Lance Martin Herald Senior Staff Writer

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GASTON - The only thing to survive last April's fire was an American flag, two backboards and a traction splint. The rest, including two ambulances, was consumed in the raging blaze fueled by an open bay door and melted oxygen tank.

This afternoon at 2:15, the flag will be raised one more time as Gaston Rescue Squad members celebrate the opening of their new building. It will then be lowered and replaced with a new flag, the old one going in a shadow box as a reminder of the fire that brought the old building down.

All around the new building on Craige Street are reminders of the fire. A framed plaque hangs in the foyer commemorating the old building and celebrating the new one. A photo album sits on a coffee table with pictures of the building's remains.

“It will bring tears,” said Chris Kirk, a squad member of two years. “Even the concrete (floor) had to be torn up.”

Kirk recalls that on the day of the April 7 fire, the squad missed only one call, which was taken by Northampton County EMS.

The resolve of the squad members was strong, said Kevin Kupietz, who has been a member for about 10 years. “It was a setback, but we've got a good group. I can't say anyone got frustrated (with) anything that was asked of them. Quitting was never an option.”

And the community came to the rescue. “People stopped by and gave us $100 bills. Some of them drove in trucks that probably weren't worth $100.”

In all, the 900-plus residents of the Gaston community donated $24,000 to help the squad bounce back and the Gaston Volunteer Fire Department let the squad operate from its building following the fire.

Celebrating a new beginning

From 1 to 6 p.m., today, the public will get a chance to see the new Gaston Rescue Squad building.

The open house includes free food, door prizes, children's games, child ID fingerprinting, blood pressure screening and child safety seat checks.

The new building is a 60-by-60 structure that stands stronger than the old building members built themselves back in the 1980s, Kupietz said.

The walls are sheetrock instead of paneling.

“It is more fire resistant,” he said, adding that in theory, it would take a fire three hours to break through the wall.

It has a day room, kitchen, dispatch room, classroom and an office, and has an upstairs that allows for future growth and gives squad members overnight sleeping quarters.

Even the contractors - Heaton Construction built the building - and sub-contractors donated something, Kupietz said. “There wasn't a single contractor that didn't donate something.”

For instance, the two-tone paint job was a donation, he said.

The horticulture class at Halifax Community College, where Kupietz is an instructor, has offered several landscaping designs, one of which will be implemented.

Said Kupietz: “It's unbelievable the amount of help. The entire community has just been really good.”