Brandon Walls appointed to lead Towns County Emergency Management Agency
News June 19, 2019
HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw formally announced the appointment of Towns County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Brandon Walls at the courthouse, Tuesday, June 18, describing Walls as a ‘great fit” and a “great asset to Towns County.” Commissioner Bradshaw cited a lengthy list of credentials that Walls has achieved to a host of citizens in attendance. Walls, who served as a deputy director within the emergency division, fills the vacated position of recently retired Rickey Mathis.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), emergency management seeks to promote safer, less vulnerable communities with the capacity to cope with numerous hazards and disasters.
“My public safety career has provided me with a great deal of training and hands on experience in multiple environments,” Walls previously stated. “I traveled around the state, responding to and operating in many different incidents of widely varying types and scales. These assignments allowed me to gain experience at the field operations level and in management positions. I also developed working relationships with local, state, and federal agencies and gained an understanding of incident response and management protocols, procedures, and administration. Thoughout my career, I have studied and operated in multiple public safety disciplines.”
Walls served with the Georgia State Guard, begining his career with Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources game management division as a law enforcement officer, while pursuing an education in emergency medicine. Walls serves as a paramedic and firefighter in Towns County, and as a paramedic in Cherokee County, NC. Walls holds a range of certifications in search and rescue, advanced cardiac, trauma, and pediatric life support, in addition to tactical emergency casualty care qualifications.
“I wish to continue serving our hometown by building upon the great work already in place, expanding current programs, and leading the agency into the future as Towns County’s next EMA director,” Walls said.
Feature Image: EMA Director Brandon Walls (left) with Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw
EMA Director Rickey Mathis retires after 42 years of service
News May 22, 2019HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Emotion ran high at the courthouse Tuesday, May 21, as Towns County bid farewell to Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Rickey Mathis after 42 years of dedicated service. Towns County Sole Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw was noticeably saddened as he presented a commemorative plaque to the county’s first paramedic. Mathis also served as a coroner for Towns County.
Mathis was joined by Towns County EMA Deputy Director Brandon Walls, Towns County 911 Director Marty Roberts, and Towns County Fire Chief Harold Copeland as he humbly accepted the retirement honor, looked upon with pride by family and friends.
“Towns County owes him,” Commissioner Bradshaw said, describing Mathis as faithful and filled with integrity. “We’re very thankful for Rickey.”
Mathis said that he couldn’t have done the job he did without the men standing behind him as he accepted the distinguished plaque, referring to Walls, Roberts, and Copeland.
Towns County awarded insurance discount, saving taxpayers thousands
News December 5, 2018
HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Towns County qualified for an additional 7.5 percent discount on its workers’ compensation contribution, providing taxpayers with a supplementary savings of $16,000-$18,000, thanks to the effort of Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Rickey Mathis, says the sole county commissioner.
Towns County Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw praised the EMA director during a meeting with FYN on Monday, Dec. 3. Mathis was not in attendance.
“Rickey worked very hard to get this, and it’s appreciated,” Bradshaw told FYN.
Mathis collected and submitted the extensive property and liability data necessary, racing the clock to to meet the requirements for the county’s ACCG workers’ compensation safety discount, whereas Bradshaw seeks to provide the most bang for the taxpayers’ buck at every given turn.
In an email provided to FYN by Commissioner Bradshaw, ACCG Director of Property and Liability Insurance David Uhlman added that the Board of Trustees approved a 6.9 percent rate decrease for 2019. “Due to some positive loss experience in Towns County, you were already going to receive a 14.52 percent reduction over last year’s contribution. The safety discount will, of course, mean that your contribution decrease is even greater,” Ulman wrote.
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Area responders urge residents to prepare for rounds of rain
News February 17, 2019HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Meteorologists are forecasting a heavy amount of rainfall to descend on the north Georgia and western North Carolina mountains throughout the coming week, warning that possible flash flooding may occur in prone locations. According to the National Weather Service, a total of 5 to 7 inches of rain is expected in the region with the potential of 10 inches of localized precipitation possible.
North Carolina forecast by WNC Weather
Area first responders urge residents to remain aware of current conditions as rainfall amounts accumulate.
Towns County Emergency Management Agency encourages citizens to register with the CodeRED call-text alert system, an automated program that notifies residents of impending concern.
“We are aware of the potential of this storm impact over the next several days,” Towns County EMA Director Rickey Mathis explained to FYN this morning. “I have spoken to the Area 1 GEMA field coordinator as well as the chapter chairman of the Red Cross. If needed, we will open a comfort station for those that may need to evacuate. The situation that is most concerning is a heavy rain 1-2 inches in a short period of time. With the ground saturation, it just runs off. Subscribing to the CodeRED alert system is a great way to get local information, and a great way for us to quickly alert the citizens as well as social media and FYN.”
