The Fire Wire Cherokee County Office of Fire & Emergency Services

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1 The Fire Wire Cherokee County Office of Fire & Emergency Services March - April Cherokee County Takes Ownership of Fire Station #32 Story on page 7 Volume 17 - Issue 2

Published bi-monthly by the Cherokee County Office of Fire and Emergency Services Tim Prather Fire Chief The Fire Wire Hoses Win Gun and Hoses Run Page 2 Tim Cavender Editor Eddie Robinson Assistant

2 Published bi-monthly by the Cherokee County Office of Fire and Emergency Services Tim Prather Fire Chief The Fire Wire Hoses Win Gun and Hoses Run Page 2 Tim Cavender Editor Eddie Robinson Assistant Fire Chief Shane West Field Operations Chief Danny West Division Chief Dean Floyd Division Chief Chad Arp Fire Marshal Jill Mabley, M.D.,FACEP Medical Director Cherokee County Office of Fire and Emergency Services 150 Chattin Drive Canton, GA Phone: [678] Fax: [678] Office Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Closed Saturday, Sunday and Holidays ABOUT THE COVER: Members of the Hickory Flat Volunteer Fire Department meet with Cherokee County Fire Chief, Tim Prather, to transfer Fire Station #32 to the county. Photos and story on page 7 Members of the Hoses team hold the trophy at the Guns and Hoses Run held on February 24th. Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services won the 2018 Guns and Hoses Run that was held on February 24th at Hobgood Park. Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services had the most runners to sign up for the event. Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services and the Cherokee County Sheriff s Office solicit registrations from runners to raise money for their charities. The event was open to the public and runners were asked to pick the team they wanted to run for, Guns or Hoses, and part of their registration fee was donated to an area charity. The fire department donated their winnings to the Goshen Valley Boys Ranch. The purpose of Goshen Valley Boys Ranch, which is located in Salacoa, is to provide hope and a family-model home for boys who do not have either. According to Lindsey Collett, a representative with the Cherokee County Recreation and Parks Agency, 503 runners signed up for the fire department, while 281 signed up with the sheriff s office. The Goshen Valley Boys Ranch will receive a check in the amount of $6,036. Thanks all of those who came out to support this event!

Page 3 Gunter Becomes First to Receive Degree Jacob Gunter (right) receives his Letter of Commendation from Cherokee County Fire Chief, Tim Prather.

3 Page 3 Gunter Becomes First to Receive Degree Jacob Gunter (right) receives his Letter of Commendation from Cherokee County Fire Chief, Tim Prather. Cherokee County Fire Chief, Tim Prather, presented firefighter Jacob Gunter with a Letter of Commendation on February 28th acknowledging and recognizing him for being the first Cherokee County Fire Paramedic to pursue and obtain an Associate Degree from Chattahoochee Technical College through our partnership agreement. Gunter went back to school in the fall semester of 2017 and received his degree in January of this year. I have always wanted a degree and this was the perfect opportunity to obtain that goal, and still wanting to further my education into one day a bachelors degree, stated Gunter. Cherokee County Fire Chief, Tim Prather, said, You set a great example for others to follow and take advantage of the credits our paramedic training program is now receiving from Chattahoochee Technical College. Gunter currently works at the Oak Grove Fire Station and lives in the Canton-Holly Springs area with his wife of two years. Spring Safety Tips & Seasonal Reminders for the Home The change of season is always a good reminder to do some periodical check ups on your home. Like getting a physical or a check up at the doctor, it s important to check in periodically and fix any wear and tear damages to maintain a happy home. Check all your smoke detectors for low batteries. They are no good if they can t go off! Make sure all your door locks are working and install deadbolts on all doors with outside access. Install motion sensitive outdoor lights not only makes for safety for you but deters criminals from breaking in. Trim your shrubs around the home where burglars can hide when breaking into your home. Go through old files shred unnecessary paperwork and file away important documents in a fireproof safe.

Cherokee County Fire Explorers Bring Home Nine Awards Cherokee County Fire Explorers who attended this year s competition were (front Row - left to right): Gene Kachele, Jared MacCracken, Josh

