White County DPS report demonstrates the department’s readiness to respond to emergencies

Business

WHITE COUNTY, Ga. — A look at the White County Department of Public Safety activity report issued last week demonstrates how active police, fire and emergency medical services personnel have been in protecting the citizens this year.

Since the start of 2022, the EMS/911 Communications center has responded to 34,396 requests for service. The Sheriff’s Office responded to 7,537 calls, EMS/Medical Services (691), White County Fire Department (533), Cleveland Fire Dept. (110), Helen Fire Dept. (105), Public Works (56) and Animal Control (1,031).

The Emergency Management Division has responded to 22 requests for service, engaged in 88 hours of public education services and the Citizens Emergency Response Team C.E.R.T.  has conducted 275 hours of team training.

 

 

 

Woods fire destroys three campers

News

WHITE COUNTY, Ga. – White County Fire Services responded to a woods fire at 144 May Apple  Drive in a remote area of White County Sunday that also involved three campers under the same roof.

Firefighters from Stations 3 and 7 along with mutual aid from the Helen Fire Department were called at 3:15 p.m. but when theta arrived, the campers were fully involved. A report stated a resident was burning leaves and following burning guidelines when an ember from the leaf pile was blown near the cabins, starting the fire.

It took longer than normal for the fire department to arrive at the scene due to the remote location of the fire.

A temporary pond was created from a nearby stream to draw water to fight the fire.

No injuries were reported.

County posts rules for safe burning

Business

 

PRACTICE SAFE BURNING

GEORGIA FORESTRY NO LONGER REQUIRES A BURN PERMIT FOR SMALL HAND-PILED VEGETATION. PLEASE FOLLOW THESE RULES TO BURN SAFELY! REMEMBER SSTAR

SPACE – Keep fire at least 25 feet away from forests and woodlands

SPACE – Keep fire at least 25 feet away from homes and structures

TIME – No burning before sunrise or after sunset

ATTENDANCE – Someone must be on site until fire is extinguished

REASONBABLE PRACTICES

  • Keep tools and measures in place to prevent escaped fire
  • Keep continuous pressurized water source on site
  • Create a man-made or natural barrier to contain fire
  • Keep hand tools or fore containing equipment on site
  • Weather awareness No burning on National Weather Service red flag warning days

Remember the five responsibilities you have and must legally take when you burn hand-piled debris. If you have any questions, please contact the White County Department of Public Safety or White County Fire Department 706-865-9500.

 

White County Board of Commissioners meeting set Monday

News

WHITE COUNTY, Ga. – The Board of Commissioners will introduce Derrick Canupp, the new Director of Public Works, and Kimberly McEntire, the new Director of Parks and Recreation, when it meets Monday, Nov. 29 at 4:30 p.m. in the County Administration Building.

Other agenda items the Board will consider include:

  • The land use application filed by Benjamin and Samantha Boatright for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for 1.78 acres locatedat355 Chastain Road in Sautee Nacoochee to be placed in the short-term rental program;
  • The land use application filed by Charlene Kent to request a CUP on 3.58 acres located at 4845 Hwy. 255 South in Cleveland to be placed in the short-term rental program;
  • The land use application filed by Paul Seabolt to request a variance from Appendix C XXII definition of terms/cemetery family plots for property located on one acre at Hwy. 284 in Cleveland;
  • The Tax Release Application filed by Jimmy and Pamela Bedingfield for property located at 555 Monroe Ridge Road in Sautee Nacoochee;
  • Adoption of County Resolution 2021-11, approving the surplus of 5 White County Sheriff’s Office vehices;
  • A presentation by Elections Supervisor Akyn Bailey regarding the Street Maintenance Process in the Elections Department;
  • A staffing update from Scott Masters, Director of Emergency Medical Services and Bill Scandrett, EMS Manager;
  • A request by the White County Fire Department to issue a request for proposal for a replacement fire engine (1998 GMC C-8500);
  • Award of a contract for the installation of Airport Road bridge;
  • Award a contract for the inspection and testing on the Airport Road Bridge installation project to Southern Geotechnical Consultants;
  • Approval of a Change Order for the contract with Colwell Construction  for improvements to Redd Road and Bolton Road;
  • Designation of the resurfacing of Asbury Mill Road as a 2022 Georgia Department of Transportation Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant project.

