About Crowders Mountain Fire & Rescue
Our History
On July 1, 2000, Crowders Mountain Volunteer Fire & Rescue, Inc. came into existence by a merger of two long established volunteer fire departments and a long established rescue squad. The fire departments were Chapel Grove VFD, established in 1963, which covered the south western portion of Gaston County from their station located at 111 Camp Rotary Road. Having five pieces of apparatus, two engines, a tanker, a utility unit, and two brush units. The other department was South Gastonia VFD, which was established in 1962 and covered the southern and extreme southwestern area of Gaston County. Having seven pieces of apparatus including two engines, a tanker, a rescue / command unit, a brush units, and utility unit. This station had approximately 80 members who faithfully served the community. The third department involved was Bessemer City Rescue Squad which was established in 1976 and covered an EMS/ Rescue district that ran from north of Bessemer City near Tryonata VFD eastward to the Gastonia City Limits, and south to the NC/SC state line in the western areas of Chapel Grove VFD and South Gastonia VFD coverage areas. They covered the area with 3 apparatuses including a crash / rescue truck, and two ambulances. The Bessemer City Rescue Squad covered their primary response area plus assisted as needed elsewhere in the county by the direction of Gaston County Communications. With all the apparatus, members, and years of experience, Crowders Mountain Fire and Rescue had a very big jump start into the area to be covered which was covering both fire and the medical district covered the entire west southwest and southern areas of Gaston County, from 321 to the Cleveland line up into Bessemer City. At department startup, there were approximately 100 members and was running from three stations that the departments had previously been dispatched from. In July, 2006 the department moved out of the three stations into two. These stations were the newly renovated station located at 215 E. Virginia Aveneue in Bessemer City which housed two fire engines, a brush units, and the EMS ambulances and crash / rescue units. The other station, also known as Crowders Mountain Fire & Rescue Headquarters, was newly built at 480 Bethany Rd in Gastonia and housed three fire engines, one rescue / command unit, and two brush units. A third Fire station was added on Olney Church Rd in 2019, further enhancing fire protection in the district.
