– by Janelle Goodrich

“Firefighters don’t go where the fire is safe; they make it safe for everyone else.”
(Fire-service proverb)

Think of this as a five-alarm history lesson you can enjoy right from the couch. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fire Museum & Education Center has officially gone virtual, opening its archives to residents eager to explore the lives, legends, and lifesaving tools of our hometown heroes.

A Legacy Re-ignited

Dreamed up by Charlotte firefighters in 1969, the museum first opened its doors in 2002. Rising rents forced a closure in 2009, but the board never gave up. Today, the entire collection—antique pumpers, alarm boxes, original turnout gear, and plenty of “you-have-to-see-this” stories—lives online, with plans to secure a new physical home in the future.

More Than Nostalgia

Alongside vintage equipment, the site features modern fire- and life-safety resources teachers and families can download year-round. Museum educators also offer traveling displays for classrooms and community events.

How to Visit & Support

• Browse the collection at CharlotteFireMuseum.org.
• Follow @CharlotteFireMuseum (Facebook) and @cltfiremuseum (Instagram) for weekly throwbacks and safety tips.
• Pick up a commemorative T-shirt or make a tax-deductible donation through PayPal—every dollar preserves the sirens, stories, and service that keep Charlotte safe and helps bring the museum one step closer to a permanent brick-and-mortar home.