Charlotte Fire donation equips next generation of firefighters

Published on November 03, 2026

Charlotte Fire personnel load donated breathing apparatus and rescue equipment for Rowan-Cabarrus Community College on Nov. 3, 2026.

By Kevin Campbell, Charlotte Fire

Equipment that once protected Charlotte firefighters during some of their most dangerous assignments is beginning a new chapter, helping prepare the next generation of firefighters to answer the call.

Charlotte Fire made a substantial donation of self-contained breathing apparatus, air cylinders, facepieces and rapid intervention team equipment to Rowan-Cabarrus Community College on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The equipment, valued at approximately $100,000, will support firefighter academies, certification programs and continuing education throughout the region.

The contribution represents more than a transfer of retired equipment. It is an investment in the future of the fire service, providing valuable training resources to programs preparing firefighters who may one day serve communities across North Carolina.

"When we invest in firefighter training, we're investing in the safety of entire communities," Charlotte Fire Chief Reginald Johnson said. "This equipment has served our firefighters well, and now it has an opportunity to serve a new generation. Supporting the men and women preparing to enter this profession is one of the most meaningful ways we can give back to the fire service."

For Charlotte Fire Division Chief Dave Farnum, who oversees the department's Logistics Division, the donation reflects a continuing commitment to supporting the broader firefighting community while extending the useful life of equipment no longer needed for Charlotte Fire operations.

Division Chief Dave Farnum, right, reviews donated equipment with representatives from Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.

A second purpose for lifesaving equipment

The donation follows Charlotte Fire's replacement of its entire inventory of self-contained breathing apparatus, commonly known as SCBA, during late summer.

The department placed 753 new 3M Scott air packs into service, equipping firefighters with updated breathing protection technology. The transition also created an opportunity to put the previous generation of equipment to work elsewhere.

"In late summer, we replaced our entire fleet of SCBA with the most modern wireframe air pack from 3M Scott," Farnum said.

The equipment being donated includes approximately 40 retired SCBA units, 80 air cylinders, dozens of facepieces and several rapid intervention team bags, according to Farnum.

He estimated the value of the equipment at just under $100,000.

For Farnum, finding a new home for the equipment made sense. Retired breathing apparatus typically has little resale or trade-in value, but it can still offer significant benefits to fire departments and organizations responsible for training firefighters.

As in previous equipment replacement cycles, Charlotte Fire looked for opportunities to support organizations that could continue putting the equipment to good use.

"We look to donate the air packs," Farnum said, explaining that potential recipients include fire departments and organizations providing firefighter training.

Charlotte Fire Division Chief Dave Farnum stands among equipment prepared for donation.

The decision also reflects Charlotte Fire's approach to training its own recruits.

Farnum said the department wants recruits to develop their skills using the same breathing apparatus they will operate after graduating from the Charlotte Fire Training Academy.

"We want to make sure we maintain that familiarity," Farnum said.

Training with the same equipment used in daily operations helps firefighters develop proficiency and confidence before responding to their first emergencies.

But the department's transition to newer technology does not mean the previous equipment has lost its value.

For training organizations operating on tighter budgets, the donation offers an opportunity to modernize equipment without the substantial expense of purchasing everything new.

"This is moving them forward several generations," Farnum said.

Farnum examines breathing apparatus equipment as the department prepares its donation.

A major boost for regional firefighter training

For Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, the equipment represents a significant addition to its fire service training programs.

Keith Rogers, a fire training coordinator in Cabarrus County for the college, said the donation will directly benefit students enrolled in firefighter academies and experienced firefighters pursuing additional certifications.

The college provides daytime, nighttime and high school firefighter academies, along with continuing education and specialized training for firefighters already serving their communities.

"This donation by the fire department is going to really help us," Rogers said. "This is going to be a huge budget savings for us."

The equipment will be divided between Rowan and Cabarrus counties, allowing students and instructors across both areas to benefit.

Rogers said Cabarrus County conducts approximately three to four firefighter academies annually, in addition to a high school academy. The college's Rowan County programs conduct a similar number of academies, if not more.

That means dozens of future firefighters will have opportunities to train using equipment they might otherwise have limited access to.

For students entering the profession, those opportunities can make an important difference.

"Just having that consistency of the type of equipment that they're training on now is what they're going to use in the fire service," Rogers said.

Charlotte Fire personnel inspect rapid intervention team bags included in the donation.

