Every year, signs for the Orange Beach Fire Department’s barbeque sale warn residents to show up before 3 p.m.; the fire department usually runs out of meat before four hours’ end. This year, hopefuls who showed up after 2 p.m. were left disappointed.

“We need to change our signs,” Fire Chief Forney Howard said. “We sold out again. We sell out earlier and earlier each year.”

The fire department held its 45th annual barbeque sale Saturday, selling more than 1,100 plates of food and 300 pounds of bulk meat. Hundreds flocked to the Orange Beach Community Center to grab a few bites of barbeque.

“We’re still waiting on the figures, but we usually raise between $12,000 to $14,000 each year after expenses,” Howard said.

Originally, the barbeque sale was used as a means to fund the volunteer firefighter program. As time has gone by, the fire department has appropriated the funds to other necessities, Howard said.

The revenue raised will be used to fund free public CPR classes twice a month. The funds are also used to outfit the firemen with needed equipment, including outfitting volunteer firefighters for operations at Ono Island.

The money will also go towards a training tower, communication equipment and a new training building. The building will also serve as the local Emergency Management Agency command center during hurricanes and other disasters that may occur.