The earliest Greensboro Firefighter started as a volunteer in 1884. These volunteers are part of a history that is filled with courage, bravery and fire service tradition within Greensboro, North Carolina. In that same year, the first fire company was established at 108 West Gaston Street. Engine Company 1 was a steam engine known as the “General Greene”.

On June 1, 1926 the Greensboro Fire Department (GFD) was established as an all-paid department with forty-seven firefighters and eight fire companies. Moving into the new “Central Fire Station” located on North Green Street, the department was led by Captain Frank D. Shaw, the first official Fire Chief.

“The purpose of the Greensboro Firefighter Historical Society is to collect, preserve, and share the history of the City of Greensboro Fire Department and its firefighters”

Who We Are

The Greensboro Firefighter Historical Society (GFFHS) was established in 2021 as a North Carolina non-profit organization to preserve the history of the Greensboro firefighter. Retired Greensboro Battalion Chief Larry Cockman was instrumental in creating the GFFHS as an organization with the purpose “to collect, preserve, and share the history of the City of Greensboro Fire Department (GFD) and it's firefighters.

GFFHS Interviews. There have been many changes in the fire service through the decades, including the improvements of equipment and technology. One way the GFFHS has realized the importance of preserving and sharing the history of firefighters is through storytelling interviews.

“What’s happening is that retirees are dying and their stories from the fire service are going with them."  Retired Battalion Chief Larry Cockman

The GFFHS is working on an expansive project collecting video interviews with retirees—capturing not only the history of the department, but also giving retirees a chance to tell their stories. 

In sharing their fire service history it has become apparent that the courage and bravery that it takes to mitigate a disaster hasn’t changed, and that the camaraderie of firefighters hasn’t changed, either.

The GFFHS website will be an ever changing and evolving site as we continue to document the history, accomplishments, and change over time of the Greensboro Firefighter. To study history, is to study change, and this helps us understand how events in the past made the GFD and its members the way they are today.  If you would like to assist in helping to add to this site contact us at GFFHS.

GFFHS Picture Gallery. The GFFHS is “preserving the perishable” by collecting and sharing the history of the Greensboro firefighter in pictures. Old fire service photographs hold a wealth of memories and history. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the GFFHS historic photographs collection will be of interest to you. Sharing these photos gives firefighters who have a sense of pride and love for the GFD a way to enjoy their fire service history.

Do you have photos to share? All images brought to GFFHS are digitized and added to the digital collection. Once images are digitized, the person who brought them can either pick them up or donate the physical photos. If you would like to share photos contact us at GFFHS.

Board of Directors 2023

  • Carol E. Key

    PRESIDENT

    Carol is a 25 year fire service veteran. She began her career with the Greensboro Fire Department in 1998 and is currently an Assistant Chief with the Greensboro Fire Department assigned as an Emergency Services Shift Commander.

  • Dan W. Faulk

    SECRETARY

    Dan is a 25-year fire service veteran. He began his career with the Greensboro Fire Department in 1998 and is currently a Battalion Chief with the Greensboro Fire Department Special Operations Division.

  • Curtis E. Woody, Jr.

    TREASURER

    Curtis is a 22 year fire service veteran. He began his career with the Greensboro Fire Department in 2001 and is currently a captain assigned as the GFD Equipment Services Division.

  • Paul D. Brooks

    DIRECTOR

    Paul is a 50 year veteran of the fire service. He began his fire service career in 1974 with the Greensboro Fire Department and retired after 35 years as an Assistant Chief. After retirement from he spent six years as the Executive Director for the Center for Public Safety Excellence and then another ten years as fire service consultant.

  • Christopher K. Bowman

    DIRECTOR

    Chris is a 40 year veteran of the fire service. He began his fire service career in 1980 as a firefighter in the United States Air Force. Chris retired in 2013 as an Assistant Chief with the Greensboro Fire Department. After retirement from the GFD he became the Fire Chief of Thomasville Fire Rescue, Georgia and later retired in 2020.