Cold Water Volunteer Fire Department

03/28/2026

North Carolina statewide open burning ban going into effect today at 6pm!

Due to increased wildfire risk, the N.C. Forest Service has issued a ban on all open burning and has canceled all burning permits statewide effective 6 p.m. Saturday, March 28 until further notice.

Under North Carolina law, the ban prohibits all open burning in the affected counties, regardless of whether a permit was previously issued. The issuance of any new permits has also been suspended until the ban is lifted. Anyone violating the burn ban faces a $100 fine plus $183 court costs. Any person responsible for setting a fire may be liable for any expenses related to extinguishing the fire.

The burn ban does not apply to fires started within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling. The local fire marshal has authority to issue a burn ban within those 100 feet.

Read news release: https://www.ncagr.gov/news/press-releases/2026/03/28/statewide-burn-ban-issued-north-carolina-due-hazardous-forest-fire-conditions

03/16/2026

**Tornado Warning**

The National Weather service has placed Cabarrus county under a tornado warning until 10:15 am and under a severe thunderstorm warning until 10:45 am. Seek shelter immediately!

03/05/2026

Shoutout to Carolina Custom MW for engraving the names of two of our past members onto plagues for our in memory of board at Cold Water VFD!

02/12/2026

**Working Fire**

Today around 2:40 PM Cold Water VFD and mutual aid departments was dispatched to a reported garage fire on Octavia St. Concord FD Engine 2, clearing another call nearby, was first arriving finding a well involved detached garage on fire about 15' from a house. Cold Water VFD E2 and T2 arrived just behind CFD E2 and assisted with fire attack and water supply. CFD Truck 1 also assisted with fire attack. Fire was quickly brought under control. Cabarrus County FMO was dispatched. Fire was caused by burning leaves between the garage and house. This is the second fire in two days that Cold Water VFD has been to that was caused by outside burning.

Units on the alarm:

Cold Water VFD E2, T2, T12, E12, and R12
Concord FD E2, E1, Truck 1, and BC1
Kannapolis FD E31, L14, and BC1
Allen VFD E11
Rimer VFD T24
Mt. Mitchell VFD E18
Cabarrus County Sq.410
Cabarrus County FMO
Cabarrus County EMS

Photo credits to CFD E2 FF. Moore

02/11/2026

February 11, 2008 - LODD
Firefighter James Earl Arthur, 19
Cold Water Fire & Rescue. Concord, NC
Arthur was on his way home from his job at a textile mill in southern Rowan County when he heard his department paged to respond to a vehicle wreck, according to colleagues at the fire department. He was heading north on Old Concord Road when he took a curve too fast about 3 miles south of China Grove. He lost control of his pickup, overturned and was thrown from the truck. He wasn't wearing a seatbelt. The 19-year-old Concord High graduate had joined the fire department as soon as he turned 16 and was old enough.

01/27/2026

***Water Rescue***

Today just after 12pm Cold Water VFD responded to assist Rimer VFD with a person that had fallen through a frozen pond. Cold Water Brush 12 arrived on scene just behind Cabarrus EMS 903, Rimer E24 & E3. Members entered the water and assisted Rimer and CCEMS 903 with rescuing the patient out of the frozen pond. Mt. Pleasant FD arrived on scene and assisted Rimer & CW members with carrying the patient from the shoreline to CCEMS 31 that had just arrived on scene. Patient was transferred to the care of CCEMS 31 for transport to Atrium Health Cabarrus. From 911 call recieved to patient free of the water was 12 minutes, strong work by all departments on scene!

Units on the call:

Rimer VFD E24 & E3
Cold Water VFD B12
Mt. Pleasant FD Sq19 & R19
Harrisburg FD Swiftwater 32, E33, & BC31
Cabarrus County Sq410
Cabarrus County EMS 31, 901, & 903
Cabarrus County Sheriff's office

01/11/2026

Cold Water VFD hosted the quarterly Cabarrus County Firefighters Association training and meeting today!

12/14/2025

*Working Fire*

Last night around 9:20 pm Cold Water VFD and Mt. Mitchell VFD was dispatched for a residential fire alarm on Brafford Dr called in by the alarm company. Cold Water Engine 2 arrived 1st due and found smoke and fire showing from a single story house with a basement. Cold Water E2 upgraded the call to a working fire, filling out the box with additional mutual aid. Crews was able to quickly bring the fire under control. Cabarrus County FMO was requested to the scene to investigate the cause of the fire. Red Cross responded to assist the family that was displaced by the fire.

Initial units on the Residential Fire alarm:

Cold Water VFD Engine 2 & Engine 12
Mt. Mitchell VFD Tanker 18

Working Fire upgrade units:

Cold Water VFD Tanker 2, Tanker 12, & Rescue 12
Concord FD Engine 1, Truck 1, & BC1
Kannapolis FD Engine 31, Ladder 34, FC1, & BC1
Allen VFD Engine 11 & Tanker 11
Mt. Mitchell VFD Engine 18
Rimer VFD Tanker 24
Cabarrus County Sq. 410
Cabarrus County EMS
Cabarrus County Sheriff's office
Cabarrus County FMO

12/07/2025

Last night Cold Water VFD held its annual Christmas party and presented several members with years of service awards which include:

Fire Chief James Preddy, Jr 50 years of service
Firefighter and Board President Tom Blackwelder 50 years of service
Lieutenant David Blackwelder 50 years of service
Captain Casey Blackwelder 20 years of service
Captain John Eury III 20 years of service
Firefighter Duncan O'Sullivan 10 years of service (not pictured)

11/24/2025

Cold Water Engine 2 in the Concord Christmas parade this past Saturday!

11/17/2025

Cold Water VFD Brush 12 and Tanker 2 assisted Concord Fire Department with a large brush fire today!