Residents can subscribe for CodeRED alerts at http://www.townscountyga.org/emergency-alert-system.html
Hiwassee Dam Fire Department is ready should conditions warrant an emergency response. “Our swift water response team is prepared. If you live in flood prone areas, stay alert,” the Murphy, NC department advised. “Monitor the streams as well as NOAA radio. Be prepared to evacuate. The forecast is still not set in stone, but we have seen predictions for anywhere from 6 to 12 inches of rain through Friday. The ground is saturated and the streams are already above normal flow.”
Emergency crews in Towns County, GA, Clay County, NC, and surrounding areas are additionally trained in swift water rescue.
Follow FYN for weather-related updates in our area of coverage.
Fetch Your News is a local now-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 on our Facebook page.
Hurricane Irma Evacuees Seek Higher Ground
News September 7, 2017
Hiawassee, GA – Towns County is beginning to feel the impact of Hurricane Irma, one of the most powerful Atlantic storms in recorded history, as residents in the projected path head toward higher ground.
Southern Florida expects to begin experiencing the hurricane’s wrath as early as Saturday morning. Where the storm will make landfall isn’t certain, but residents from southeastern states are taking the threat to heart.
As mandatory evacuations continue in coastal regions, Hurricane Irma has the potential to create gridlock in Florida as evacuees attempt to travel north. There are reports of gas shortages throughout the Sunshine state.
“Do not wait for this storm to come,” Florida Governor Rick Scott said. “Get out now.”
Hurricane Irma’s projected path via weather.com
Gabriel Chastain, an assistant manager at the Holiday Inn in Hiawassee, says the hotel has seen a sharp increase in reservations due to Hurricane Irma’s approach. Chastain says rooms are nearly sold out for the coming week, mainly filled with residents from Florida and southern Georgia.
Local stores and gas stations are seeing a spike in sales as citizens prepare for the storm.
Hurricane Irma, a German name meaning “war goddess”
Joan Truman, a retired elementary school teacher from Florida’s east central coast, decided it was best to heed warnings and evacuate her home state. “I’ve rode out hurricanes [in Florida] before, but this one made me especially antsy. We thought it was best to pack up and visit our son in Hiawassee until Irma had passed. After seeing the footage from Texas when Hurricane Harvey hit, it’s better to be safe than forever sorry. The higher the altitude, the safer I feel,” the soft spoken lady tells Fetch Your News.
Towns County’s Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Rickey Mathis says northern Georgia is subject to heavy rainfall, strong winds, potential flooding, and fallen debris if Hurricane Irma impacts the state. Director Mathis says he received a call from the Department of Agriculture, inquiring about pet friendly shelters, but he isn’t aware of specific weather warnings for Towns County at this time. Director Mathis was also notified of a request for available personnel to assist with efforts in Florida should the hurricane prove to be as destructive as predicted by forecasters.
“We’re waiting and watching the entire situation closely,” EMA Director Mathis says.
Towns County EMA maintains communication with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), and assures Fetch Your News that necessary updates will be provided on county developments as the storm draws near.
“Though it’s too soon to tell just how Hurricane Irma will impact Georgia, we are urging everyone to take steps to prepare now,” said GEMA/Homeland Security Director Homer Bryson. “We will keep the public updated with new information, but we encourage Georgians to ensure their plans are in place.”
For information on how to prepare, visit http://ready.ga.gov/
Follow Fetch Your News for local updates as we continue to track Hurricane Irma’s path.
September: National Preparedness Month
News, Press Release September 3, 2017
Towns County, GA – September is National Preparedness Month and Towns County government, along with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) and Homeland Security, encourage residents to prepare for unexpected situations in advance.
Towns County, along with a nationwide coalition of thousands of private, public, and nonprofit organizations, will host local events and initiatives designed to motivate people to take the necessary steps to ensure their homes, workplaces and communities are prepared for disasters and emergencies.
“National Preparedness Month is a perfect opportunity for people to evaluate their emergency plan, and if they don’t have one, to make one,” says Rickey Mathis, Director of Towns County Emergency Management Agency.
Residents can learn how to prepare and stay informed in the event of natural or man-made disasters by visiting ready.ga.gov.
By creating a Ready Profile, Georgians can construct a tailor-made plan for their families which will include the specific amount of supplies necessary for household Ready kits.
In addition, the Ready Georgia mobile app provides preparedness information on the go.