Fire Chief cautions proper use of space heaters

Business

PRESS RELEASE

WHITE COUNTY, Ga. — At 1:10AM on Wednesday, Oct. 20, White County Fire with mutual aid from the City of Cleveland were dispatched to 272 Tulip Trail in Cleveland for a reported single-family dwelling fire.  Occupants reported sparks coming from an electrical outlet.  Fire units on the scene found no fire, and no damage.  Units returned in-service shortly after arrival.

Chief Weaver of White County Fire Services wishes to take this opportunity to remind our customers to properly and safely use space heaters according to the manufacturer directions.  Do not overload receptacle outlets with too many devices into a single outlet and to properly use extension cords.   This is the time of the year to make sure your chimney is clean and to burn only dry wood in your fireplace.  Time is about to change, and with clocks rolling back its time to check those valuable smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries.

If you have any questions or need guidance on improving your home safety, please contact our office at 706-865-9500.

White County Fire Services receives 2021 Firehouse Subs grant

Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

Cleveland, Ga. – The White County Fire Services has been named a 2021 grant recipient by Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. White County is safer than ever thanks to the Foundation providing important funding in the amount of $15,540. The grant will be used to purchase 12 Zoll Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and will ensure our community is safer and better prepared for emergencies.

“We’re so thankful for the support from Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation and our local Firehouse Subs restaurant, in Gainesville,” said David L. Murphy, Jr. Director of Public Safety, White County Government. “The AEDs will help us update our fleet of AEDs to more modern compatible units.”

During the most recent grant cycle, the Foundation awarded 118 grants to public safety organizations across the country. The 118 grants total more than $2.5 million toward critical lifesaving equipment, a new record for the most money ever awarded in a single quarter.

To donate and learn more about Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, visit FirehouseSubsFoundation.org.

 

 

ABOUT FIREHOUSE SUBS PUBLIC SAFETY FOUNDATION

In 2005, the Firehouse Subs Founders established the 501(c)(3), non-profit Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. The charity provides funding resources, lifesaving equipment, prevention education, and training and disaster relief support to first responders and public safety organizations.

Since inception, Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation has granted more than $57 million to hometown heroes in 49 states and Puerto Rico. Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation is honored to be listed as a four-star nonprofit organization by Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest and most-utilized evaluator of charities. This is their highest designation. Grant allocations are made possible thanks to the overwhelming support of Firehouse Subs restaurants and generous donors. More than 70% of the funds raised for the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation come from the generosity of Firehouse Subs guests and the restaurant brand. Please consider supporting a Firehouse Subs restaurant near you.

Firefighters respond to early-morning fire at Camp Coleman

Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

WHITE COUNTY, Ga. — Firefighters respond to an early morning fire at Camp Coleman just north of Cleveland. White County Firefighters with mutual aid from Cleveland Fire and Lee Arrendale Fire Brigade responded to 201 Camp Coleman Drive at 1:04 a.m. on Thursday May 27th.

The building was a storage shed for the camp, and was approximately 70% involved upon arrival of personnel. Firefighter set up a defensive attack due to exposure, power line issues and the extent of fire involvement at arrival. No one was injured, and the fire is under investigation.

Fire personnel remained on scene for approximately 5.5 hours.

White, Habersham first responders make dangerous river rescue Friday

Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

WHITE COUNTY, Ga. — White County Fire was dispatched to a river rescue at approximately 9:50 a.m. Friday in the area of Buck Shoals on the Chattahoochee River.

Information received from the caller, who was also the victim, dispatchers had the location by pinging the phone through the Enhanced 911 System.  Units arrived on scene, and the caller was actually on the Habersham side of the river hanging on to a tree.   The victim advised that there was another person down river that was on the White County side.  Habersham Fire was called to assist the victim on their side of the river while Firefighters and DNR walked the river about 1 mile and found the second subject on the bank.

