Former fire chief says 24-hour department eventually needed

UPDATED

HIAWASSEE, Ga. – David Sellers, a former fire chief with Towns County Fire & Rescue, presented the history of the local fire department this week at the Towns County Courthouse, wrapping up the discussion with closing words for the public.

“We have full-time firefighters in Young Harris and Hiawassee, and they’re there for the day, Monday through Friday,” Sellers said. “But then on the weekends and at nighttime, the firefighters have to get up out of their beds, get their clothes on, get in their car, get to the fire station, and get a truck out and hope that some other firefighters are going to show up – which they will. But what we need eventually is full-time firefighters, 24-hours every single day so that there’s somebody there to bring that truck out whether it’s rescue or fire. So let’s hope the county can work on that, and one day we’ll have that soon.”

Sellers served as a firefighter for the City of Young Harris in the 1980s, which later incorporated the City of Hiawassee through a mutual aid contract. Towns County Fire Department was formed in 1985 with Sellers appointed as chief by former Commissioner Truman Barrett. Present-day Fire Chief Harold Copeland initially served as Sellers’ assistant chief. Copeland attended the courthouse presentation.

Click to view Towns County Fire & Rescue Activity Reports

Towns County Fire and Rescue consists of six fire stations strategically located throughout the jurisdiction. Volunteer firefighters are primarily assigned to the station located nearest their residence, paid-on-call in the event of emergencies. Volunteer firefighters are registered with the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council and must complete a live-fire training requirement to become Registered Volunteer Firefighters.

 

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