01/30/2026
Welcome to RFD Connections — January 30, 2026
Holding the Line
February brings a steady return to momentum across the department, with plans taking shape and work continuing behind the scenes. It also offers a moment to pause — to remember those who came before us and the legacy they left behind.
🫶As Valentine’s Month and ❤️American Heart Month, this edition feels especially fitting to highlight connection, care, and service. You’ll find moments of remembrance, milestones worth noting, and a Hearts on Duty spotlight recognizing the people who continue to show up for one another every day.
Thank you for staying connected and for carrying that tradition of service forward.
The Capital Area Firefighters Gala🔥
Through the Flames of Time: Why This Night Matters
Some nights are more than a date on the calendar.
The Capital Area Firefighters Gala is a chance to pause from the pace of the job and come together to honor the tradition, service, and people who define the fire service. It’s a night rooted in shared history, pride, and the connections that carry us forward.
This evening recognizes the legacy built by those before us while supporting the causes and organizations that continue to give back to our fire service community.
It’s a chance to step out of bunker gear, share a meal, raise a glass, and spend time with those who understand what this job asks—and what it gives in return.
Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are now available.
Visit our Shop page for info.
We hope you’ll join us for an evening of connection and celebration.
🏀Sports!
The Raleigh Dream Team!
Raleigh Fire Basketball has teamed up with RPD to play in a basketball league hosted by the Department of Adult Corrections.
The team is called Raleigh Dream.
The league will be playing at the Worthdale Community Center and admission is…FREE!
👋Retirements!👏
A Well-Earned Send-Off: Captain Jason Lane
Captain Jason Lane’s retirement lunch at Station 11 was exactly what it should have been — a chance to slow down, share stories, and celebrate a career that left its mark on a lot of people.
After 30 years of service, Captain Lane was surrounded by his Station 11 family as memories were traded, laughs were plentiful, and the kind of camaraderie that only comes from years on the job filled the room. It was a simple gathering, but one that spoke volumes about the respect and appreciation earned over three decades of leadership, mentorship, and commitment.
Thank you to everyone who came out to help send Captain Lane into retirement, and thank you, Captain Lane, for 30 years of dedication to the Raleigh Fire Department. We wish you nothing but the best in this next chapter.
🔨 Keep Those Skills & Trades Coming In!🔌
Skills, Talents, and Trades Directory
We’ve already had some solid submissions come in for the Skills & Trades Directory, and we know there’s so much more experience, talent, and know-how out there across our RFD community.
If you’ve got:
a side hustle
a specialty trade
a creative or technical skill
or that familiar “yeah, I can help with that” ability
…we’d love to include it.
If you’re on the fence or thinking “someone else probably already submitted this,” they probably haven’t. And if people have come to you before because you’re good at what you do — that’s exactly who this is for.
🪷Honoring Our Fallen: RFD Launches Annual LODD Memorial Ceremony
On January 22, the Raleigh Fire Department officially launched a new annual tradition with its first Line-of-Duty Death (LODD) Wreath Laying Ceremony, held at the Keeter Training Center.
This ceremony was established to ensure that members lost in the line of duty are formally recognized each year on the anniversary of their passing. The inaugural ceremony honored Herman S. Jones, who died in the line of duty on January 22, 2008.
Surrounded by department leadership, members, family, and colleagues, the ceremony served as a solemn and meaningful reminder of the sacrifice made by those who came before us. Through the laying of the wreath, the presentation of honors, and a shared moment of reflection, the department reaffirmed its commitment to remembering our fallen — not just in history, but in practice.
This annual ceremony will continue as a standing tradition of the Raleigh Fire Department, ensuring that each fallen firefighter is honored with the respect, dignity, and remembrance they deserve.
The next LODD Wreath Laying Ceremony will be held on March 10 to honor Driver Vernon Smith. Additional details will be shared as the date approaches, and members are encouraged to attend as we continue this important tradition of remembrance.
👶 TINY TOT ARRIVAL! 🍼
Congratulations McAuliff Family!
January 18, around 11:30 pm, another McAuliff entered the world. Cameron (E24 C) and Alyssa were blessed to welcome Sawyer McAuliff weighing in at 7 lbs 10 ounces. Sawyer and Alyssa are well.
🫵Reminder: Review Your 2026 Benefit Deductions for Accuracy✔️
As the 2026 benefit elections take effect with the new year, please review your January 2, 2026, paycheck to make sure your benefit deductions are correct. These deductions are based on the choices you made during the 2026 Open Enrollment period in October 2025.
To confirm your Core Benefits, log into PeopleSoft, open the Benefit Details tile, and select Benefits Statement to view your 2026 Open Enrollment Election Confirmation Statement.
To confirm your Voluntary Benefits, log into your Mark III account and review your Mark III Benefits Election Confirmation Statement.
If you have any questions or notice any discrepancies, please contact Human Resources at 919-996-3315 or HRSupport@raleighnc.gov.
🏒 A Hockey Event on the Horizon
Sometimes the earliest heads-up is enough to get our attention.
We’ve recently received word from organizers about a future hockey event that will benefit Fire, Police, and EMS. While the event is still a ways out and details are limited for now, we’ve been told they’ll be there — and that alone makes this one worth keeping on the radar.
Events like these aren’t just about competition on the ice. They’re about camaraderie, shared purpose, and coming together in support of the first responder community as a whole. Fire, Police, and EMS all showing up for one another — that’s always a win.
As more information becomes available, including dates and ways to support, we’ll be sure to share updates here. For now, consider this your early heads-up: something good is coming.
🙏 Thank you...
…for being part of the RFD family. We’re grateful for the people and moments that connect us, and we look forward to sharing more along the way. Stay safe, take care, and we’ll see you soon.
💡 Share Your Story!
RFD Connections is your space to celebrate our people, our moments, and the bonds that make this department extraordinary.
If you have photos, event updates, or stories worth sharing, send them our way — we’d love to feature them in a future issue.
📧 Email: newsletter@rfdconnections.com or keri.warner@raleighnc.gov
