HEN Foundation Executive Director and FDNY Lt. Ray McCormack (left) speaks with Enola Fire-Rescue Department Chief Scottie Godfrey speak at the donation ceremony at the department’s headquarter on Enola Road in Morganton.
HEN Executive Director Pat McCormack guides high school student Rae Smith on how to use the new firehose nozzles. She’s currently taking firefighter technology courses at Patton High School.
At the donation ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 28, were (front row, from left) Kyle Broadbent, Lt. Jake Hodges, HEN Foundation Executive Director Ray McCormack, Lt. Robert Smith, Chief Scottie Godfrey, Assistant Chief Billy Stamey and (backrow, from left) Capt. Bryan Carswell, John Burnette, HEN Foundation Adviser Alex Cummings, Capt. Dillon Hudson, and Xander Broadbent.
Prior to the Feb. 28 donation, some nozzles on Enola’s firetrucks were up to 40 years old.
LISA PRICE / THE PAPER
The Enola Fire Department has received a $20,000 donation from the HEN Foundation to help upgrade equipment and provide firefighter training.
The new nozzles help extinguish flames with greater speed and less effort and water usage.
LISA PRICE / THE PAPER
HEN Foundation Executive Director and FDNY Lt. Ray McCormack (left) speaks with Enola Fire-Rescue Department Chief Scottie Godfrey speak at the donation ceremony at the department’s headquarter on Enola Road in Morganton.
LISA PRICE / THE PAPER
HEN Executive Director Pat McCormack guides high school student Rae Smith on how to use the new firehose nozzles. She’s currently taking firefighter technology courses at Patton High School.
LISA PRICE / THE PAPER
At the donation ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 28, were (front row, from left) Kyle Broadbent, Lt. Jake Hodges, HEN Foundation Executive Director Ray McCormack, Lt. Robert Smith, Chief Scottie Godfrey, Assistant Chief Billy Stamey and (backrow, from left) Capt. Bryan Carswell, John Burnette, HEN Foundation Adviser Alex Cummings, Capt. Dillon Hudson, and Xander Broadbent.
LISA PRICE photos / THE PAPER
The donation, presented Saturday, Feb. 28, will allow the department to equip three engines, a brush truck and two wildland UTVs with the latest fire nozzle technology available to the fire service.
“For us, I started here 40 years ago and some of the nozzles on our trucks are from that era,” said Scottie Godfrey, chief of Enola Fire Department. “Without this donation, we wouldn’t be able to afford these nozzles. We look forward to embracing the technology and being able to provide better fire suppression capabilities to our community.”
The donation included HEN structural and wildland nozzles, along with a full day of hands-on training led by HEN Foundation Executive Director and retired FDNY Lt. Ray McCormack. The training focused on advanced hose management, nozzleman techniques for structure fires and practical wildland applications. The training comes as Western North Carolina continues to face severe drought conditions.
Enola Fire Department is an all-volunteer agency that responds to about 300–350 calls each year, including structure fires, technical rescues, wildland incidents and medical emergencies. With more than 20 certified wildland firefighters, the department also serves as an initial attack crew for District 2 in Western North Carolina.
“Strong fire departments are essential to public safety in Burke County, and donations like this provide real, practical support to the men and women who respond when our citizens need help most,” said Burke County Commissioner Brian Barrier.
“The feedback from our firefighters — including reduced nozzle reaction and improved handling — helps from a manpower standpoint. The BLADE pattern’s ability to use less water to extinguish fire is critical, especially in a rural area with limited hydrants,” said Enola Capt. Dillon Hudson.
For more information about the HEN Foundation or to contribute, visit hen.foundation.
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