The area’s strength is also reflected in the fact that Winston-Salem is one of a handful of U.S. cities that consistently receives a debt rating of AAA from Standard & Poors. As of 1996, Forsyth County also enjoys a AAA debt rating.
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Police Protection and Crime
Fire Protection
Emergency Medical Services
Planning and Zoning Practices
Religious Denominations
Climate
Local Media
Libraries
Meeting Sites
Police Protection and Crime
While over 1.5 million persons live in the Piedmont Triad, a large share of the population resides in either the non-urbanized areas or smaller cities that surround Winston-Salem, Greensboro, High Point and Burlington. The prevalence of small, close knit communities has helped the region maintain relatively low crime rates.
Fire Protection
In Winston-Salem there are 17 fire stations staffed by 287 full-time fire fighters. They are equipped with 16 pumpers, 4 aerial trucks, a hazardous materials van and an air van. Outside city limits, there are a total 24 fire stations with 59 full-time staff and 900 volunteers.
Emergency Medical Services
Forsyth County EMS (FCEMS) provides 24 hour-a-day advanced life support, pre-hospital emergency medical care for a population of over 306,000 in a 420 square mile area. Emergency response time averages 3 minutes within city limits. Countywide, the average response time is 9 minutes.
Additionally, the Wake Forest University School of Medicine/Baptist Hospital Medical Center operates Air Care, a helicopter ambulance service.
Planning and Zoning Practices
The Planning Board and the Legacy Citizen's Steering Committee have worked to create a plan - called the Legacy Comprehensive Plan. The Legacy Plan addresses issues related to current development patterns, establishes a clear vision for our future, and lays out a strategy designed to help us balance future growth and quality of life. Residents have envisioned a thriving economy, safe, livable neighborhoods, a commitment to preserving environmental quality, and community character. The original draft Legacy Plan was adopted by Forsyth County and its municipalities in 2001. An updated version of the plan was completed in 2003.
Religious Denominations
In the Winston-Salem area, there are close to 400 houses of worship. More than 24 Protestant denominations are represented. In addition, there are five Catholic churches, two synagogues, a Greek Orthodox church and an Islamic temple. There are also several interdenominational and non-denominational congregations.
Climate
Forsyth County and the Piedmont Triad enjoy a mild, four-season climate. As a result, fall foliage is often quite spectacular. Winter precipitation is generally less than 9 inches and of very short duration. All of these factors result in a very comfortable mean annual temperature of 58° F.
Local Media
There are three major daily newspapers in the Piedmont Triad region. In addition, there are five major weeklies in the Winston-Salem area alone. In terms of broadcast media, Triad area residents have more than dozen radio stations to choose from. All four major television networks have local affiliates.
Libraries
The Forsyth County Public Library consists of a main library in downtown
Winston-Salem, along with twelve branches located throughout the county. About 415,564 volumes are held by the system. A variety of on-line information databases for the business and general community are available.
Meeting Sites
The cultural and recreational resources of the Winston-Salem area also make it a prime destination for national and regional groups and conventions. The area’s attractiveness also resulted in a decision by the Italian Olympic Committee to make Winston-Salem its primary U.S. training site for the 1996 Olympic Games.
There are also several first-rate private-meeting locations including Graylyn Conference Center, the former estate of an Reynolds American, Inc. chief executive. Graylyn is consistently rated as one of the 10 best meeting sites in the U.S. In addition, the city offers many other great meeting venues including the M.C. Benton Convention Center, which offers 90,000 square feet of meeting space. The Lawrence Joel Vertan’s Memorial (LJVM) Coliseum and Annex offer a wide variety of meeting spaces as well as serving as a venue for basketball, concerts, and hockey games. The Dixie Classic Fairgrounds and Exhibition hall also offer great services including 31,500 square feet of exhibition space. Other meeting spaces can be found by visiting the Winston-Salem Convention and Visitor’s Bureau website.
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