Saluda Fire Department

12/18/2024

🎉 A Heartfelt Thank You to Chief Edwin Riley 🎉

At the 2024 Saluda Fire Department Christmas Dinner, we had the honor of celebrating Chief Edwin Riley’s incredible 45 years of dedicated service to our community. After serving as our Chief for 20 years, Chief Riley has announced his retirement from the position.

Chief Riley has been a steadfast leader, a mentor, and an unwavering source of inspiration to all of us. His dedication and passion for serving Saluda will never be forgotten, and his legacy will continue to shape our department for years to come.

Pictured here with Assistant Chief Tim Taylor, Chief Riley officially passes the torch to Tim, who will take over as the new Chief on January 1, 2025. We are excited to see Tim continue the proud traditions of leadership and service that have been at the core of the Saluda Fire Department.

Please join us in thanking Chief Riley for his decades of service and in welcoming Chief Taylor to his new role! 🚒

Saluda County Fire Service SALUDANow

09/29/2024

Sad times for the Saluda County Fire Service as we mourn the loss of two brothers from Circle Fire Department. They paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving a community they loved so well. Rest in peace brothers. We will take it from here.

PRESS RELEASE

SALUDA, S.C. - Saluda County Fire Service suffered a devastating loss early Friday, September 27, 2024. Chief Chad Satcher, 53, and Firefighter Landon Bodie, 18, were responding to a structure fire during Hurricane Helene when their fire engine was struck by a falling tree.

They were working out of the Circle Volunteer Fire Department station.

We would like to thank our community, state and nation for the outpouring of comfort and support during this difficult time. Please continue to keep our firefighters and families in your thoughts and prayers as they begin to heal from this loss.

Services for Chief Satcher will be held Saturday, October 5, at 11 a.m. at the Batesburg-Leesville High School Fine Arts Center with interment to follow in Ridge Crest Memorial Park. The family will receive family and friends from 4-6 p.m., Friday, October 4 at the Milton Shealy Funeral Home of Batesburg.

Service information for Firefighter Bodie is pending at this time.

-END-

07/17/2024

🚒🔥 Car Fire Response Early This Morning 🔥🚒

At around 1 AM today, the Saluda Fire Department responded to a car fire on Emory Rd and Batesburg Hwy. We were on scene with the Midlands Fire Department under automatic mutual aid to swiftly bring the situation under control. We are thankful for our dedicated volunteers who wake up in the middle of the night to respond.

We are proud to be 100% volunteer and handle a high volume of fire calls like this one. If you're looking for action and want to make a real difference in your community, join us! The Saluda Fire Department is always looking for committed individuals to join our ranks.

Check out some of the pictures from this morning’s call below! 📸

Interested in becoming a firefighter? Message us or stop by the station to learn more about how you can get involved.

07/11/2024

🚒 Exciting News from Saluda Fire Department! 🚒

We are thrilled to announce the arrival of much-needed equipment funded by the SC V-Safe Grant, including the MSA G1 RIT Pack. This Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) pack is essential for firefighter life safety. It allows our firefighters to quickly and efficiently rescue colleagues in distress, significantly improving the chances of survival in emergency situations.

Additionally, we've upgraded our Elkhart nozzles (Chief XD and Smooth Bores) and portable scene lighting equipment. These enhancements will help us provide better service to our community, protecting the lives and property of those we serve, and creating a safer, more effective work environment for our firefighters.

A huge thank you to V-SAFE for making this possible! Your support is invaluable to our mission.

06/30/2024

🚒 Incident Report: Plane Crash Near Saluda County Airport 🚒

On Sunday, June 30th, the Saluda Fire Department (SFD) was dispatched to the Saluda County Airport for a small plane crash. Upon arrival, SFD units discovered a two-passenger plane had crashed between the airport and Persimmon Hill Golf Course.

