September 17, 2009
Friends of Fire Dept. Lend a Hand

Terry Thompson liked what he saw on the Hiawassee Square last May as dozens of firefighters and as many Towns County Fire Corps [TCFC] members entertained over a thousand visitors at the TCFC Chili Cook-Off . "Despite the fact that my chili didn't win," laughs the Towns County businessman, "it was a great day and along with the people I already knew, I met quite a few new folks involved with Fire Corps. They did a super job with the event, especially as a new organization. I decided this was a group I would be glad to help out if I could."

By late summer, TCFC President Brenda Hunt, who is also a 911 Dispatcher for the County, invited Thompson to Fire Station One for a review of some helpful projects under consideration by the TCFC. "We looked over a number of issues," explains Thompson, who owns T. L. Thompson Construction as well as Proforma Paints in Hiawassee. Continued

June 4, 2009
Meet your fire department

Nicky Nicholson has been with the Towns County Fire Department for ten years. He holds the rank of Captain at Fire Station #1 in Hiawassee and is certified in NPQ1, Swiftwater Awareness, Wilderness Search & Rescue, and is a National Registered First Responder. He is married to Sandy and has a son, Michael Lovingood. When he isn’t on duty at the fire department he is a Quality Control Inspector at Moog Components Group in Peachtree.

5/27/2009
Meet your fire department

Chris Beck is a firefighter at Station 5 with one year of service with Towns County Fire Department. He has certifications in Haz-Mat Awareness, Rescue Specialist, CPR, and NPQ 1. He works at Havoline in Hiawassee and is single.

Fire Corps Tip of the Week: If you have an emergency and call 911, please stay calm and answer their questions. Calling 911 on your cell phone does not give a location, so you need to think about surrounding landmarks. The few seconds it takes to answer questions from the 911 operator will save minutes getting to you and your emergency.

Chili Cookoff sign is up Volunteer firemen Wilson and Parker are seen putting up the Chili Cookoff sign on the square with (l-r) Chili Cookoff Chairman B.J. Peters and Fire Corps Treasurer Dewaine Olson. It will be held on Saturday, May 30, by the Towns County Fire Corps to benefit our fire department. There is still time for more cooks to sign up and you might be the winner of one of the monetary prizes. Read all about it and get a registration form and rules on the website: townscountyfirecorps.org We're happy to announce that Zell Miller will be present from 10:30 to noon to sign his new book, Pert Nigh Gone. He is donating $5 of the book price to the fire department. Speakers and events will also start at 10:30 a.m.

David Sellers is a Towns County Volunteer Firefighter at Station 2 in Young Harris. He first volunteered at Station 2 in 1980 and in 1985 was the first Fire Chief during the building of the countywide system. He is certified as an EMT (Emergency Management Technician), certified in crash victim extrications, as a Georgia Wildland Firefighter, and was instructor for Georgia Fire Academy from 1985 to 1990. Sellers is owner of the Appalachian Gallery in Young Harris and Appalachian Video Productions, a professional artist, and producer of Art in the Mountains on Windstream’s TV Channel 4.

Fire Corps Tip of the Week: Know where your gas, electric and water main shut-off controls are and how to turn them off. Make sure all adults and teenagers in your family know how to shut off each utility. Also know how to use a fire extinguisher. This will be one demonstration at the Chili Cookoff, Fire In The Mountains.

4/22/209
Meet your fire department

Garry D. Martin is a Volunteer Firefighter at Station #1. He has been with the Towns County Fire Department for four years and is training as NPQ1 and a Rescue Specialist.

Fire Corps Tip of the Week: Periodically review your homeowner’s insurance policy with your insurance agent or company to make sure that, if you are the victim of a disaster, you have enough coverage to rebuild your home and life.

4/8/2009
Meet your fire department

James Coward is a volunteer fireman at Station #4 with two years of service with the Towns County Fire Department. His training includes Hazmat Awareness, Boater Safety, Rescue Specialist, CPR, and NPQ1. He has a son, Matthew Coward, and he works with Wholesale Supply Group.

Fire Corps Tip of the Week: Make your yard “Lean, Clean, and Green” within at least 30’ of your house by removing unnecessary brush, any dead brush, leaves or tree limbs, and making sure all your plants are healthy and green.

3/18/2009
Meet your fire department

Charles Russell is a volunteer firefighter at Station #2 in Young Harris and has training as a Rescue Specialist, CPR, and Incident Response to Terrorist Bombings. He is married to Deborah and they have a 12-year-old, Carlie. His primary business is a trim carpenter.

the Week: Planting time will soon be here. Some plants are more fire resistant than others, here‘s just a few: Tulip poplar, Southern Red Oak, Black Locust, Shining Sumac (all tolerate dry soil); Pachysandra, Periwinkle-Vinca, Boston Ivy (all ground cover for shady areas).