Preparing firefighters for their most challenging moments

Among the donated items are 3M Scott X3 breathing apparatus units built to the 2013 edition of NFPA 1981, the National Fire Protection Association standard governing open-circuit self-contained breathing apparatus for emergency services.

SCBA equipment allows firefighters to operate in environments containing smoke, hazardous gases and other conditions where the surrounding air cannot be safely breathed.

The equipment includes an air cylinder, regulator, facepiece and harness system, all of which require extensive training before firefighters can use them effectively during emergencies.

The donation also includes rapid intervention team bags, commonly called RIT bags, designed to assist firefighters who become trapped, entangled or encounter an emergency involving their breathing air supply.

These specialized bags contain a supplemental air cylinder and connections that allow rescuers to provide emergency breathing air to a firefighter in distress.

Learning to operate this equipment under realistic training conditions is an essential part of developing the skills firefighters may need when seconds matter.

Battalion Chief John Lipcsak handles a donated rapid intervention team bag.

Farnum said rising equipment costs make donations such as this increasingly important.

Community colleges and smaller fire departments do not always have the resources to purchase newer equipment at the same pace as larger departments.

As a result, instructors may be forced to train students using breathing apparatus from multiple generations, sometimes with different features and operating procedures.

The donated equipment will help Rowan-Cabarrus Community College provide students with a more consistent training experience while expanding the number of available air packs, masks and cylinders.

Charlotte Fire personnel help organize breathing apparatus for transport to Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.

A connection built through decades of service

For Rogers, the donation carries additional significance because of his own history with Charlotte Fire.

He spent 30 years with the department after being hired in 1986 and retiring in 2016.

During the final 16 years of his career, he served as a battalion chief assigned to Battalion 4 in east Charlotte.

Rogers joined Rowan-Cabarrus Community College in March 2022, continuing his career in the fire service by helping prepare future firefighters and supporting the professional development of those already on the job.

His experience provides a perspective from both sides of the training process, from operational firefighting and command responsibilities to the foundational instruction required before a new firefighter begins a career.

"We try to run a disciplined academy," Rogers said, emphasizing the importance of preparing students for the expectations and responsibilities awaiting them at their first firehouse.

For Rogers, earning a firefighter certification represents an important milestone, but not the end of the learning process.

"Just graduating from the academy is just the basic foundation of your firefighting career," he said.

That foundation becomes stronger when recruits can repeatedly practice essential skills with equipment similar to what they will encounter once they begin their operational assignments.

Battalion Chief John Lipcsak, left, hands breathing apparatus equipment to Keith Rogers during loading.

Strengthening the fire service beyond Charlotte

The donation illustrates how equipment replacement programs at larger fire departments can create valuable opportunities for smaller agencies and regional training institutions.

While Charlotte Fire's newest SCBA technology is now being used by its operational firefighters, the retired equipment can continue contributing to firefighter education and professional development.

Farnum said the department has historically looked for opportunities to donate retired breathing apparatus to organizations that serve the fire service.

That commitment extends beyond this particular donation, with Charlotte Fire continuing to identify ways future equipment replacement cycles can benefit other departments and training organizations.

Donated breathing apparatus is staged beside a trailer for transport to the college.

For the Charlotte Fire personnel moving boxes, organizing pallets and loading equipment Tuesday, the work represented a different kind of service.

Instead of responding to an emergency, they were helping place valuable training resources into the hands of instructors responsible for preparing future emergency responders.

The benefits will extend well beyond the day the equipment was delivered.

For students entering firefighter academies in Rowan and Cabarrus counties, the air packs will become part of their introduction to the demanding physical and technical skills required in the profession.

For experienced firefighters, the equipment will support additional opportunities to maintain proficiency, practice rescue techniques and pursue advanced training.

And for the departments that eventually hire those students, that investment can help produce firefighters who arrive with a stronger foundation of practical experience.

Charlotte Fire personnel prepare additional rescue equipment for delivery to the college.

Rogers said the ultimate goal of the college's training programs is to produce recruits who are prepared to continue developing their skills once they join a fire department.

"Our goal is to turn out solid recruits," Rogers said.

That mission closely aligns with Charlotte Fire's own commitment to preparing firefighters through consistent, hands-on instruction.

The department's contribution demonstrates how the fire service can continue supporting its members and neighboring communities beyond traditional emergency response.

Equipment that once accompanied Charlotte firefighters into burning buildings will now help train others to do the same.

Its assignment has changed, but its purpose remains rooted in protecting lives.