Department Profile[]
Cornelius-Lemley Fire & Rescue provides fire suppression & prevention, emergency medical, and rescue services to the citizens of Cornelius and surrounding Mecklenburg County. The Department operates an independent, non-profit agency that contracts with the town and county to provide services using volunteer and part-time firefighters. They operate from two stations and also operate a fireboat (Fireboat 4) on Lake Norman. In 2021, the department responded to 3,449 calls for service.
History[]
Organized as the Cornelius Fire Department on December 29, 1952, they were the ninth volunteer fire department in the County. The department changed their name to the Cornelius-Lemley Fire Department in 1979. Lemley referred to the original township in the northwest corner of the County where the Town of Cornelius was located. In 1959, Duke Power built the Cowens Ford Dam on the Catawba River, creating Lake Norman and effectively putting much of Lemley Township underwater.
Fire Stations[]
| Station | Address | In Service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19729 South Main Street | 1971 - 2008 | Dedicated June 6, 1971. Located on the same lot as the new station. |
Apparatus Roster[]
All pump/tank measurements are in US gallons.
Fire Station 1 - 19729 South Main Street[]
Dedicated June 25, 2008
- Engine 3 "Eastside Express" - 2023 Seagrave Capitol 136" DB70CT (2000/500/30A) (SO#78L66 or 78M61)
- Rescue 4 "The Mutt" - 2006 Pierce Dash Encore 6x4 walk-around (SN#18219)
- Engine 6 "Old Town Engine Co." - 2018 Seagrave Capitol 136" DB70CS (2000/500/30A)
- Brush 6 "The Leaf" - 2003 Ford F-350 4x4
- Squad 8 - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 4x4 walk-around utility body
- Car 9 (Chief) - 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 4x4
- Hook & Ladder 44 - 2015 Seagrave Marauder II TT05CS (-/-/100' tractor-drawn) (SO#76418)
Fire Station 2 - 19230 Charles Towne Lane[]
Dedicated December 9, 2000
- Engine 2 - 2011 Seagrave Marauder II TB70CX (2000/500/50A) (SO#78G47)
- Engine 4 "Keeper Of The Castles" - 2023 Seagrave Capitol 136" DB70CT (2000/500/30A) (SO#78L66 or 78M61)
- Truck 4 "Westside Truckin" - 1996 Seagrave Marauder TR06DA / 2015 refurb (-/-/100' rear-mount ladder) (SO#75731) (Ex-Old Forge Fire Department (Pennsylvania))
- Fire Boat 4 - 2010 MetalCraft Marine Firestorm 30
Station Unknown[]
- Ops 1 - 2004 Dodge Durango 4x4
Retired Apparatus[]
- 2005 Seagrave Marauder TB70DA / 2012 refurb pumper (2000/700/60A) (SO#78C64) (Rebuilt after rollover, December 2010) (Ex-Engine 5)
- 2001 Seagrave Marauder TB70DA pumper (2000/500/30A) (SO#78A04) (Ex-Engine 4) (Sold to Trinity Fire Department (South Carolina))
- 1999 Zodiac (500/-) (Ex-Marine 1)
- 1999 Seagrave LP72DA aerial (2000/250/105' Apollo rear-mount platform) (SO#89008) (Ex-Ladder 4) (Sold to St. James Fire Department (Minnesota))
- 1995 Seagrave Marauder TB50DF pumper (1500/750/50A) (SO#78719) (Ex-Engine 3) (Sold to Carolina Fire Department (North Carolina)).
- 1995 Seagrave Marauder TB40DF pumper (1250/500) (SO#78680) (Ex-Engine 6) (Ex-Cary Fire Department (North Carolina), sold to Locke Fire Department (North Carolina))
- 1993 International / EVI walk-around rescue
- 1991 E-One Protector pumper (1250/1000) (SO#9029) (Ex-Engine 1) (Sold to North Brook Fire Department (North Carolina)
- 1988 Seagrave JT07DB aerial (-/-/100' tractor-drawn) (SO#W76239) (Ex-Hook & Ladder 44) (Ex-Bedford Fire Department (Virginia), ex-Richmond Fire and Emergency Services (Virginia)) (Sold to Moraga-Orinda Fire Protection District)
- 1984 Ford C / Pierce pumper
- 1974 Ford / Bean pumper
- 1966 Ford C-800 / Howe pumper (750 FM/1000)
- 1953 Ford pumper
Ongoing Plans[]
A recent study by the Town of Cornelius recommended transitioning the department from a volunteer to a career department. As part of that process, in 2021, the Town began funding for six full time firefighter positions as town employees for the department.