3/11/2009
Meet your fire department

Fireman Cory Ledford is a fulltime firefighter at Station #1. He has been with the Towns County Fire Department for 7 years and has training in Swift Water, Diver, Med 1, Structural Fire Control, Extrication, Hazmat Awareness, CPR, NPQ1, Rescue Specialist, and Rapid Interaction Team (R.I.T.).

Fire Corps Tip of the Week: The arrangement, spacing and density of plants, shrubs and trees that grow around your house should be carefully planned. Remember a plant’s size at maturity and keep tree limbs 15’ from chimneys, power lines and structures.

3/4/2009
Meet your fire department

Josh Berrong is a local young man who has been a fire fighter for six and a half years. He is at Station #4 and is currently taking his NPQ1 training. He is also an electrician.

Fire Corps Tip of the Week: Have a disaster plan! Take time to discuss with your family how you will get out, where you will go, and how you will get there. Have a plan for your pets and practice family fire drills.

2/25/2009
Meet your fire department

James D. Rosser is a lieutenant at Fire Station 2, working there for the past three years. He is certified as NPQ1, Swiftwater, and First Responder. He has lived in this area for the past 20 years and is a plumber by trade. He is married to Ashley with three children, Jonathan-2, Katy-3, and J.W.-8.

Fire Corps Tip of the Week: Many forests have survived centuries of natural fires, but to be safe, make a firebreak between your house and  the forest. Use it as a trail for walking the dog, hiking, or horseback riding.

2/18/2009
Meet your fire department

Ryan Osborn is one of the younger firemen in the “Explorer” group who has been with the Towns County Fire Department for three years. He is certified in CPR, Search & Rescue, Rescue Specialist, and  NPQ1 certified and works out of Station #1. He is currently employed at Brasstown Valley Resort Stables in Young Harris.

Fire Corps Tip of the Week: It is illegal to burn household garbage in GA.  Towns County Transfer Station on Sunnyside (288) charges only $1 for a small 13 gal. bag of household garbage; $1.50 for a large black bag.

Meet your fire department..

Jonathan Wilson is one of Towns County’s full time Fire Fighters, working at Station #1. He has nine years of service and is certified as NPQl, Swiftwater and Diver. He is divorced with two children, Jacob and Mikey.

 Fire Corps Tip of the Week: Carbon Monoxide is a silent, odorless killer. To keep your family safe: have fuel-burning appliances professionally inspected once a year; back cars out of an attached garage before warming them up; install carbon monoxide alarms to provide early detection of the deadly gas.

The generosity of the people of Towns County is well known and has been well appreciated over the years. Even in this down turned economy, generosity is alive and well as evidenced almost every week in the papers with donations to good causes. The Towns County Lions Club and the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Ladies Auxiliary recently donated money to help pay for needed gear for the Towns County Fire Department. These donations were made through the Towns County Fire Corps Inc., a group of volunteers formed last November to help the Fire Fighters with special projects including administrative duties (typing, filing, etc.), publicity, public education, and fund-raising.

Fire Corps volunteers went to these organizations stating the need for state mandated Traffic Safety Vests. The vests have been ordered and when received will be stored on the fire trucks for use in emergency traffic areas. Thank you again for your generous gifts. Any donations to the Fire Corps for the Fire Department go entirely to the Fire Department. Join us for a worthy cause. No one knows when a fire might hit, Towns County seems to be having them too often. Go to our website, www.townscountyfirecorps.org,

President Hilda Thomason and V.P. Ralph Grady represent the T.C. Lions Club who donated to the purchase of Traffic Safety Vests for T.C. Fire Department worn by Volunteer Fire Fighter George Silver
( top left picture)

Fire Corps member Joan Crothers receives checks from Joel Turpin (Center, left), Commander of VFW Post 7807, and Linda Troyer, Treasurer, VFW  Auxiliary (left in picture at right). These checks went to Fire Chief Mitch Floyd, (far right in two photos) for Traffic Safety Vests.

Meet your fire department

Edward Berrong is a Lieutenant at Station #4 with 6 ½ years of experience in the Towns County Fire Department. His training includes Swift Water Rescue, First Responder, Crash Victim Extrication, NPQ1 certification, and Rescue Specialist. He is a third generation fire fighter with his dad, Bruce, and his grandfather Leon, now retired. Edward is employed by the Towns County Road Department.

