Fire Apparatus - Columbia, South Carolina

This is the Columbia, South Carolina Fire and Rescue page. The city of Columbia is located in the central part of the state and is also the capitol city. The city is within Richland county in South Carolina. The stations located outside the downtown area are referred to as the Columbia-Richland stations and are also identified as Hopkins, Congraree Run, etc. named for the communities for which they serve and protect. The city department is comprised of full-time firefighters and provides drivers and some crews for the county stations. The county stations are the only ones to utilize volunteers for emergencies. Chief John Jansen, Jr. is the current Fire Chief for the Columbia Fire and Rescue department.

Last updated November 20, 2001

Ladder 8 is a Simon-Duplex/LTI 100' ladder assigned to the Columbia, South Carolina fire department as seen here downtown near the Five Points area.
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Ladder 9 of the Columbia, South Carolina fire department on a call in the Five Points area of downtown. Five Points is the local college(s) hangout area.
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Columbia-Richland (county) Ladder 14 is located a stones throw from I-20 to the north of Columbia, South Carolina. Station 14 also has a pumper assigned to the second bay. As you can see, L-14 has a very long rear overhang that drags the pavement from time to time. L-14 is a 1992 American LaFrance with a 105' ladder.
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What a combination, Columbia, South Carolina's Ladder 51 is a 1971 Seagrave referbed by Pemfab/Imperial in 1994. L-51 is equipped with a 100' ladder and can be found at just about any of the stations in downtown Columbia.
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Ladder 52 of the Columbia (SC) Fire Department is a 1976 Mack CF with a 100' Thibault ladder. The reserve engine is assigned to the main station near the downtown area of Columbia
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Engine 2 is assigned to Station 2 in Columbia, South Carolina. This 1996 KME is one of the newer pieces in the Columbia Fire Department's assortment of equipment. Their newest piece is stationed at the main station.
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Part of the Columbia-Richland (county), South Carolina fire district, Hopkins is a small community with apparatus driven by full time Columbia fire department drivers with volunteers making up the force. Engine 23 is a 1992 Quality built unit on a International chassie.
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The old Macks are slowly being phased out of service in Columbia, South Carolina. Engine 42 is assigned to Station 2 and is a reserve engine.
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Engine F-3's "F" indicates it is classified as a foam truck. Assigned to the industrial park area where hazardous materials may be present, the Columbia (SC) Fire Department converted this 1981 Mack into a foam truck. The industrial park station is off of state road 48 on the southside of town.
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Columbia, South Carolina is host to a very nice selection of Macks and to my surprise this homebuilt HazMat apparatus turned into a trench rescue vehicle. This is a 1976 Mack CF.
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The mother of all heavy rescues is this 1986 Mack of the Columbia South Carolina Fire Department. Equipped with tandem rear axles, this is truly a "heavy rescue" vehicle.
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One of the newer pieces in the Columbia (South Carolina) Fire Departments line-up is this 1999 Fire Equipment Services rescue, R-1. Rescue 1 is assigned to the central station, near the downtown area of Columbia.
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This 1999 Chevy light rescue, Rescue R-3 is assigned to a Richland (SC) county station in Killian, SC, part of the Columbia – Richland county fire service and part of the Columbia Fire Department’s area of responsibility.
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In all by years of photographing fire apparatus I have never come across an American LaFrance tanker and this is a very unique piece. I do not know if Columbia (SC) modified this one into a tanker to serve the Lower Richland (county) area or not. This is a 1985 model and even has checker plate on the roof.
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The Columbia (SC) Fire Department provides drivers for stations out of the city limits, but still within the county of Richland. Tanker, T-29 is assigned to Station 29 in the Congaree Run area of the county. Their tanker is a 1995 Quality/International. Most county stations have similar equipment, a tanker, pumper, and a brush truck or rescue.
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Hopkins, South Carolina is a small rural community just outside the Columbia city limits. Drivers are from the Columbia fire department and fire fighter members of the company are volunteers in Hopkins. This is their 1992 Quality/International tanker.
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This is a sample of the type of event a rescue squad responds to. Lucky for the driver and the passenger in the Chevy S-10 Blazer neither was injured when their vehicle was struck broadside by the city bus. In a lot of situations like this vehicle accident, rescue workers have to deal with much more serious injuries or worst until the ambulance arrives.
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Columbia FD's Rescue 1 on the scene in downtown Columbia, SC. No serious injuries from this accident.
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Besides the central station, Station 12 is one of the nicest looking stations I have been to in Columbia, SC. Engine 12, a 1990 E-One pumper and a ladder truck are assigned to this station.
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