Towns County selected to receive federal emergency food and shelter funds

News
Towns County food - shelter

HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Towns County has been selected to receive $3143.84 to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the area. The selection was made by a national board which is chaired by the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The national board includes representatives from the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities USA, National Council of the Churches of Christ USA, Salvation Army, United Jewish Communities, and United Way of America. A board was charged to distribute funds appropiated by Congress to help expand the capacity of food and shelter programs in high-need regions throughout the country. The Emergency Food and Shelter Program began in 1983 with a $50 million federal appropriation.

A local board, consisting of several agencies and churches, will determine how the funds awarded to Towns County will be distributed among the emergency food and shelter programs operated by organizations in the area. The local board is responsible for recommending agencies to receive these funds and additional funds available under the program’s current phase. Under the terms of the grant from the national board, local organizations must be private, voluntary non-profits or units, have an accounting system, practice non-discrimination, demonstrate the capacity to deliver emergency food and shelter programs, and have a voluntary board if a private organization. Qualifying agencies only, rather than individuals, are urged to apply.

Towns County has previously distributed emergency food and shelter funds with Ninth District Opportunity along with other participating local agencies which were responsible for providing food and shelter for local individuals and families.

Public or private agencies interested in applying for the the programs funds must submit a request to: Brenda Dalin, Ninth District Opportunity, Inc. P.O. Drawer L, Gainesville, GA 30501

The deadline to apply is Aug. 2, 2019.

Towns County Fire & Rescue awarded $310K grant

News
Chief Harold Copeland

HIAWASSEE, Ga. – An equipment grant of nearly $310,000 was awarded to Towns County Fire and Rescue to purchase “air packs” for local firefighters, essential gear in the first responders’ arsenal. Towns County Fire Chief Harold Copeland announced that the department received the news from FEMA Friday, Sept. 13. Towns County will match approximately $15,000 to the federal grant, bringing the total amount to an estimated $325,000 in funding.

Firefighters breathe compressed air when using a self-contained breathing apparatus. The cylinder is filled with air using a filter system to obtain the cleanest supply possible. A mask attachment has what is called a “demand valve” which delivers air into the mask during inhalation.

Towns County Fire Department

Towns County Fire Station 1 in Hiawassee.

“It’s what we breathe through,” Copeland said. “It’s what we put on our backs, the harness and the bottles. Back in 2005, we got our first grant for that, then it was about $160,000 to $180,000. So no different than Fords, Chevys, pick-up trucks, then and now, the cost has nearly doubled. And that amount is literally nearly two-thirds of our operating budget.”

Chief Copeland explained that the containers holding the firefighters’ air supply can only be “hydrotested” three times, adding that the department had “already run out of that.”

Towns County Fire and Rescue consists of six stations, storing four air packs per engine for emergency use. “We’re estatic, elated, and very happy,” Copeland said in response to the grant.

Appreciation was expressed to David McDonald,Field Represenative for U.S. Congressman Doug Collns, for assistance in securing the grant. McDonald attended the Sept. 17 courthouse meeting where the funding approval was announced.

 

Feature Image: Towns County Fire Chief Harold Copeland

 

Additional Towns County news

Towns County adopts GEMA-FEMA approved hazard mitigation plan

News
Towns County EMA

HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Earlier this week, Towns County Sole Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw adopted a multi-jurisdiction hazard mitigation plan as approved by state and federal emergency management agencies.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), hazard mitigation is any action taken to reduce or eliminate long term risk to people and property from natural disasters.  Hazard mitigation planning is a process used by state, tribal, and local governments to identify risks and vulnerabilities associated with natural disasters and develop mitigation strategies to reduce or eliminate long term risks.

Towns County was awarded a $21,000 federal grant to fund the project. Additional grants were stated as available.

Towns County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Rickey Mathis was on hand to explain the program. Mathis imparted that the strategy is not a cookie-cutter template, rather the local emergency operation plan is designed specifically for Towns County, and focuses on the hazards most likely to occur within the immediate area.

Mathis stressed that personal preparation is of utmost importance. “Prepare your own self. Prepare your family,” the EMA director advised, explaining that while emergency crews are trained to identify and respond to widespread disaster, resources could become exhausted in the event of a catastrophe.

Information on emergency preparedness can be found at ready.gov

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet, attracting more than 300,000 page views and 3.5 million impressions per month in Towns, Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, and Murray counties, as well as Clay and Cherokee County in N.C. – FYNTV attracts approximately 15,000 viewers per week, reaching between 15,000 to 60,000 per week on our Facebook page. – For the most effective, least expensive local advertising, call 706-276-6397 or email us at [email protected]

 

POSTPONED: Trump to text Towns this Thursday

News

HIAWASSEE, Ga. – UPDATED: The national emergency test has been postponed until Wednesday, Oct. 3, due to Hurricane Florence’s impact to the eastern seaboard.

Many Towns County citizens are aware of the existence of the CodeRed alert system, designed to warn citizens in the event of a local emergency, but others may be unaware that a national notification program is in place.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that a text alert will be sent to celluar phones, nationwide, in order to test the efficency of the system. The mass message is scheduled to be delivered on Thursday, Sept. 20, at 2:18 p.m. The message will state that the text is a “Presidential Alert”, with phones blasting a jarring tone with unique vibrations.