Fire Corps Tip of the Week: Fire moves faster uphill. Breaks in the brush are needed if your home is at the top of a slope. A 30’ space around your house is good.  

Jeff Krokonko is Captain at Station #2 in Young Harris. He has been with the Towns County Fire Department for 7 years and his certifications include NPQ1, Vehicle Extrication, Haz-Mat awareness, Rescue Specialist, First Responder, Managing Company Tactics, NIMS, ICS 100, 200, 700, 800, Interior Search & Rescue, S130 & S190 Wildland Firefighter, Pressurized container. He is married to Stacie and they have two children, Ricky and Kaitlyn.

Fire Corps Tip of the Week: Call the local Georgia Forestry Commission on Sunnyside for a burn permit, 706-896-2499. Georgia law requires a burn permit. Please also think about the wind at the time you want to burn. There is usually less wind and more humidity in the early morning hours.

1/14/2009
Meet your fire department.

George (Bud) Dyer was one of several dedicated citizens who started the Young Harris Fire Department in 1980 at Station #2.  He  was the Fire Chief there until the station became a part of the Towns County Fire Department, staying as station Captain until 2007. Currently, he is vice-chair of the Towns County Fire Board and remains as Fire Fighter and First Responder with Station #2. His certifications include National Registry First Responder, Leadership Strategies for Company Success, Hazardous Materials: First Responder Operations, Managing Company Tactical Operations Decision Making, Building Construction Combustible and Non-Combustible, Clipboard Fireground Hydraulics.  Dyer has had 29 years of fire fighting. He is married to Mary Wood Dyer and they have 4 children and 10 grandchildren.

Fire Corps Tip of the Week: Keep space heaters far away from beds, furniture, curtains, etc. Turn them off when you leave the house.

1/7/2009
Meet your fire department

If you have an interest in this kind of service, go to our website, www.townscountyfirecorps.org, to learn more about how you can get involved. We would be glad to have you working with us.

Jeremy Parker has been a volunteer firefighter at Station #1, NPQ l Certified, for the past six years, and like his father, Terry, is a swift water rescue, certified diver. He also works part time as an EMT with Towns County Emergency Medical Service. Jeremy started his firefighting training when he was 14 years old in the Explorer program and urges other interested young men and women in the county to join this program. Call Fire Station #1 (706-896-2090) for more information.

Fire Corps Tip of the Week:  Do you have a street sign and are the 911 numbers on your house visible to emergency vehicles? Call 706-896-3159 to report a missing street sign; you need to buy and put up your house number so it is visible from your street

Terry Parker is Operations Captain for the Towns County Fire Department and has been a firefighter for 17 years. He is one of three paid firemen at Station #1, holding NPQ2 Certification; and also is a swift water rescue dive certified diver. You will also see Terry
working part-time as an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) with Towns County EMS. A native of Towns County, Terry is divorced and has a son, Jeremy, who is also a Towns County Firefighter.
 

Fire Corps tip of the week: Be sure, before you burn, you get a permit from the Georgia Forestry Commission (706-896-2499), it’s the law!  

Chili and Stew Cook-off sponsored by the Towns County Fire Corps, Inc. on the Square, Main Street, in Hiawassee, GA, 9 a.m.– 4 p.m. Bluegrass music, professional judges, community cook-teams, fire-safety demonstrations, family fun in the heart of the North Georgia Mountains. Visit www.townscountyfirecorps.org for more information.
 

12/11/2008
Meet your fire department

Harold Copeland is the Assistant Chief of the Towns County Fire Department, a position he accepted almost two years ago. He also has worked as a 911 Dispatcher in Towns County for the last four years. He began his firefighting career 23 years ago in the early ‘80’s as assistant chief under Chief David Sellers and later as Captain of Station #2 in Young Harris under Chief Bud Dyer. He grew up in Fulton County GA where he worked for UPS, coming up to this area and deciding to move here. Copeland has a 17 year old daughter, Meka, who is a senior at Towns County High School, looking forward to college next year.  

Fire Corps Tip of the Week: Rake up all leaves and small brush near your house and put in a compost pile or bag and take to the Transfer Station on 288. Empty at the far end of the Recycling Center and take home some of the compost in your empty bags.

12/11/2008
Meet your fire department 

Brian Hollingshead is Captain at Station #3 and Station #6 and holds (National Professional Qualification) NPQ 2 Firefighter and (Emergency Medical Technician) EMT I ratings. He has been with the Towns County Fire & Rescue for 8 years, and is also now a liaison with the newly formed Towns County Fire Corps. Brian and wife, Tammy, have two children, Jessica, 26, and Jacob, 25. When Brian isn’t working as a firefighter, he is working at his business,
B C H Electric.