Darlington County Fire District

04/09/2026

Our thoughts and prayers are with Florence County Emergency Medical Services as they grieve the loss of one of their own.

From our members at Darlington County Fire District, we’re keeping you in our prayers and standing with you during this difficult time. 💙🔥

For Immediate Release:

It is with great sadness that we announce the loss of our colleague and friend, Paramedic Ralph Fulmore, Jr.

Ralph joined Florence County EMS in June 2023 as a cadet in our EMT program.

It was immediately obvious that he was a perfect fit for our organization.

After a year as an EMT, Ralph decided he was ready to progress and began paramedic school. During that program, Ralph worked very hard to learn the craft he enjoyed. He was nervous about taking the exam but excited about the idea of achieving his paramedic certification.

Yesterday evening, on his way home from taking the National Registry Paramedic exam, Ralph was involved in a terrible motor vehicle collision and could not survive his injuries.

Even though our hearts are broken for the loss of a friend and coworker, we cannot be prouder of the accomplishments that Ralph achieved. He passed that exam. He worked very hard and would have been honored to wear the patch.

While his achievements professionally are something to be celebrated, it was his sweet family that he truly cherished. Ralph was a devoted son, fiancé, and father. He loved his family, fiercely and they were his reason for pushing himself to be better every day.

Please hold Ralph’s loved ones and friends close in your thoughts and prayers.

Rest easy friend.

04/08/2026

🔥Member Spotlight🔥

This week, we’re proud to recognize Firefighter Gabe Malloy for his dedication and commitment to serving our community.

Gabe has been serving full-time with the Darlington County Fire District for the past 9 months and brings an additional 6 years of volunteer experience from Ruby Mt. Croghan VFD. His passion for helping others has always been a driving force in his life, and the fire service has given him an even greater purpose and perspective on serving those in need.

What stands out most to Gabe is the strong sense of community and support that exists both within the fire service and among the citizens we serve. He values being part of a department where the brotherhood runs deep, where firefighters are always there to lift each other up, no matter the circumstances.

Gabe is especially proud of earning his Firefighter I certification, a milestone that reflects his commitment to learning and growing in the fire service. He continues to work toward additional certifications and improving his skills to better serve the community.

Outside of the fire department, Gabe enjoys fishing, hunting, racing his go-kart, and most importantly, spending time with his fiancée and family. His faith also plays an important role in his life.
Gabe summed up his approach to the job by saying, “We are here to help each and every one day or night, we strive to make someone’s bad day turn into a good day, by showing compassion and courage to those that are in need.”

Thank you, Firefighter Malloy, for your dedication, compassion, and service to Darlington County!

04/08/2026

🚫🔥 Burn Ban Issued for Darlington County 🔥🚫

Darlington County has issued a burn ban for all areas outside city and town limits, effective April 8, 2026, and continuing until further notice.

This action follows the Statewide Red Flag Fire Alert issued by the South Carolina Forestry Commission due to high winds, low humidity, and little recent rainfall, which have created extremely dangerous conditions for outdoor burning. Under these conditions, even small fires can spread rapidly and become uncontrollable.

While the statewide Red Flag Alert does not automatically prohibit burning, Darlington County’s ordinance is now in effect, temporarily banning all outdoor burning in unincorporated areas.

Chief John Shoemake stated:
“Outdoor burning right now has the potential to cause significant property damage, injuries, or even loss of life. Under these conditions, even small fires can rapidly spread and demand large amounts of emergency resources.”

The burn ban is intended to reduce the risk of accidental wildfires and help protect our residents, firefighters, and communities. We ask everyone to please comply with this burn ban until conditions improve.

Officials will continue to monitor weather conditions and fire risk.

For updates, continue to follow our page.

Questions:
Chief John Shoemake
(843) 250-9271
[email protected]

Please share to help spread the word and keep our community safe. 🚒

04/02/2026

Darlington County Fire District is proud to announce that we have once again received the 2025 Fire Safe South Carolina Community Designation from Fire Safe South Carolina. This marks the 5th consecutive year our community has earned this recognition.

This designation reflects the hard work and dedication put into fire prevention, public education, and community risk reduction throughout Darlington County. This achievement would not be possible without the efforts of our firefighters, department leadership, partner agencies, and the citizens who take fire safety seriously.

