"In the heart of the Tar Heel state -- situated in the Capitol County of Wake, is a band which virtually appeared from nowhere and in short order has established themselves as a serious Public Safety Band..."  - FirePiper

As, we imagine, with many pipe bands, the formation of the Wake & District Public Safety Pipes and Drums resulted from a fortuitous alignment of existing resources and nascent desires.
 

On May 6, 2006, while attending the dedication of the North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Raleigh, Officer Brady (that day performing with the Charlotte Fire Department pipe band) met Assistant Chief Crawford. A series of meetings were held, which concluded with an agreement to form a new band that would incorporate both the “Clayton contingent” and the public safety community from Wake County and the surrounding areas. A date was picked for an organizational meeting. Chief Kirkwood sent a letter of invitation to 65 public safety agency heads in the east-central region of North Carolina, soliciting participation of pipers, drummers, and those interested in learning.

...on June 8, 2006, an organizational meeting was held at the EMS Training Center in the Wake Commons Business Park. Some 50 law enforcement officers, firefighters, and paramedics, and public safety supporters attended.  Experienced players began “tuning up” and students were provided information about obtaining practice chanters, drum sticks, and practice pads.  A regular schedule of Wednesday – Thursday practice sessions was established, based at the Wake County EMS Training Center on Carya Drive in Raleigh...

On July 9, another letter went out to the public safety chief officers, inviting them to engage the band for ceremonial occasions within their agencies.  It didn’t take long! Since then, the band or small ensembles have performed at numerous events.

Meanwhile, there was business to be done. Articles of Incorporation for a not-for-profit corporation were filed with the North Carolina Secretary of State’s Office on August 17, 2006, and the band began it’s “legal” life. Bank accounts were opened, and the need for funds became readily apparent.

A date was set for the band’s first official fund-raising event, “the Tartan Ball,” which would be held on November 18, 2006.  An event committee, headed by Garner Firefighter and Tenor Drummer Mike Bishop, assisted by Raleigh Fire Lieutenant Jason Lane and Firefighter Lloyd Johnson, geared up and got to work. The event was held at the Raleigh Fireman’s Club on Bay Leaf Church Road, and saw a capacity crowd of over 250 fans, friends, and family.  A great time was had, with Irish and Scottish Dancers, a ceilidh band, and of course the Pipes and Drums. This event netted $3,200, which will go right toward outfitting more band members with Black Stewart band kilts, as well as adding a couple of more drums to the mix...

2007 was a year of great growth for the band!!!

With a little money in the bank at the end of the first Tartan Ball, we began a serious effort to acquire Black Stewart kilts and accessories for all band members.  In the meantime, the pipe corps and the drum corps continued to grow and improve. 

We established some firm relationships in the public safety community.  We were “center stage” for three North Carolina State Highway Patrol graduation ceremonies and one promotion ceremony.  The Highway Patrol does their ceremonies in a big way, filling Dorton Arena at the state fairgrounds with troopers, friends, families, and a vehicular history of the Highway Patrol.  The band “marches in” the recruits, and “marches out” the newly sworn-in troopers. 

The Raleigh Fire Department conducted several promotion ceremonies this year.  Those to be promoted were marched into the council chambers at City Hall, and a newly established RFD tradition now has the duty piper march the participants back to Fire Station #1 for a reception after the official ceremonies.  RFD also held a huge “retiree reunion” at the Keeter Fire Training Center, where the band entertained hundreds of firefighters, active and retired, and their families.  In appreciation for our support, the Raleigh Professional Firefighters Association (IAFF) donated funds to purchase a new bass drum, which is watermarked with the RFD logo behind the band name.

We participated in two major parades.  The first, the Raleigh St. Patrick’s Day parade, saw us teamed with a tri-service color guard (Raleigh Police, Raleigh Fire Department, and Wake County EMS), was followed by some on-the-street performances in Moore Square and at Tir No Nog.  The second was a joint effort with the Charlotte Fire Department Pipe Band, where we led the North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Memorial parade. 

In May of 2007 we were officially awarded 501(c)(3) not-for-profit status by the Internal Revenue Service. 

Individual band members enjoyed some success in competition.  Grayson Cave placed first (in a field of 11 competitors) in Grade IV at the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association indoor solo piping competition held in Cary.   At the Williamsburg, VA Scottish Festival,  Nyssa Cave took first place in Grade IV snare, Sterling Cave placed first in Grade III snare 2/4 March, Grayson Cave placed second  in Grade IV Sr 6/8 March (playing above Grade level indicated) and  Matthew Kent rounding out the quartet of members taking second place in Grade IV snare.

In between these, we handled a bevy of “onesies and twosies” and “MIMOs” (march in, march out), smaller events handled by ensembles, including fire station christenings, fire recruit graduations, retirements, remembrances, Law Enforcement Memorial Day, and the North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service in Chapel Hill.  We also performed for Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison’s very impressive swearing in ceremony following his re-election in November.

On November 17, under the able leadership of Pipers Jason Lane and Lloyd Johnson (RFD), and Tenor Drummer Mike Bishop (Garner FD), the second annual Tartan Ball was a huge success.  Our upgraded venue at the Raleigh Sheraton was filled to the brim, and our coffers were once again refilled to continue our band outfitting effort!  Nice going, guys.  A great time was had by all!