County.
The record turnout at Snow Hill was seen by organizers as a reflection of the association’s growing momentum across the region. “In the last couple of years, our attendance has grown and grown and grown,” Hayes said. “I think you all need to give that round of applause to yourselves.“