Two critically injured patients were medivaced to Augusta Trauma Center for immediate medical attention.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the following agencies for their invaluable assistance during this incident:

Saluda County EMS
Saluda County Sheriff's Office
LifeNet 7 Laurens
Ridge Spring Fire Department
Saluda County Fire Service
Saluda County 911 Dispatch

Your support and teamwork were crucial in managing this emergency. Prayers to those involved in the accident.

06/28/2024

🚒 Saluda Fire Department Announcement 🚒

We are incredibly proud to share that Saluda County Fire Service Captain Josh Mills and Lieutenant Tanner Quattlebaum have received the prestigious 2024 Meritorious Action Award from the South Carolina State Firefighters’ Association at the annual Fire-Rescue Conference.

During a call to a local pawn shop in the early morning hours, Lt. Quattlebaum bravely searched for victims amidst dangerous conditions, including propane cylinders and stacks of fireworks. Captain Mills took charge of fire suppression and later assisted Lt. Quattlebaum in rescuing a trapped victim behind the clerk counter.

Saluda County Fire Service Coordinator Mark Lybrand praised, “These two individuals are some of the finest firefighters I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with. They are dedicated, they love their community, and they are truly phenomenal.”

Please join us in congratulating Captain Mills and Lt. Quattlebaum for their heroic actions and unwavering dedication to our community! 🎉🔥🚒

Saluda County Fire Service Captain Josh Mills and Lieutenant Tanner Quattlebaum (pictured) received the 2024 Meritorious Action Award from the South Carolina State Firefighters’ Association during its annual Fire-Rescue Conference.

Saluda County Fire Service received a call for a fire at a local pawn shop in the early morning hours. With reports of entrapment, Lt. Quattlebaum moved forward with searching for victims while Captain Mills took over fire suppression.

“The whole time I’m searching, it was really confusing because I’m searching and feeling propane cylinders, I’m feeling stacks of fireworks, it kinda added some intensity to the situation,” Lt. Quattlebaum recalled. When Lt. Quattlebaum found the victim behind the clerk counter, Captain Mills met him to help drag the victim out of the fire.

“These two individuals are some of the finest firefighters I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with. They are dedicated, they love their community, and they are truly phenomenal,” Saluda County Fire Service Coordinator Mark Lybrand offered.

06/04/2024

📢🚒 Exciting News from Saluda Fire Department! 🚒📢

This past weekend, our very own Engine 400 made a special appearance at the Twin Lakes Summer Festival! 🌞🎉 It was an incredible opportunity for our team to connect with the community and share some valuable insights into the world of firefighting.

We had a fantastic time meeting everyone, showing off our equipment, and demonstrating some of the skills and techniques we use every day to keep Saluda safe. 🔥🚨 From kids to adults, it was wonderful to see so much interest and enthusiasm for fire safety and the work we do.

Check out these awesome photos of our crew in action and festival-goers getting hands-on experience with firefighting equipment! 📸👇

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to say hello and learn more about what we do. Your support means the world to us! And a big shoutout to the organizers of the Twin Lakes Summer Festival for having us. We can’t wait to do it again next year! 🙌

Stay safe and remember, we’re always here for you! ❤️🚒

04/21/2024

SFD E405 assisted mutual aid with Batesburg-Leesville Fire Department and Lexington County Fire Service at a working structure fire at Generations Assisted Living today. We were happy to assist our neighbors in B-L! Saluda County Fire Service

Authorities said the fire affected roughly 17 units, but all residents were relocated elsewhere on the assisted living campus.

04/17/2024

SFD assisted Saluda County EMS with a LZ at Saluda County Airport this morning. This was SFD third call for service today. The other incidents involved a tractor trailer fire hauling hazardous materials and a single vehicle MVC.

04/06/2024

SFD responded for a suspected arson fire on Dean Rd. This was the second incident in 24 hours in this area. The second incident involved a single family dwelling and multi-acre woods fire. South Carolina Forestry Commission assisted by plowing fire breaks. Saluda Countu Sheriff’s Office is investigating.

04/01/2024

Our hearts are heavy as we learn about the LODD of Clinton Fire Department FF Michael Vinson today. Our prayers are with CFD and the friends and family.