A few short years ago, leadership from the City of North Charleston and American LaFrance had a dream of partnering together to build a museum that would showcase the corporate collection of antique fire fighting apparatus while educating visitors on the heritage of fire fighting, the dangers of fire and the methods of fire prevention.  Today, we are pleased to see that dream become reality with the opening of the North Charleston and American LaFrance Fire Museum and Educational Center which is conveniently located adjacent to Tanger Outlet Mall.  Also housed within the facility is North Charleston satellite office of the Convention and Visitors Bureau which will provide services to tourists coming through and staying in North Charleston.  As visitors enter the facility with the massive, mahogany firehouse doors into the 25,000 square foot facility, they take a step back in time.

Beginning with the early 1800s and the fire apparatus of that day, it is easy to see how fire fighting and its vital importance to our lives have progressed over the years.  The fire safety education exhibits are incomparable, designed to not only teach our visitors about the history of fire fighting and educate them on methods of the prevention of home fire hazards, but to also provide entertainment for our young visitors while they experience the thrill of flying down a fire pole and learning smart ways to exit a burning building.  

We are proud of the care and collaborative effort employed with the creation of the museum to preserve the past, protect the present and practice safety in the future, while surrounded by the priceless corporate collection of American LaFrance antique vehicles.  Please be sure to add the North Charleston and American LaFrance Fire Museum and Educational Center to your list of places to visit.