A visitation for Firefighter-Explorer Mathew Thornton will be held at Parker-Rhoden Funeral Home 117 Paul Street, Walterboro on Monday January 4 from 12:00 to 14:00.
The Funeral Services will be held immediately following the Visitation in the Chapel at the Funeral Home at 14:00. The burial will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens on Hendersonville Hwy.
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29/December/2020
It is with sadness that I must inform you of the tragic death of Firefighter Explorer Matthew Thornton (454) who was killed in a two vehicle traffic accident this morning on US Hwy 17-A in Dorchester County. This promising, dedicated individual was very active in the department and was nearing the completion of the Firefighter II Training program. He was 16 years old and has been a Firefighter Explorer for 2-1/2 years. The SC Highway Patrol and the Dorchester County Coroner's Office continue to investigate the incident. At present we do not have information on arrangements and may not have that until the weekend. We will pass on any information regarding arrangements as we receive it.
Please
remember
his
family
in
your
prayers.
-Barry W. McRoy, Fire-Rescue Chief |
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A 41 year old Walterboro woman tragically died in a single car high speed MVC in the 4200 block of Green Pond Hwy. (SC Hwy 303) at 22:05 Christmas Eve. The 2000 BMW she was driving, was traveling northbound when it left the roadway in the rain. The car slid sideways, began to flip over before striking a power pole roof first. The impact pushed the roof into the seats. The unrestrained driver suffered multiple traumatic injuries and was trapped in the wreckage. A neighbor was in her yard, witnessed the crash and called 9-1-1. Click here for more information.
At 08:41, 22-December, a neighbor notified 9-1-1 of seeing smoke and flames above the trees in the 300 block of Langdale Drive. The neighbor thought a home on the property was on fire. Engine 19 arrived six minutes later to find a double wide mobile home, which was located well off the roadway, approximately 60% involved. Firefighter-Paramedics used a deck gun to knock down the flames, while other crew members deployed multiple hand lines to the structure. The occupant, who is a local Law Enforcement Officer, had just completed a night shift and returned home to sleep. Click here for more information.
Two adult males received life threatening injuries after the pickup truck they were in left the roadway at a high rate of speed, went down an embankment and overturned. The accident occurred on I-95 near the 39 mile marker northbound at approximately 01:10 22-December. Initial callers to 9-1-1 reported the accident at the 40 mile marker in Colleton County. Two Fire-Rescue Ambulances were assigned to the incident. The first arriving unit advised the incident was actually in Hampton County. Their agencies were also notified. Click here for more information.
An adult male received critical injuries when his oxygen mask exploded and caught fire while the man was smoking. A family member called 9-1-1 after finding the man on the floor of his residence, experiencing trouble breathing. Firefighter-Paramedics arrived at the home in the 2700 block of Sidneys Road and found the man with severe respiratory problems. Upon exam they found the man had burns to his face and airway. Some articles in the home were also burned and the oxygen mask was melted. Click here for more information.
The annual "Shop with Santa's Heroes", sponsored by the Walterboro Police Department, was very different this year. Due to the Covid Pandemic, there was no large group and the participating agencies met over two days at Wat-Mart to perform the shopping. WPD Lt. Lindsey Ament coordinated the efforts. Local citizens and businesses donated the funds to make it a reality. Click here for more information.
We wish to congratulate Kevin Baker who successfully obtained Paramedic Certification. Firefighter-Paramedic Baker completed National Registry testing last week. Nice job Kevin.
Colleton County Fire-Rescue's Christmas/Holiday Live Stream Recording is available here. Please note that Captain Blaine Harrison received a 30 year service award but was unintentionally omitted from the presentation. You can view the slides from the live stream here.
Fire-Rescue units were sent to Weiss Ln and Blachem Ln for a CSX Engine that was on fire Monday morning 14-December at 09:22. There was a good bit of confusion from the callers to 9-1-1 as to what was actually on fire and the location of the train. The Engineer was wise enough to stop the train so the burning Engine was placed at the end of Balchem Ln, which was easily accessible to Fire Apparatus. The tracks however are located next to the Balchem Chemical Plant. Click here for more information.
A 33 yr old male received multiple injuries after the vehicle he was driving struck a large stump in approx. the 4600 block of Ritter Road just west of Ivanhoe Creek. The Accura sedan was traveling east on Ritter Road when it failed to negotiate a curve. The car left the roadway at a high rate of speed, struck a large stump, which was uprooted and pulled completely out of the ground, continued East and struck a small tree breaking it into several pieces before coming to rest in the ditch near Ivanhoe Creek. Click here for more information.
