Habersham County Emergency Services

10/23/2026

👻 A little candy, lots of smiles, and plenty of Halloween fun! 🎃

Habersham County Emergency Services had a great time at last night’s E-911 Children’s Fun Fest! Our team enjoyed seeing everyone’s costumes, passing out treats, and making memories with some of our youngest community members.

We’re grateful for opportunities like these to connect with our community and share a little fun outside of our day-to-day duties.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy Halloween from your friends at Habersham County Emergency Services! 🧡🖤

10/22/2026

BIG NEWS FOR HABERSHAM COUNTY!

Habersham County Emergency Services is getting a major upgrade!

Thanks to a $500,000 federal grant from FEMA and a $100,000 contribution from Georgia Power, our Emergency Services team will be able to purchase 10 new LIFEPAK 35 cardiac monitors to help provide lifesaving care to our community.

These state-of-the-art monitors will replace aging equipment, giving our paramedics access to updated technology to assess and treat patients during critical medical emergencies. They can also transmit important patient information directly to hospital emergency departments, helping medical teams prepare for incoming patients.

Even better, Georgia Power’s contribution will cover the required local grant match and associated grant-writing fees, allowing the county to secure this important equipment without using local taxpayer funds for the match.

We are grateful for this funding partnership and the investment it represents in the health and safety of our residents!

10/20/2026

🍂🔥 SAFETY TIP TUESDAY | BEFORE YOU LIGHT THAT BURN PILE… KNOW THE RULES! 🔥🍂

🚨 One small burn pile can quickly turn into a big problem!

It's fall in Northeast Georgia, and many residents are cleaning up leaves, limbs, and yard debris. But before you strike that match, make sure you're burning safely and following Habersham County's requirements.

This week's SAFETY TIP TUESDAY focuses on Fall Leaf Burning Safety and how we can work together to prevent outdoor fires from getting out of control.

🔥 KNOW BEFORE YOU BURN!

✅ GET A BURN PERMIT: Habersham County requires permits for most outdoor fires. Permits are available seven days a week, subject to burning restrictions.
💻 Apply online: www.georgiaburnpermits.com
📞 Need assistance? Call 706-839-0570.
Have your name, address, phone number, who will supervise the fire, and what you're burning ready.
📏 KEEP YOUR PILES SMALL: Residential vegetation piles must not exceed 6 feet in diameter and 2 feet high. No more than two piles may burn at once.
🏠 KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE: Maintain at least 50 feet from structures, 25 feet from wooded areas, and 25 feet from neighboring property lines.
⏰ WATCH THE CLOCK: Burning is permitted from sunrise until one hour before sunset, subject to current restrictions. Make sure your fire is completely extinguished before the deadline.
🍃 BURN ONLY APPROVED MATERIALS: Natural vegetation such as leaves, limbs, and grass clippings. Never burn household garbage, plastics, tires, treated wood, or construction debris.
💧 NEVER LEAVE A FIRE UNATTENDED: A responsible person age 16 or older must remain with the fire. Keep a charged garden hose and a rake or shovel nearby.
🌬️ CHECK THE WEATHER: Windy or dry conditions can cause a small fire to spread quickly. When conditions aren't safe, don't burn!
⚠️ IMPORTANT: A burn permit does not give permission to burn during prohibited conditions. Residents within certain city limits may have different permit contacts or requirements.
📲 For complete Habersham County burning requirements, visit:
https://www.habershamga.com/burnpermit.cfm

🚒 OUR GOAL IS PREVENTION, NOT RESPONSE!

Every outdoor fire has the potential to become an emergency. Taking a few extra minutes to prepare can help protect your home, your neighbors, our firefighters, and the entire community.

🔥 BURN SMART. BURN SAFE. KEEP HABERSHAM SAFE! 🔥

Questions about fire prevention or life safety?
Lt. Jeff Parker
Fire Protection Coordinator
Habersham County Emergency Services
📞 Office: (706) 839-0599
📧 [email protected]

Safe People. Stronger Communities.

10/13/2026

🔥🏠 DON’T LET STAYING WARM TURN INTO A HOUSE FIRE. 🏠🔥

As temperatures begin to drop, space heaters, fireplaces, and other heating equipment start coming back into use. Before you turn on the heat, take a few minutes to make sure your home is ready.

This week’s Safety Tip Tuesday is about Home Heating Safety and a few simple precautions that can help prevent a fire.

🔥 Keep a 3-foot safety zone around space heaters and other heating equipment. Keep furniture, bedding, curtains, clothing, and anything else that can burn away.
🔌 Plug space heaters directly into a wall outlet. Never use an extension cord or power strip.
🏠 Use heaters safely. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and choose heaters with automatic shut-off and tip-over protection.
🪵 Have fireplaces and chimneys inspected and cleaned regularly. Keep the area around the fireplace clear and use a sturdy screen.
🚨 Make sure your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are working. Those few seconds of early warning can save lives.
⛽ Use and store fuels safely. Never use gasoline or other inappropriate fuels to start a fire and keep flammable liquids outside the home in approved containers.
Heating equipment keeps us comfortable—but it also needs to be treated with respect. A few safe habits today could prevent a devastating fire tomorrow.
🔥 Stay Warm. Stay Safe. Prevent Fires.

Have a fire or life-safety question? Contact:
Lt. Jeff Parker
Fire Protection Coordinator
Habersham County Emergency Services
📞 Office: (706) 839-0599
✉️ [email protected]

Safe People. Stronger Communities.

10/09/2026

🚒🔥 473 Students. One Important Mission. FIRE SAFETY! 🔥🚒

Fire safety starts at home, and it starts with education!

