Sign up for Asheville’s Battle of the Badges blood drive

Asheville’s first responders are facing off for a lifesaving cause. Local heroes are rolling up their sleeves — and encouraging the community to do the same — as they vie for the most pints donated at the sixth annual Battle of the Badges blood drive. It happens 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 24 at First [...]

Asheville Fire Department supports Asheville Fire Fighters Association with Operation Warm

The Asheville Fire Department will join forces to help support our Asheville Fire Fighters Association Local 332 with an Operation Warm coat distribution 1 p.m. Dec. 17 Hall Fletcher Elementary. Over 100 new, American- and union-made coats will be delivered and given to selected children in need of assistance. Joint fundraising and donations were received from [...]

Keep fire safety in mind this holiday season

The holidays are filled with hustle and bustle and oftentimes people forget about the basics. The Asheville Fire Department is here to not only wish everyone a happy holiday season but a safe one as well. The following safety tips are helpful reminders to keep you, your family and your friends safe. Although AFD works 365 days [...]

Fall fire safety tips: Asheville Fire Department reminders

It may be bittersweet to say goodbye to summer. But fall brings its own charm with crisp autumn afternoons, colorful leaves and fall festivals. As the weather beings to change, here are some helpful fire safety reminders from the Asheville Fire Department.   Home heating Soon you may need to fire up the furnace so it is important [...]

Photos: City of Asheville 911 remembrance

The City of Asheville held a 911 remembrance ceremony downtown Friday. The event honored the 2,996 people who died during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and on hijacked United Airlines Flight 93. The Asheville Fire Department Honor Guard placed a wreath in honor of those who died. Mayor Esther Manheimer [...]

Asheville firefighters participate in 200+ mile race

Twelve Asheville firefighters participated in a grueling challenge last weekend: the Blue Ridge Relay. Happening Sept. 11-12, the 208-mile Blue Ridge Relay (BRR208) is one of the longest-running relay races in the United States. Members of Asheville’s 12-man team will rotate through 36 transition areas as they cover the 208-mile distance of the race. The scenery couldn’t [...]

PHOTOS: Asheville Fire Department puts recruits through paces

Thursday was graduation night for new firefighters with the Asheville Fire Department. In a series of staged simulations, graduates responded to a car fire, multi-story rope rescues, a vehicle embankment accident, a high-rise fire, and several other emergencies that continued throughout the night and into the morning. Congratulations to our new AFD firefighters! Here’s a photo [...]

Asheville Fire Department supports Pink Heals Tour

The Asheville Fire Department supports the national Pink Heals Tour as it makes its way into Asheville on Friday, August 7, starting at 10:30 a.m. AFD will meet the tour at the City line near Canton and will proudly lead the tour to the Asheville Outlets for a celebration event open to the public from [...]

Fireworks can be dangerous, so leave the light show to the professionals

It’s a patriotic holiday but the Fourth of July has a dark side. That’s because on a typical Fourth of July there are more fires nationally than on any other day of the year. And fireworks account for two out of five of those fires, more than any other cause of fires. More than 11,000 injuries [...]

Multiple City units respond to Asheville building collapse

Forty Asheville Fire Department firefighters responded to the scene of a building collapse at 290 Haywood Road in West Asheville at 4:45 p.m. June 17, 2015. Asheville Police and City Development Services Department inspectors assisted with public safety following this incident. No one was in the building and no injuries were reported. The building was formerly occupied [...]