Navassa Volunteer Fire Department - Station19

Navassa Volunteer Fire Department - Station19 Chief : Donny Williams
Asst. Chief: Jason Thornton In 2006, Chief Clarence Brown announced he would be turning the department over to "Chief Donnie Williams".

Navassa Volunteer Fire Department history---- The Navassa Volunteer Fire Department (Brunswick County Station 19) formed in 1985 under the leadership of Chief "Dewey Bass". In 1990 the department moved to a new 3600 sq feet building at 336 Main St with "Chief Bernie Carlilse" leading the department. In 1993 "Chief Clarence Brown" took charge of department and in 1997 the department became recogniz

ed as a North Carolina Department of Insurance rated department. The year 2009 proved to be a dream year for the department. Navassa Volunteer fire department was awarded a grant through the 2009 American Reinvestment and Recovery Act for the purchase of a much needed 11,70 sq ft facility. The new facility " Brown Moore Memorial Station" was named in honor of late fire Chief Clarence Brown and late Board Chair Jim Moore.

Engine 1972 completed its 2026 annual pump test today. During the department’s scheduled pump testing earlier this year,...
06/10/2026

Engine 1972 completed its 2026 annual pump test today. During the department’s scheduled pump testing earlier this year, the engine was out of service at Ashby’s Diesel in Holly Ridge, NC, so it was unable to test with the other two engines. It passed today’s test with ease.

We are fortunate to have an inground test pit at our station 2, which makes this process easy and convenient. We also use our test pit for pump operations training and nozzle testing.

We thank John Lockamy for conducting the test and Firefighters Miller and James for their assistance.

Our part-time daytime firefighters are all experienced professionals who serve in departments larger than ours. These va...
06/09/2026

Our part-time daytime firefighters are all experienced professionals who serve in departments larger than ours. These valuable employees share experience and practical techniques with our volunteers.

Firefighters McDade and Sheppard spent part of the day assembling a ventilation prop, giving our volunteers hands-on cutting practice with our DeWalt electric chainsaws for our Monday evening training session.

We are thankful for the willingness of our paid employees to help develop our volunteers.

06/08/2026

Burn Ban Now in Effect 🚫🔥

The Brunswick County Fire Marshal is issuing a burn ban for the unincorporated areas within Brunswick County as of 5 pm. Monday, June 8, 2026. Read online: https://ow.ly/eIrm50Z92vl

Current and future weather forecast models indicate conditions that are not favorable to open burning, particularly due to increasing drought conditions and fire danger risks for this week.

All burning within 100 feet of any structure is banned within the unincorporated areas of Brunswick County. An unincorporated area is an area not within a city or town’s limits. If you are located in a city or town, contact your local municipal official related to the burn ban.

The burn ban does not apply to any open burning permits issued by the N.C. Forest Service.

All open burning of natural vegetation outside 100 feet of an occupied dwelling requires a permit from the North Carolina Forest Service. In addition, the NC Dept of Environmental Quality may require additional permits for certain types and locations of burning.

The burn ban will remain in place until conditions improve. Brunswick County will send out a notice when it is lifted and/or to communicate any necessary safety updates related to the burn ban. For questions about the burn ban, contact the Brunswick County Fire Marshal’s Office at 910.253.2041 or visit BrunswickCountyNC.gov/FireMarshal

Visit Brunswick County’s Burn Ban / Open Burning webpage for more information about local burn bans and open burning regulations: https://ow.ly/noJ350XhcjS

| Posted June 8, 2026 |

Earlier today around 4:30 pm, Squad 1975, Squad 1981, the Chief, and the Assistant Chief responded to a single-vehicle c...
06/05/2026

Earlier today around 4:30 pm, Squad 1975, Squad 1981, the Chief, and the Assistant Chief responded to a single-vehicle crash on I-140 near mile marker 9. The call was initially reported as a submerged vehicle but was later downgraded to a jackknifed vehicle. Upon arrival, crews found no injuries and a vehicle tangled in the median safety cables. The Incident Management Assistance Patrol (IMAP) and Highway Patrol were requested.

The two-mile stretch of interstate in our district is one of the most hazardous areas in which we operate. There is an increased risk of injury or death for our members due to the speeds we have observed.

In recent weeks, our members have taken part in several training activities, both within our department and alongside mu...
06/04/2026

In recent weeks, our members have taken part in several training activities, both within our department and alongside multiple agencies. We are grateful for these strong partnerships.