Although the federal emergency alert system was adopted in 2012, this will be the first time it will serve under the direction of a president. Since the program’s inception, the service has transmitted over 36,000 messagess, ranging from Amber Alerts to extreme weather warnings.

The test will clarify that it is just that – a test – and no response is necessary. The alert strives to ensure that the notification system will operate correctly in the event of a national emergency.

Cellphone users are permitted to opt-out of Thursday’s test.

According to FEMA, the message will read, “THIS IS A TEST of the National Emergency Alert System. This system was developed by broadcast and cable operators in voluntary cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Communications Commission, and local authorities to keep you informed in the event of an emergency. If this had been an actual emergency, an official message would have followed the tone alert you heard at the start of this message. A similar wireless emergency alert test has been sent to all cell phones nationwide. Some cell phones will received the alert; others will not. No action is required.”

The wireless emergency alert system “shall not be used to transmit a message that does not relate to a natural disaster, act of terrorism, other man-made disaster, or threat to public safety,” according to regulations authorized by Congress.

In the event of a major weather event, the test will be postponed until Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018.

Local church hosts ‘Are You Ready?’ emergency preparedness courses

News, Upcoming Events

HIAWASSEE, Ga. – The Mountain Movers & Shakers held their regular weekly meeting at Sundance Grill on the morning of Friday, Jan. 12, 2017, and participants were treated to speaker Kimberly Miller, the coordinator for a local preparedness program aptly named “Are You Ready?”

Scheduled to begin tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 13, in the fellowship hall of Christ the King Anglican Church on Main Street in Hiawassee, the course is formatted to provide the community with the information necessary to withstand emergency situations. A total of nine courses will be offered, free of charge. Citizens of all ages are invited to attend.

“We are neighbors helping neighbors,” Kimberly Miller said as she explained several different situations that could adversely affect the community. Issues ranging from income loss due to the economy, weather events, or tragedies of a grander scale, such as an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack, were brought to the group’s attention.

Miller says the plan to produce the program surfaced after much prayer to seek God’s guidance.

Kimberly miller hiawassee

Kimberly Miller, coordinator of the preparedness program.

The first class will be presented by recently retired Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Captain Joe Hughart, a current professor at the University of North Georgia. Hughart will instruct a two-hour course on what to expect should area residents require government assistance due to natural or man-made disasters.

Subsequent courses will be held every other Saturday, the final lesson taking place on April 28. Each class will begin at 10 a.m., ending at noon.

Included in the syllabus is a review of essentials each individual and household requires in order to prepare for emergency conditions. Kimberly Miller will pair those who are new to prepping with a mentor during the second class on Jan. 27. Participants are encouraged to bring their personal “bug out” survival kits along if one has been created.

Future lessons including healthcare, essential oils for medicinal use, food preparation, such as bread making and dehydration measures, small-space gardening, and self-defense are listed as topics of instruction, each taught by individuals proficient in the scheduled subject.

First-aid skills will be offered during an extended April 14 class, held between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. This course will also provide information on emergency communications as well as improvements that can be made to neighborhood watch programs. Lunch will be served with reservations requested by Thursday, April 12.

To reserve a space, acquire a schedule, or receive additional information, contact Coordinator Kimberly Miller at [email protected] or Communications Coordinator Diane Hamilton at [email protected].

Christ the King church asks participants to kindly park at Cochran Funeral Home if church space is limited, rather than in front of neighboring businesses.

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that attracts more than 300,000 page views and 3.5 million impressions per month in Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns, and Murray counties, as well as Cherokee County in N.C. – FYNTV attracts approximately 15,000 viewers per week and reaches between 15,000 to 60,000 per week on our Facebook page. – For the most effective, least expensive local advertising, call 706-276-6397 or email us at [email protected]

 

Update on Hurricane Irma Cleanup and Relief Efforts

State & National

ATLANTA (September 18, 2017) | On Thursday, September 14, 2017, Senator Steve Gooch (R – Dahlonega)  joined Governor Nathan Deal, local elected officials and first responders for a press conference in Habersham County  to address Hurricane Irma cleanup and relief efforts.

“First and foremost, I would like to extend my gratitude to the first responders and volunteers who are helping the ongoing recovery efforts in our local communities and throughout the state,” said Sen. Gooch. “It is an honor to join Governor Deal, our local elected officials, first responders and citizens in any and all efforts to get our state back up and running. Our citizens are resilient and I am confident that by working together, we can help those in need and rebuilt each and every community that was impacted. It was very uplifting to witness the outpour of assistance from the hundreds of employees of utility companies from all over the United States.”

On Monday, September 11, 2017, Hurricane Irma made landfall in Georgia leaving around 1 million citizens without power. The impact from Irma was felt from the coastal plains to the north Georgia mountains. The state of Georgia saw unprecedented damage caused by the tropical storm force winds that reached more than 400 miles from the storm’s center. Relief efforts are ongoing and first responders, power companies, state agencies, volunteers and citizens are working around the clock to rebuild and restore power.

Governor Deal and the federal government responded quickly and declared a state of emergency in Georgia so that funds could be appropriated to help with the financial burden of the storm. Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA) is coordinating their efforts with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), state agencies and local authorities to ensure recovery, rebuilding and cleanup is completed in the most efficient and cost effective manner.

Additional information can be found on the GEMA and FEMA websites:

http://www.gema.ga.gov/Pages/default.aspx

https://www.fema.gov/

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