We would also like to congratulate all fire departments across Darlington County for receiving this designation as well. This recognition shows what can be accomplished when departments prioritize community risk reduction and work together to reduce fire risk in our communities.

Thank you to everyone who had a part in making this happen and for your continued commitment to keeping Darlington County safe.

Fire Safe South Carolina congratulates 241 South Carolina fire departments for receiving the 2025 Fire Safe South Carolina Community Designation. For more information:https://llr.sc.gov/aboutus/mediacenter/news/2026/FSSC%202026%20Press%20Release.pdf

03/31/2026

🚒Member Spotlight🚒

Today’s Member Spotlight features Captain Christopher Murray, who has proudly served in the fire service for 12 years, with the past 8 years spent serving the citizens of Darlington County.

Captain Murray began his fire service career as a junior firefighter in Cheraw and has continued to grow in experience, leadership, and dedication throughout his career.

Captain Murray was inspired to join the fire service by his father. Growing up around the firehouse and seeing the dedication, sacrifice, and passion for helping others made a lasting impression on him and ultimately led him to follow the same path of service.

Serving the community is something Captain Murray takes great pride in. He believes the fire service is about making a difference in people’s lives, especially during their most difficult times. He also finds the most rewarding part of his job is mentoring younger firefighters and helping guide them just as others once guided him when he was starting out.

One of his proudest accomplishments is serving as a Captain and leading his crew. He works hard to make sure his shift is always ready to serve the community while also creating a positive environment where his crew enjoys coming to work and takes pride in the job they do.

Outside of the fire service, Captain Murray enjoys spending time with his wife Meghan and their two children, Anna Marie and Maddox. He also enjoys hunting, camping, watching Ice Cats hockey, and cheering on Clemson Tiger athletics.

Captain Murray shared this message with the community: “We’re here to serve our community 24/7 as if every citizen were a member of our own family.”

Thank you, Captain Murray, for your dedication, leadership, and service to Darlington County.

03/28/2026

🚒Member Spotlight🚒

Today we are proud to recognize Firefighter Kyle Day for our Member Spotlight. Kyle has been serving with the department for 5 years and continues to be a dedicated member of our team.

Kyle was inspired to join the fire service by his neighbor in New Jersey who was a firefighter and someone he always looked up to. That early inspiration led him to a career where he now helps others on a daily basis.

For Kyle, serving the community is important because it gives him the opportunity to meet many different people and make a difference in their lives, especially on difficult days. As Kyle says, “If someone is having their worst day, I want to be able to make a difference.”

One of the things Kyle enjoys most about being on the department is the teamwork and camaraderie, especially being part of B Shift, along with having the opportunity to serve on the USAR Team, which he considers one of his proudest accomplishments.

Outside of the fire service, Kyle enjoys staying active at the gym, exploring new places, fishing, and surfing.

Kyle would also like to remind everyone in the community to make sure your smoke detectors are working, and if you do not have smoke detectors in your home, please contact the fire department and we will be glad to help.

Thank you, Firefighter Day, for your dedication and service to our community!

03/27/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Darlington County Fire District

Residential Structure Fire – Hough Lane, Hartsville

At approximately 1:45 a.m. on March 27, 2026, the Darlington County Fire District responded to a residential structure fire involving a single-wide mobile home on Hough Lane in Hartsville. Fire units arrived on scene to find the residence fully involved in fire.

Fire crews immediately began suppression operations and attempted to conduct a primary search of the structure; however, due to the heavy fire conditions, crews were unable to safely make entry. During a secondary search, one victim was located in a bedroom inside the home. The victim was removed from the structure; however, the victim did not survive the incident.

Fire crews worked quickly to extinguish the fire, preventing further spread and bringing the incident under control. The fire caused significant damage to the mobile home.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Darlington County Fire District, Darlington County Sheriff’s Office, Darlington County Coroner’s Office, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).

The Darlington County Fire District would like to remind residents to ensure that smoke alarms are installed and working properly in all homes, especially in sleeping areas, as early notification greatly increases the chances of survival in a house fire. Residents who need smoke alarms installed may contact our office at 843-339-9098 or stop by our office at 137 N. Center Road in Hartsville to request assistance with smoke alarm installation.