A party of three was actually going down the river together, which was unsafe due to high water levels from previous night’s rainfall.  No injuries to the victims or rescuers, and units were on scene for 3.5 hours.

The attached picture was from 2:30 p.m. Friday, and the water has receded since the rescue time.

Helen Hwy. Fire is under investigation

Business

PRESS RELEASE

WHITE COUNTY, Ga. — White County Fire crews responded to 4092 Helen Hwy, Thursday afternoon, (March 11) to a reported structure fire.  Upon arrival, units found the structure approximately 50 percent  involved and the occupant injured from his escape.

Fire units began a defensive attack until more personnel arrived to safely make an interior attack on the residence.  Fire units were already busy on a woods fire off the Duncan Bridge Rd area.  County Stations 3 and 2 with mutual aid from Cleveland and Helen responded to the incident.

The occupant, who escaped on his own was taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Gainesville by EMS.

Units remained on the scene for extensive overhaul operations for approximately 5 and a half hours.   The fire is under investigation by White Co Sheriff’s Office, this was the third fire within a week at this location.

 

 

Firefighters battle wildfire on Yonah Mountain

Business

WHITE COUNTY, Ga. — Firefighters were busy on Sunday afternoon protecting homes from a wildfire on Yonah Mountain, caused by a malfunctioning flu pipe from a residence.

Units were summoned to 4092 Helen Hwy to a reported brush fire with exposures.  Firefighters from White County, City of Cleveland, City of Helen, Lee Arrendale Fire Brigade and units from the Georgia and US Forestry Service responded to the incident.

Firefighters arrived to find a fire moving southeasterly up the ridge from Helen Hwy, which posed danger to homes along the Yonah Mountain Rd.  Units staged at various locations along Yonah Mountain to protect structures using hand tools and handlines in some instances.  No structures were damages or injuries reported.

Forestry units plowed a break around the fire and conducted back burns through the evening.  Fire personnel remained on scene for approximately 8 hours, and the fire consumed approximately 25 acres.  A high fire danger statement had been issued earlier in the day by the National Weather Service.

No structures were damaged, and no injuries were reported.

 

 

 

Firefighters battle Long Mountain Fire

News, Press Release

 

PRESS RELEASE

WHITE COUNTY, Ga. –Yesterday’s beautiful spring weather brought warm temperatures, low humidity and a gentle breeze which the National Weather Service labeled a HIGH FIRE DANGER DAY.

At 5:13PM, White County received a reported woods fire on Long Mountain Trail which turns off Jeb Drive off Hwy 115 W.  The fire was located on the NW side of Long Mountain, and smoke was visible from the Appalachian Parkway by units responding to the scene.

White County Stations 4, 5, personnel from Station 2 and Mutual Aid from Cleveland Fire was dispatched to 640 Long Mountain Trail. Units arrived on scene and found approximately a 2-acre fire on the side of Long Mountain. The Georgia Forestry was requested while local fire crews protected residential structures and assisted forestry with hand line operations. A Georgia Forestry Dozer cut a line along the top of the fire with hand lines used on both flanks. Approximately 15 to 20 acres burned, and firefighters remained on scene for approximately 6 hours.

Fire Chief Seth Weaver wants to remind homeowners that they need to mindful of where they dump their ashes when cleaning out their fireplace.  Also, keep your yard clean of leaves and other combustibles around your house.  Even though we have rain, when the humidity is low fire danger goes up.

For more information on making your home safe from wildfires contact the Office of Public Safety or visit our website at www.whitecounty.net

 

Pictures made possible by White County Batt Chief, Drone Operations.

 

Occupants escape Skitts Mountain fire

News, Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

WHITE COUNTY, Ga. –On Thursday (Jan. 14) At 12:12 pm, White County Fire Stations 4 and 2, with mutual aid from, Cleveland fire and Lee Arrendale Fire Brigade were dispatched to a residential fire at 183 Skitts Mountain Rd.