Habersham County Emergency Services had a great time visiting Fairview Elementary School for Enrichment Friday! We had the opportunity to teach 473 students important home fire safety and prevention skills that could one day save their lives.

🏠 Our Home Fire Safety lessons included:

📍 Know Your Information – Memorize your home address and your parents’ phone numbers so you can get help during an emergency.

🚨 Smoke Alarms Save Lives – Test smoke alarms monthly, replace batteries annually when applicable, and replace smoke alarms when they reach 10 years old.

🚪 Close Before You Doze – Sleep with bedroom doors closed to help slow the spread of smoke, heat, and fire.

🏃 Know 2 Ways Out – Identify two ways out of every room in your home.

🏡 Have a Home Fire Escape Plan – Practice your escape plan with your family and establish a safe meeting place outside.

🔥 Get Low and Go! – If there’s smoke, stay low and get outside quickly. Once you’re out, stay out!

👏 A BIG THANK YOU to Fairview Elementary School for inviting us to be part of Enrichment Friday! We appreciate the opportunity to work with these students and help build a safer community.

❤️ Our goal is simple: Teach children today the lifesaving skills they may need tomorrow.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 PARENTS: Here’s your homework! Ask your child what they learned today, test your smoke alarms together, and practice your family’s home fire escape plan this weekend!

Habersham County Emergency Services:
Protecting Habersham Through Prevention and Education.

10/09/2026

📢 Stay Informed, Habersham County

Habersham County's new Emergency Alert System is live. Get real-time notifications about severe weather, road closures, and other emergencies, sent straight to your phone, email, or SMS.

✅ New here? Sign up in under two minutes: https://habersham.sircom.org/subscribe

🔄 Already registered? Update your info: https://habersham.sircom.org/account

🌐 See what's happening now: https://habersham.sircom.org/feed

Choose the alerts you want and how you want to get them. When seconds count, being signed up makes the difference.

10/06/2026

🔥⚡ SAFETY TIP TUESDAY | FIRE PREVENTION WEEK ⚡🔥

This week is Fire Prevention Week, and this year’s message focuses on something most of us use every single day, lithium-ion batteries.

🔋 Charge Into Fire Safety™: Safe Charging Is a Superpower™

Phones, tablets, laptops, power tools, e-bikes, scooters, and many other devices rely on lithium-ion batteries. When used and charged properly, they are convenient and safe. But damaged batteries, improper chargers, or unsafe charging practices can create a serious fire hazard.

A few simple habits can make a big difference:
⚡ Use the charger and cord designed or approved for your device.
🏠 Charge devices on a hard, flat surface—not beds, couches, or pillows.
🔌 Unplug devices when they are fully charged.
🚲 Use extra care when charging larger batteries such as e-bikes and scooters.
⚠️ Stop using a battery if it becomes unusually hot, swells, leaks, smells strange, smokes, or makes popping or hissing sounds.
✅ Choose devices, batteries, and chargers that are listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.

This Fire Prevention Week, talk with your family about battery safety and take a look around your home at where and how your devices are being charged.

Safe charging really can be a superpower. ⚡🦸

Have a fire or life-safety question? Contact:
Lt. Jeff Parker
Fire Protection Coordinator
Habersham County Emergency Services
📞 Office: (706) 839-0599
✉️ [email protected]

Safe People. Stronger Communities.

09/29/2026

🔥 SAFETY TIP TUESDAY: COOKING WITH CARE 🔥

This week’s Safety Tip Tuesday from Habersham County Emergency Services focuses on preventing cooking fires in the home.

The kitchen is one of the busiest places in our homes, and a few simple habits can make a big difference in preventing fires and burn injuries.

🍳 Stay in the kitchen while cooking.
⏱️ Set a timer so food is never forgotten.
👧 Keep children and pets at least 3 feet away from the cooking area.
🔥 Keep stovetops and cooking surfaces free of grease and clutter.
🧤 Turn pot handles inward and use dry potholders.
💧 Never use water on a grease fire. If it is safe to do so, slide a lid over the pan and turn off the heat.
🧯 Be prepared. Know what to do before an emergency happens.

Most cooking fires are preventable. Cook smart, stay alert, and help us keep Habersham County safe.

Have a fire or life-safety question? Contact:
Lt. Jeff Parker
Fire Protection Coordinator
Habersham County Emergency Services
📞 Office: (706) 839-0599
✉️ [email protected]

Safe People. Stronger Communities.

09/23/2026

09/22/2026

We are proud to celebrate several members of Habersham County Emergency Services who were recognized at the 2026 Region 2 EMS Awards Ceremony!

EMS professionals from across North Georgia gathered at Piedmont University in Demorest to recognize excellence in emergency medical services throughout the 13-county Region 2.

Congratulations to our 2026 Habersham County recipients:

• Dr. Gary Kempler “Trauma Call of the Year” Award: Lindsay Haynes and Katrina Mauldin, recognized for their courage, teamwork and advanced trauma care while treating and rapidly evacuating a critically injured patient during a challenging and volatile scene.

• Dr. David Westfall “Medical Call of the Year” Award: Joshua Eaton, Jayden Magante, Cameron Lucas and Steven Ellis, the Station 9 crew was honored for their lifesaving response to a patient who suffered cardiac arrest at the station. Their efforts successfully restored the patient’s pulse and continued advanced care through transport.

• Randall W. Townley “Pioneer” Award: James “Jimmy” Yon
Honored for decades of dedicated service to Habersham County and Tallulah Falls, along with his continued commitment to his coworkers and the community.

We are incredibly proud of these individuals and the dedication they demonstrate every day. Their professionalism, courage and commitment to serving others are a reflection of the very best of Habersham County Emergency Services.

Congratulations to all of our Region 2 EMS Award recipients!