4 Cherokee County Fire Explorers Bring Home Nine Awards Cherokee County Fire Explorers who attended this year s competition were (front Row - left to right): Gene Kachele, Jared MacCracken, Josh Shorts, and Denver Ice. (Second row - left to right): Dalton Hamby, Chris Shorts, William Logan, Nick Lindsey, Griffin Hansen, Kenny Robinson, and Fabian Fazzari. (Third row - left to right): Mallory Seibert, Anna Bowyer, Hannah Pohlman, Jensen McColl, and Gabriel Shull. Page 4 Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services Explorer Post 469 brought home nine awards during the 44th Annual Winterfest Competition that was held in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, on February 10th. The competition took place at The Gatlinburg Convention Center with over 3,500 Explorers and Venturers from 17 states attended the event this year. Winterfest is the largest gathering in the United States catering to Venturers and Explorers and it takes place annually in Gatlinburg. The event is the largest scout assembly that specifically targets co-ed youth ages 14-21, and allows them to participate in a variety of competitive and social activities throughout the weekend. This was the 17th year that fire department s explorers have attended the event. Post 469 brought 16 youth and 18 advisors to this event. Also in attendance from the department were Cherokee County Fire Chief, Tim Prather, Assistant Fire Chief, Eddie Robinson and Operations Chief, Shane West. Many friends and family members of Post 469 also attended the event. The post went up against some tough competition to bring home 9 Top-Three finishes! They placed first in High-Rise Drill, Z-Drag and Bleeding Wounds & Shock. Second place trophies were earned in Denver Drill, High-Rise Drill, Tabletop Display, and Video Contest. Plus, the local fire explorers earned 3rd place in Pittsburgh Drill and Rapid Rescue & Resuscitate. The events involved the explorers performing forcible entry, hose deployment, hose crawl, victim removal, emergency medical treatment, and much more. In addition to competing, the post hosted the Pittsburgh Drill which is an event that simulates a downed firefighter being rescue by a Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) through multiple obstacles along a 50ft. section of hose line. The explorers began training for this year s Winterfest back in September They averaged 7-10 hours (continued on page 5)

The Fire Wire Page 5 Cherokee County Fire Explorers Bring Home Nine Awards (continued) of training per week and were mentored by career and volunteer firefighters who

The explorer program is a career based leaning opportunity and is open to young men and women ages 14 (and completed the 8th grade) and not yet 21 years old with an

Fire and emergency services exploring is a hands-on program that exposes participants to many career experiences, leadership opportunities, and community service

The primary goals of the program are to help young adults choose a career path within fire and emergency services and to challenge them to become responsible citizens

5 The Fire Wire Page 5 Cherokee County Fire Explorers Bring Home Nine Awards (continued) of training per week and were mentored by career and volunteer firefighters who volunteer as advisors and associate advisors. The explorer program is a career based leaning opportunity and is open to young men and women ages 14 (and completed the 8th grade) and not yet 21 years old with an interest in learning more about careers in the field of fire & emergency services. Fire and emergency services exploring is a hands-on program that exposes participants to many career experiences, leadership opportunities, and community service activities. The primary goals of the program are to help young adults choose a career path within fire and emergency services and to challenge them to become responsible citizens of their communities and country. For more information about Explorer Post 469 you can contact Sgt. Michael Sims at or mrsims@cherokeega.com. Dalton Hamby, anna Bowyer, Chris Shorts and Nick Lindsey force their way through the door and up the stairs to take the 1st Place trophy. Cherokee County Explorers participating in the Rapid Rescue and Resuscitate Drill were (left to right): Nick Lindsey, Fabian Fazzari, William Logan and Chris Shorts. PHOTO AT LEFT Cherokee Fire Explorers participate in the Pittsburgh Drill.

Page 6 Cherokee County Fire Promotes Three Two Cherokee County firefighters and the Deputy Fire Marshal were promoted January 10th during ceremonies at the Cherokee County Fire Training Complex,

Arp was hired on May 10 th, 1999, as a Fire Safety Educator. A year later he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.

6 Page 6 Cherokee County Fire Promotes Three Two Cherokee County firefighters and the Deputy Fire Marshal were promoted January 10th during ceremonies at the Cherokee County Fire Training Complex, located south of Holly Springs. Deputy Fire Marshal, Chad Arp was promoted as the new Cherokee County Fire Marshal, replacing Barry Gibson who recently retired. Arp was hired on May 10 th, 1999, as a Fire Safety Educator. A year later he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Arp became a Community Fire Educator II in 2001 and was promoted as an Administrative Captain in 2005, when he became a Community Fire Educator III. In 2014, Arp was promoted to the position of Deputy Fire Marshal and became the new Fire Marshal in December. Attending the promotion ceremony were (left to right): Eddie Robinson, Assistant Fire Chief, Danny West, EMS Chief, Dean Floyd, Division Chief, Lt. Kevin Hamilton, Chad Arp, Cherokee County Fire Marshal, Sgt. Scott Tipton, Shane West, Field Operations Chief and Tim Prather Cherokee County Fire Chief. Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant at the Cherokee Training Center was Kevin L. Hamilton. Hamilton was hired as an Entry Level Firefighter on September 1, He became a Fire Apparatus Operator in March of 2010 and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in Scott Tipton was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Tipton was hired in November He became a Fire Apparatus Operator in Numerous firefighters, chiefs and family members attended the event. Refreshments were held afterwards in honor of those who were promoted. PHOTO AT LEFT - Chad Arp was promoted to Fire Marshal for Cherokee County.

Page 7 Volunteer Fire Department Transfers Ownership of Fire Station #32 to Cherokee County Representatives with the Board of Trustees of the former Hickory Flat Volunteer Fire Department transferred

At 4 o clock that afternoon, members of the board of the volunteer fire department met with Cherokee County Fire Chief, Tim Prather, at the station for brief ceremony.