Upon arrival firefighters reported the house was 40 percent involved and all occupants were out.  Firefighters made a quick attack and knocked down the fire.  Firefighters were on scene for 3.5 hours.

No injuries were reported, and Red Cross was called to assist the occupants.

Mobile home fire that killed two people is considered accidental

News

WHITE COUNTY, Ga. — The Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King announced today that the mobile home fires that killed two people and seriously injured another on Sunday, Sept. 20 at 125 Autumnwood Way in Cleveland is considered accidental

Commissioner King’s State Fire Investigations Unit received a call from the White County 911 Center at 3:21 a.m. about a fire that a neighbor had called in around 2:49 a.m. Upon arriving at the scene, state investigators discovered the bodies of two deceased women and one injured man.

“The bodies of the deceased were removed from the scene and sent to the GBI Crime Lab for autopsy and identification,” said Commissioner King. “The injured man was flown to Grady Memorial Hospital. All three were believed to be residents of the home on Autumnwood Way.”

State fire investigators are assisting the White County Fire Department, White County Sheriff’s Office, and the White County Coroner’s Office in this case.
There have now been 59 known fire fatalities in Georgia in 2020.

The mission of the Office of the Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner is to protect Georgia families by providing access to vital insurance products and safe buildings through fair regulation that creates economic opportunities for all Georgians.

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

UPDATE: 3 people injured in Stansel Rd. brush fire

News

WHITE COUNTY, Ga. – On Tuesday (Jan. 21) at approximately 6:30 p.m., White County fire units with automatic aid from the City of Cleveland responded to a reported structure fire at 1135 Stansel Road off Adair Mill Rd.

Once on scene, it was determined that is was not a structure fire but a brush pile that was smoldering and a flammable liquid was used. This caused an explosion resulting in burns to two unidentified adult males. One was transported via helicopter with life- threatening injuries and one refused treatment/transport. An off-duty sheriff’s deputy who lived next door received minor burns to his hands while trying to render aid.

Fire personnel extinguished the brush pile and remained on scene to assist with landing zones and patient care. Units were on scene for approximately two hours.

An unidentified 19-year-old male suffered second- and third-degree burns and was airlifted to Grady Burn Center in Atlanta and was last reported in stable condition. The name is being released due to notification of next of kin.

A unidentified 20-year-old male suffered first- and second-degree burns to his lower extremities. He refused to transport and was treated on scene.

An off-duty White County patrol deputy lived next door, responded to the scene and received first degree burns to his hand while trying to render aid to the burn victims.

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

Two people injured in brush pile fire on Stansel Rd.

News

WHITE COUNTY, Ga. – On Tuesday (Jan. 21) at approximately 6:30 p.m., White County fire units with automatic aid from the City of Cleveland responded to a reported structure fire on Stansel Road off Adair Mill Rd.

Once on scene, it was determined that is was not a structure fire but a brush pile that was smoldering and a flammable liquid was used. This caused an explosion resulting in burns to two unidentified adult males. One was transported via helicopter with life threatening injuries and one refused treatment/transport.  An off-duty sheriff’s deputy who lived next door received minor burns to his hands while trying to render aid.

Fire personnel extinguished the brush pile and remained on scene to assist with landing zones and patient care.  Units were on scene for approximately two hours.

 

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

 

 

Firefighters respond to rekindled fire on Bell Shadows

News

CLEVELAND, Ga. — On Thursday (June 6) White County and City of Cleveland firefighters were dispatched to a fire at a single-wide mobile home on Bell Shadows that rekindled from the previous day.

On arrival, there was smoke coming from the residence and upon further investigation, firefighters found that the ceiling portion of the kitchen was smoldering.

Fire personnel used about 250 gallons of water to extinguish the fire.
No one was in the home Thursday as the residents were displaced and already being lodged by Red Cross. No injuries were reported.

 

White County Fire investigator Jason Reed was called to the scene to determine fire cause and make his findings and is currently under investigation

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

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