A high speed, single car MVC resulted in the death of an adult female and critically injured the male driver Friday morning 11-December at 10:43. The south bound Infiniti left the roadway on a straight portion of I-95, entered the median and struck a large tree causing substantial damage to the car. Neither occupant was wearing a seatbelt. The male driver was ejected from the car and found near the front passenger's side of the vehicle. He was semi-conscious and suffered multiple traumatic injuries. Click here for more information.
A 78 year old Colleton County man was critically injured after he was struck by a car in the 700 block of Sniders Hwy. Friday morning 11-December. At 10:05, 9-1-1 began receiving multiple reports of the accident. It appeared the man's south bound Cadillac became disabled and stopped in the lane of traffic. The man had exited his vehicle and walked to the front of the car when his vehicle was struck from behind bya south bound Dodge Challenger. The impact caused heavy damage to both cars and pushed the Cadillac into the 78 year old male. He was thrown into the windshield and then to the ground. Click here for more information.
A Springtown family lost their home in an early morning structure fire Tuesday morning 08-December. The fire at 7345 Augusta Hwy was reported to 9-1-1 at 01:28, but may have been burning for a longer period of time. The fire appears to have started in the area of a space heater. The family was awakened to the smoke and flames and were able to safely exit the building. There was some delay in locating someone to call for help. Fire-Rescue units arrived shortly after the dispatch and found the single wide mobile home fully involved. Firefighter-Paramedics deployed two hand lines to combat the fire. Click here for more information.
Are you a talented, skilled, and caring Firefighter, Paramedic, Firefighter/EMT, or Firefighter/Paramedic? Don't miss our next pre-employment testing session on 1/14/2021! Join our team & work alongside the best in the Fire-Rescue service. Apply by emailing your resume and certs to jobs@colletoncounty.org. More info at: www.colletonfire.com/jobad%20fy1920f.pdf
Learn more about our department at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-5dpInc_uI&feature=emb_logo
See our department in action at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_o9x_4w3n4&feature=youtu.be
One teenager was killed and a second was seriously injured in a single car MVC on Sniders Hwy (SC Hwy 63) just west of Scuffletown Road Sunday morning 06-December at 01:14. Another motorist found the vehicle in the ditch and notified 9-1-1. Fire-Rescue Medic 18 arrived to find the car upright with heavy damage. The vehicle had been traveling eastbound at a high rate speed when it failed to negotiate a curve. The car traveled a substantial distance off of the roadway before it struck an embankment and flipped over multiple times. Click here for more information.
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12/4/2020-We congratulate Firefighter/Paramedics Kayla Katt and Zachary Patrick on completing their Firefighter II training and graduating from the South Carolina Fire Academy Recruit School Class # 1151-21002. |  |
We offer our condolences to Firefighter/Paramedic Matt Bowsher and his wife Rachel on the death of their infant son. Noah Wyatt Bowsher passed away on Friday, November 27, 2020 at MUSC in Charleston. Please keep Firefighter/Paramedic Bowsher, his wife Rachel, and their family in your thoughts and prayers. Noah's obituary can be viewed at the following link: https://www.andersonfuneralhomebeaufortsc.com/obituary/noah-bowsher
A 19 year old Hampton County girl received multiple traumatic injuries in a single car high speed MVC in the 2300 block of Ashton Road Thursday morning 03-December at 08:27. The south bound car failed to negotiate a curve, entered the ditch and struck a driveway culvert causing heavy damage to the vehicle. The unrestrained driver was thrown to the passenger side of the car following impact. Firefighter-Paramedics arrived a few minutes later and began treating the patient. Click here for more information.
An adult male received suspected life threatening injuries in a single car MVC in the 300 block of Mount Carmel Road Thursday morning 03-December at 07:50. The northbound Ford Fusion crossed to the south bound shoulder and overturned trapping the male passenger. Bystanders reported the man was unconscious following the accident. Firefighter-Paramedics removed the windshield, entered the car and began treating the man inside the vehicle, while other crew members stabilized the car. They then used Holmatro Rescue Tools to remove a portion of the roof to extricate the man. Click here for more information.
An adult male was seriously injured in a single car, high speed MVC on Sizemore Road at Hopewell Lane, Wednesday evening 02-December at 20:04. The west bound Infiniti sedan left the roadway, crossed the ditch and entered the woods flipping over several times before striking several trees. The unrestrained adult male driver received multiple traumatic injuries in the crash. Firefighter-Paramedics quickly extricated him from the vehicle which was about 50 feet into the woods. Click here for more information.
Fire-Rescue personnel spent about 1-1/2 hours adding festive decorations for the upcoming Christmas Holidays to the County Courthouse Tuesday morning 01-December. Clerk of Court Pat Grant assisted in the 30 degree temperatures as personnel from Stations 1, 19, 26 along with Logistics, Training, Administration, EMD and Prevention Divisions added the green and red attributes and lights to the exterior of the 200 year old building. Click here for more information.