On Monday, May 25, our members trained on ground ladder operations under the direction of Firefighter Sheppard. We also welcomed Engine 1 (B Shift) from the Leland Fire Department.

On Wednesday, May 27, several members attended firefighter certification classes at the main station alongside personnel from other area fire departments.

On Friday, May 29, we supported a fire investigations class hosted by Brunswick Community College in Belville. Although none of our members attended the class itself, we used both of our large tankers to provide primary and secondary water supplys for the Leland Fire Department during the live burn segment. Captain Thornton, Firefighter Miller, and Firefighter McDade worked directly with the Leland Fire Department on nurse operations.

On Monday, June 1, personnel trained on the new upgrades to one of our brush units.

We appreciate our members’ continued commitment.

Since 2017, we have used remote bumper-mounted nozzles, which have proven effective for rapid attack on wildland, vehicl...
05/30/2026

Since 2017, we have used remote bumper-mounted nozzles, which have proven effective for rapid attack on wildland, vehicle, and some structure fires. We recently completed an upgrade to our small brush truck, including the installation of a remote bumper nozzle. All the work was done in-house, which helped reduce project costs. The upgrades included the following:

-An Akron 3462 remote forestry monitor with an Akron electric valve and cab-controlled joystick

-A Class 1 mini water-level gauge on the cab console

-Integrated the existing Class A foam system with the new Akron remote nozzle

-Installed SoundOff MPower fascia lights with a scene-light feature and integrated them into the existing lighting package

Remote bumper nozzles are now installed on half of our firefighting vehicles, and we plan to incorporate them into the design of all future firefighting vehicles.

05/20/2026

On Tuesday, May 19, at about 11:00 p.m., the Navassa Fire Department responded to a structure fire in the 1100 block of Old Mill Road within the Town of Navassa. When crews arrived, they found a single-wide trailer with heavy fire and smoke. The fire was brought under control, and one adult inside the trailer died as a result of the fire. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s family.

Assisting first response agencies included the Leland Fire Department, Winnabow Volunteer Fire Department, New Hanover County Fire Rescue, Pender EMS & Fire, Inc, City of Wilmington Fire Department, Brunswick County EMS, the Brunswick County 911 Center, the Town of Navassa, Brunswick County Sheriff's Office, and Duke Energy.

The cause and origin of the fire remain under investigation by the North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal, the North Carolina Department of Insurance, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Brunswick County Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office.

The North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal is leading the investigation, and all media inquiries should be directed to public information officer, Shannon Bullock. Shannon can be reached at 919-669-0739.

Over the past week, our members participated in several training activities, including sessions within our department an...
05/20/2026

Over the past week, our members participated in several training activities, including sessions within our department and others involving multiple agencies. We are thankful for the partnership with Brunswick Community College with all these training events.

On Monday, May 11th, our members trained on ground monitors and high-volume water delivery, with emphasis on the Blitzfire and Crossfire systems.

On Wednesday, May 13th, several members attended firefighter certification classes at the main station, where instruction focused on ropes and knots. Members from other area fire departments also take part in these ongoing classes.

On Saturday, May 16th, we took part in a structural live burn exercise hosted by the Leland Fire Department. In this multiagency exercise, our primary responsibility was providing primary and secondary water supply. Some members managed water supply operations, while others participated in interior firefighting evolutions. We are thankful for the partnership with the Leland Fire Department , Winnabow Volunteer Fire Department and other departments involved.

On Monday, May 18th, we trained on wildland firefighting and incident management. A fast-moving field fire scenario gave chief officers an opportunity to practice resource management while other members applied tactics using UTV-19, Brush 1976, Brush 1977, and Squad 1975. A newer engine operator also practiced resupplying the brush units from one of our 1,000-gallon engines.

We appreciate our members’ continued dedication.

In recognition of International Firefighters Day, we extend our gratitude to all firefighters and to our members for the...
05/05/2026

In recognition of International Firefighters Day, we extend our gratitude to all firefighters and to our members for their dedication to serving their communities. We take pride in the commitment demonstrated by our personnel, both in responding to calls and contributing many additional hours to support our community.

Below are photographs from tonight’s training session, which took place following a full shift at the station or after fulfilling responsibilities at other full-time or part-time jobs outside the department.

We deeply appreciate everyone who serves alongside us and their commitment to service above self.

Address

336 Main Street
Navassa, NC
28451

Telephone

(910) 371-9988

Website

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