Fire
Leadership
Station 75
Memorial
History & Past Chiefs
The Spencer Fire Department (ISO Class 2) provides fire suppression and medical responder services to the Town of Spencer and its citizens. The department is made up of a combination of full-time, part-time, and volunteer firefighters that provide coverage around the clock. The station is staffed 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.
If you are interested in becoming a firefighter, learn more on our Join Our Team page or call 704-637-6135. Each firefighter must maintain a certain amount of training hours to keep his or her active status in the department.
Our Mission: to provide a reliable, professional, and courteous team that strives to surpass the expectations of the community and our organization. This mission requires our members to be part of a competent, aggressive, all-risk fire department that is focused on “Preserving the Past and Protecting the Future” of those we serve.
Leadership
Station 75
Memorial
History & Past Chiefs
Leadership
704-637-6135 Ext. 40
Email the Fire Chief
Michael Lanning
Fire Chief
Spencer Fire Department’s Fire Chief is Michael Lanning. Chief Lanning began his career with Spencer Fire Department in 2012 as a part-time Engineer. Chief Lanning rose through the ranks to Captain, and then was promoted to Assistant Chief in 2020 and Chief in 2021.
Chief Lanning holds numerous certifications from NC OSFM and NC OEMS including Firefighter II, Emergency Medical Technician, Driver Operator (ED, Pumps and Aerials), Fire Officer II, Level I Qualified Instructor, Hazardous Materials Technician, Chemistry of Hazardous Materials, numerous Hazardous Materials Specialist certifications, Technical Rescuer, and Chief 101. Chief Lanning also holds several certifications from the National Fire Academy and the US Emergency Management Institute, including the full complement of NIMS, Leadership, and Supervisory courses. Chief Lanning further demonstrated his commitment to bettering himself and his community by being awarded his Advanced Firefighter Certification by the North Carolina State Firefighters Association.
Chief Lanning served the City of Salisbury and the City of Kannapolis prior to his full-time position with the Town of Spencer. He also serves as the Deputy Fire Chief for Scotch Irish Fire Department where he has been a member since 2011. He received multiple awards and accolades while serving in his previous roles from Rookie of the Year to Officer of the Year. He is a member in good standing with the North Carolina State Firefighters Association, the North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs, and the International Association of Firefighters.
Doug Lewis
Deputy Fire Chief
Spencer Fire Department’s Deputy Fire Chief is Doug Lewis. Chief Lewis has been with the department since 2018. He began his career with Spencer Fire Department as a part-time Engineer. Chief Lewis rose through the ranks and became Deputy Chief in 2022.
Chief Lewis also holds numerous certifications to include Firefighter II, EMT-Basic, Driver Operator, Fire Officer II, Fire Instructor I, Technical Rescuer w/VMR, and HAZMAT Operations. Chief Lewis also holds several National Fire Academy and National Incident Management System certifications as well as an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice.
Chief Lewis also serves the China Grove Fire Department as a full-time Engineer where he has been since 2008.
Station 75
The Spencer Fire Department is located at the corner of S. Salisbury Avenue and Third Street. The station was completed in 2002 and includes apparatus bays, office, and training space.
The department operates with a 2008 750-gallon Seagrave pumper, a 1995 E-One 750-gallon pumper, a 2013 Ford F350 Squad truck, a 2020 Ford F150, and 2006 Crown Victoria for medical responses. In addition, we also have a 2022 John Deere Gator. ATV 75 is utilized to not only suppress fires in remote locations, but also aids in removal of patients amongst our varies parks and trails. In 2020, the department answered 657 calls for service.
Memorial
Justin Monroe
On March 7, 2008 while fighting a 5 alarm fire at Salisbury Millwork, Firefighters Justin Monroe and Vic Isler made the supreme sacrifice and died in the line of duty.
Justin Monroe was a resident of Spencer and a graduate of North Rowan High School. He began his fire service career as a junior firefighter with the Miller’s Ferry Fire Department and had been promoted to Lieutenant. He was actively pursuing his Fire Protection degree while working part-time for Salisbury and Spencer Fire Departments.
Justin was a great person, friend and firefighter and he is deeply missed.
In July of 2008, the Spencer Fire Department dedicated its new Seagrave pumper to Justin.
History & Past Chiefs
In 1903, the Spencer Fire Department was organized with W. H. Burton as Chief. It had 22 citizens as volunteer firemen and its equipment consisted of a wagon loaded with lengths of hose. Horses were drafted when the alarm sounded by having any horse in the vicinity of the fire station hitched up to the hose wagon on the run to the fire. There is no record saying how the firemen got to a fire in the early hours after midnight when no horses were on the streets. The alarm was sounded by calling the power plant of the railroad shops. Whoever was on duty would then send out a series of blasts on a steam whistle signaling the ward number where the fire was located. Later, a siren was installed at the fire department, located at 116 Fourth St.
In the 1970s, all calls went through Salisbury’s Central Fire Department on East Innes Street. The dispatcher on duty would then set off Spencer’s siren. By this time, the firefighters also received the alarm at their home over large base monitors, giving the exact location of the fire. Today, an alarm is received from Rowan Communications via computer aided dispatch (CAD) and an enhanced 911 system, and the firefighters are notified within seconds over pagers and cell phones of the type of call and its location.
In July of 1993, the Spencer Fire Department combined with the Spencer Police Department to form a First Responder program. The program provides basic life support to area residents until an ambulance arrives. At the present time, the department is far more modernized with 30 members. In August of 2002 the department moved into its new station house on the corner of Third Street and Salisbury Avenue. On July 1, 2007, the department became a combination department with 22 volunteers and 8 part-time staff. The part-time staff works 7 days a week from 8 am to 4 pm. The part-time and volunteer firefighters work year-round to complete annual maintenance, which includes pump testing, inventories, fire hose testing, and hydrant maintenance on the town’s 200 fire hydrants.
T. Morgan 1901 – 1903
H. Burton
F. Lee
B. Stewart
C. Vaughn
C. Neill Sr.
Marvin Rone 1946 – 1964
L. Harrison 1964 – 1973
W. Everhart 1973 – 1988
W. Everhart 1988
R. Everhart Jr. 1988 – 1995
A. Lomax 1995 – 1997
P. Baker 1997 – 1999
R. Everhart Jr. 1999
N. Morgan Jr. 1999 – 2002
P. Baker 2002 -2009
G. Grubb 2010-2012
P. Baker (Interim) 2012 – 2015
B.G. Grubb 2016 – 2019
J.D. Carter 2019 – 2020