03/24/2026

🚫🔥 Burn Ban Issued for Darlington County 🔥🚫

Darlington County has issued a burn ban for all areas outside city and town limits, effective March 24, 2026, and continuing until further notice.

This action follows the Statewide Red Flag Fire Alert issued by the South Carolina Forestry Commission due to high winds, low humidity, and little recent rainfall, which have created extremely dangerous conditions for outdoor burning. Under these conditions, even small fires can spread rapidly and become uncontrollable.

While the statewide Red Flag Alert does not automatically prohibit burning, Darlington County’s ordinance is now in effect, temporarily banning all outdoor burning in unincorporated areas.

Chief John Shoemake stated:
“Outdoor burning right now has the potential to cause significant property damage, injuries, or even loss of life. Under these conditions, even small fires can rapidly spread and demand large amounts of emergency resources.”

The burn ban is intended to reduce the risk of accidental wildfires and help protect our residents, firefighters, and communities. We ask everyone to please comply with this burn ban until conditions improve.

Officials will continue to monitor weather conditions and fire risk.

For updates, continue to follow our page.

Questions:
Chief John Shoemake
(843) 250-9271
[email protected]

Please share to help spread the word and keep our community safe. 🚒

03/24/2026

🚒Member Spotlight🚒

This week, we are proud to recognize Captain Dean Shoemake for our Member Spotlight. Captain Shoemake has dedicated 27 years to serving the citizens of Darlington County and continues to lead by example every day as the Captain of A Shift.

Captain Shoemake was inspired to join the fire service after seeing friends at DCFD Station 8 serve the community and witnessing how much they enjoyed helping others. That inspiration turned into a career built on service, leadership, and commitment to the community.

For Captain Shoemake, serving the community is important because firefighters often meet people on the worst day of their lives, and he believes it is the department’s job to make those moments a little better by showing compassion and care. One of the most rewarding parts of the job for him is doing what firefighters do every day, running toward danger when others are running away, and hearing a simple “thank you” after everything is over.

Throughout his career, Captain Shoemake has earned over 70 certifications, ranging from early fire service courses all the way through Fire Instructor. However, one of his proudest accomplishments is not a certification, but being able to serve as a Captain and mentor the firefighters he works with every shift. He takes pride in teaching and encouraging younger firefighters so they develop a love for the job and the fire service.

Outside of the fire service, Captain Shoemake enjoys working in the yard, building projects, grilling, spending time with his family, and watching old westerns and classic movies.

After 27 years of service, Captain Shoemake shared this message with the community: “It’s been my pleasure to serve the people in Darlington County for 27 years. I’ve learned a lot and met some wonderful people. Thank you for everything.”

Thank you, Captain Shoemake, for your dedication, leadership, and many years of service to Darlington County and the fire district.

03/20/2026

🚒Member Spotlight🚒

Today we’re proud to recognize Firefighter Anna King for her 15 years of dedicated service to our department and community.

Anna’s passion for helping others began at a young age, riding along on wrecker calls with her father and witnessing firsthand what it means to show up for people in their time of need. After the loss of her father, that desire to serve only grew stronger, ultimately leading her to join the fire service after graduating high school.

For Anna, serving the community is deeply personal. The support her family received during difficult times left a lasting impact and shaped her commitment to always be there for others when they need it most.

She finds the greatest reward in being part of a team that works together to make a difference. Anna also takes pride in being a role model for other women who may be considering the fire service, showing that dedication and heart have no limits.

Anna has earned her Firefighter II and Fire Instructor I certifications, accomplishments she is especially proud of.

Outside of the fire service, Anna stays busy running her custom picture framing business, enjoying time hunting and at the racetrack, and spending quality time with her family and pets.

When asked about serving, Anna shared, “It is such a rewarding experience to volunteer and help others.”

We are grateful for Anna’s dedication, compassion, and commitment to this department and the community we serve.

03/20/2026

🏁 Race weekend is here! 🏁

As traffic picks up across Darlington County, please remember to slow down and move over for emergency vehicles. When you come upon a blocked roadway at an emergency scene, be patient—these measures are in place to protect responders and everyone involved.

Let’s work together to keep this weekend safe and fun for all. 🚒