Shanghai Fire Department

On a whim, I decided to stop by the Shanghai Volunteer Fire Department to see if anyone was in.

I was in luck. I caught Capt. Mike Bridges and Treasurer Floyd Queen just as they were getting ready to leave.

Left to right: Bridges, Queen

As volunteers, Queen said the firemen are allowed to go home to their families on holidays and they're paged to come back to the station if needed.

He said the station assisted a bad fire last night in Rutherford County but there hadn't been any calls as of noon today.

The fire station sold over 120 turkeys and shoulders this week to raise money for the department.

Queen said $1,000 was raised. "Maybe a little more."

Bridges said everyone from the department helped cook the food.

"Without everyone, it wouldn't get done," he said.

Bridges said he was looking forward to his two Thanksgiving meals this afternoon - one with his wife's family and the other with his own.

Queen said his family would be celebrating Thanksgiving Saturday night because of the busy schedule of his three sons, all of whom work as firemen. He said his son Jeff, who works for the Gastonia Fire Department, is working today.