The Friends of Charleston Center to host spaghetti dinner

Flickr user HatM

The Friends of Charleston Center will host a Spaghetti Dinner on November 17 at 6:00 pm at Felix C. Davis Community Center to support its mission to assist Charleston County residents battling substance abuse.

The Charleston Center helps the residents of Charleston County live productive lives, free from the impact of alcohol, other drugs and addictive behaviors. Charleston Center promotes active recovery for persons whose lives are affected by substance use and related conditions.

The Advisory Board and “Friends” of the Charleston Center are committed to supporting the work of the staff and volunteers of the Charleston Center through increasing awareness, and establishing Charleston Center as the centerpiece of prevention and recovery from addiction and related conditions in Charleston County.

Over the next 7 months, the Charleston Center Advisory Board will work to raise $70,000 to support 7 specific areas of need at the Charleston Center:

1. Recreation and Entertainment Items
2. Furniture Items
3. Educational Materials
4. Indigent Care Items and Assistance
5. Infant and Child Items
6. Patient Care and Equipment
7. Therapeutic Decor

North Charleston neighborhoods turn out to Stomp out Crime

On August 7, citizens, law enforcement agencies, community groups, businesses and local officials in over 10,000 communities and military bases worldwide will join forces to mark the 29th Annual National Night Out.  Locally, the North Charleston Police Department will host National Night Out in conjunction with Target, the national sponsor, on Tuesday, August 7, 2012 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

At 6:00 pm, Police Chief Jon Zumalt, along with Councilman Michael Brown and residents of the Accabee community, will kick off a neighborhood cookout and crime prevention education activities at the Accabee Community Center on Appleton Avenue. The event will conclude with a neighborhood walk.

Similar events will occur simultaneously in neighborhoods throughout the city to include: Forest Hills I, Midland Park/Stall Road Corridor, Charleston Farms, Union Heights, Olde Village, and Indigo on the Ashley to name a few. Citizens are asked to turn on their porch lights as a sign of unity and to let the criminals know that the City of North Charleston is organized and fighting back.

National Night Out is designed to (1) heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; (2) generate support for and participation in local anti-crime programs; (3) strengthen neighborhood spirit, police and community relations; and (4) send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods around the world are organized and fighting back. Nationally, over 33 million people will participate in ‘America’s Night Out Against Crime’ this year.

Schedule of events

Ferndale - Community cook-out from 6-8 pm at the Community Center on Bolton and Piedmont.

Stall/MidlandPark/Pepperhill - Neighborhood- Watch Block Party from 6–8 pm. Games, food, and community/vendors invited. The event will take place at the Stall Road Community Center.

Accabee - The community will be hosting a cookout and a walk. The event will take place at the Accabee Community center from 6 – 8 pm. The North Charleston Police department will be hosting a bicycle rodeo.

Olde Village - The community will be hosting a cookout and walk. The walk will start at 5:30 pm meeting place is Triangle Park at Justice/Beaver. The cookout is from 1830-until.

Charleston Farms - The community will be hosting a cookout at the community center (1633 Sumner Ave). The event will take place from 6 pm.

Indigo on the Ashley - The neighborhood will be hosting a family movie night under the stars. The event will take place in a community common area from 6–9 pm.

Taylor Plantation - Community cook-out at the amenity center from 6–8 pm.

Forest Hills - The neighborhood is having a “Going Away Party” for crimes and drugs. They will be conducting a walk starting at the Lil’ Cricket at 7 pm.

Wando Woods - Community Walk starting at 7 pm. Meet at the Community center.

Chicora/ Cherokee - Community cookout from 6–8 pm at the Community center.

Union Heights - Community cookout at the Community Center at 6 pm.

Coosaw Commons - Community Cookout at the Pool House starting at 6:30 pm.

Message from Fire Chief Gregory Bulanow

Fire Chief Gregory Bulanow

Thank you for your interest in the North Charleston Fire Department.  Our department includes a diverse group of over 225 men and women working collectively to accomplish our mission to protect the quality of life in the City of North Charleston from all predictable hazards through prevention and emergency response.  The mission extends far beyond responding to fires or other emergencies and includes contributing to the quality of life in our City.  For those who assume that our firefighters are lounging at their stations waiting for an emergency call, our mission statement may seem confusing.  What does it mean for a fire department to protect quality of life, and what would that look like?

To see for yourself, you do not need to schedule a visit or tour a station.  In fact, you may not even find us there.  Instead, simply look for us as you participate in the things that are important to you and your family.  Each weekend our crews participate in school festivals, church picnics, neighborhood block parties, corporate family days, charitable fundraisers, and a variety of other events, providing fire safety information and prevention displays.

We offer medical first responders at sports tournaments, competitive run/walks, and neighborhood service days.  You may see us on the water providing assistance to boaters in distress during events, such as the recent Blue Angel’s air show.  You may see us on bike patrol during large events at North Charleston’s beautiful Riverfront Park, or at a child’s birthday party at North Charleston’s fantastic Fire Museum.  Late at night, you may see members of our Fire Marshal’s Bureau at nightclubs and restaurants to ensure the safety of those enjoying the City’s night life.

During the week, our firefighters are active in our schools, teaching fire prevention, as well as serving as positive role models in reading and mentoring programs.  You may see us at your place of employment, providing inspections to ensure compliance with fire codes to ensure your workplace is safe, or “pre-planning” a building for accurate information in the event of an emergency.  Our certified technicians help parents of small children learn to properly install safety seats in their vehicles.

Throughout the year, our crews join with the other City departments for the Neighborhood Enhancement Team (NET), working to improve the quality of life in targeted neighborhoods.  Our crews go door-to-door installing free smoke alarms as part of our award winning program that has provided thousands of these life saving devices to North Charleston residents.

Any one of these sights is a glimpse of us meeting the demands of our mission.  Our crews are engaged directly with our residents and businesses, working to prevent emergencies or in position to give immediate assistance in ways that fit specifically with the needs of our City.  Our crews also keeping a rigorous training schedule and maintain a constant state of readiness to respond en force to any emergency incident.  These initiatives and activities help us remain proactive and vigilant in providing fire protection.

We work hard to ensure that you will not need us in our traditional role of emergency responders, but if you do, be assured that you will experience the same high quality response that the North Charleston Fire Department has provided since our beginnings in 1937.  While our mission has expanded to meet the demands of the 21st century, it remains consistent with the oldest and finest traditions of the fire service.

Hop over to the City's website for more information on the North Charleston Fire Department