7 Page 7 Volunteer Fire Department Transfers Ownership of Fire Station #32 to Cherokee County Representatives with the Board of Trustees of the former Hickory Flat Volunteer Fire Department transferred ownership of Fire Station 32, located at 3644 Sugar Pike Road, to Cherokee County on January 12th. At 4 o clock that afternoon, members of the board of the volunteer fire department met with Cherokee County Fire Chief, Tim Prather, at the station for brief ceremony. According to Jack Tuszynski, Vice President of the board, After careful thought and consideration by the Board of Trustees of the former Hickory Flat Volunteer Fire Department, currently the Hickory Flat Attending the transfer of Station #32 to Cherokee County were (left to Volunteer Fire Division of the right); Jack Tuszynski, Vice President of HFVFD, Tim Crossland, former Cherokee County Volunteers, Fire Chief of HFVFD, Tim Prather, Cherokee County Fire Chief, Larry acting in good faith as stewards of Berry, a charter member who served for 40 years until his retirement the community, we will be last year and Mark Cornelius, President of the HFVFD. transferring ownership of Station 32 and the parcel of property on which it rests to Cherokee County. Due to recent changes brought on by organizational restructuring and growth within the community and the area, the Hickory Flat Volunteer Fire Department determined that in order for the property to continue to serve as a fire station serving the residents within the Hickory Flat community as it has for decades, the transfer of ownership was necessary. According to Larry Berry, a former Chief of the Hickory Flat Volunteer Fire Department who had served for 40 years, Station 32 was placed in service in July of The first duty guys were hired based on the 1998 fire tax and started in March of The building is scheduled to be upgraded and/or replaced in the coming years, however, it will remain a fire station serving the community and residents. On the day it ceases to do so, ownership of the property will revert to the heirs of the original deeded property owner with which the agreement was made.

Page 8 Firefighters Meet With Georgia Governor Several Cherokee County firefighters attended the ribbon cutting ceremony that was held on February 21st at the new Adidas facility in Acworth.

Meeting with Governor Deal were (left to right) Lt. Justin Gilleland, Sgt. Mathew Hutcherson, Governor Deal, FAO Timothy Carter and Mathew Perry.

8 Page 8 Firefighters Meet With Georgia Governor Several Cherokee County firefighters attended the ribbon cutting ceremony that was held on February 21st at the new Adidas facility in Acworth. The more than 74,000 square foot building is located at the Cherokee 75 Corporate Park, located along Highway 92, near Acworth. The new facility will bring 160 new jobs to Cherokee County. Meeting with Governor Deal were (left to right) Lt. Justin Gilleland, Sgt. Mathew Hutcherson, Governor Deal, FAO Timothy Carter and Mathew Perry. At the conclusion of the ceremony, several firefighters from Cherokee County were able to meet with Georgia Governor, Nathan Deal, who was instrumental in bringing the company to Georgia. Cherokee County firefighters who met with Governor Deal were Lt. Justin Gilleland, Sgt. Mathew Hutcherson, FAO Timothy Carter and Mathew Perry. Safe Kids Cherokee Receives Grant Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services, Lead Agency for Safe Kids Cherokee County was awarded the 2018 Car Seat Mini-Grant by the Georgia Department of Public Health, Injury Prevention Program. Through the Mini-Grant, Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services and Safe Kids Cherokee County work together to provide car seats and education to financially eligible families in Cherokee County. This program is funded by the Governor s Office of Highway Safety to help ensure Georgia s children are safe while riding in motor vehicles. And it works! Since 2007, the education, car seats and booster seats provided through the Mini Grant prevented serious injury or death and saved 344 of Georgia s children who were involved in crashes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, car seats reduce fatal injuries by 71 percent among infants and by 54 percent among children ages 1 to 4 years in passenger cars. Car seats offer the best protection for children in the event of a crash, and they are most effective when installed and used correctly. Nearly three out of every four car seats are not used properly, placing children at unnecessary risk. It s our responsibility to keep our children safe, said Arp The Car Seat Mini-Grant is a great opportunity to help our community and help protect our children from serious injuries or death in motor vehicle crashes. In Cherokee County, Safe Kids Cherokee County s nationally certified car seat technicians educate parents and caregivers on how to properly install and use car seats, offer car seat inspections and provide car seats and booster seats to financially eligible families. For more information about the Cherokee County car seat program, contact Chad Arp Coalition Coordinator at or visit our website For more information, please contact the Georgia Department of Public Health s Child Occupant Safety Project via at injury@dph.ga.gov or by calling

The Fire Wire Cherokee County Office of Fire & Emergency Services

The Fire Wire Cherokee County Office of Fire & Emergency Services March - April Volume 15 - Issue 1 Running for a Great Cause Story on Page 4 Published bi-monthly by the Cherokee County Office of Fire