Highlands Fire and Rescue

10/04/2026

Press release: MVA

At approximately 1:11 p.m. today, Highlands Fire and Rescue was dispatched to 14901 Highlands Road for a reported head-on motor vehicle accident, with one person lying in the roadway and another person trapped inside a vehicle. Upon arrival, crews found that all occupants were out of the vehicles. Firefighters immediately began assessing the scene and determining the number of patients. Two patients were identified as needing medical attention, and crews promptly initiated patient care. Both patients sustained significant injuries and were transported to appropriate medical facilities for further treatment. Highlands Road remained closed for an extended period while emergency crews worked at the scene and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol conducted its investigation. We appreciate the public’s patience and cooperation while emergency personnel worked to assist those involved and ensure the scene was handled safely. We would like to thank Macon County EMS, Highlands police department, Macon county squad 4, Macon County - NC Sheriff's Office, Macon County North Carolina 911 for all of the assistance today!

09/19/2026

Press release: MVA

Highlands Fire and Rescue was dispatched to Bridal Veil Falls for a reported vehicle over an embankment with unknown injuries and unknown entrapment. Upon arrival, crews located a vehicle that had traveled over the embankment and come to rest at the bottom of the falls. One patient was found trapped inside the vehicle. Crews quickly stabilized the vehicle and began patient care and extrication operations. Firefighters worked alongside our EMS and law enforcement partners to safely remove the patient from the vehicle and transfer care to EMS. We would like to thank Macon County EMS, Macon County Squad 4, Highlands Police Department, Macon County North Carolina 911, and Macon County - NC Sheriff's Office for their assistance and teamwork during today’s incident.

09/11/2026

This morning, Highlands Fire and Rescue, along with the Highlands Police Department, gathered for a ceremony to honor and remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001.

Twenty-five years later, we continue to remember the 2,977 innocent people who lost their lives that day, including 343 members of the FDNY, 37 Port Authority Police officers, and 23 NYPD officers who made the ultimate sacrifice while responding to the attacks.

We remember the moments that forever changed our nation:

8:46 a.m. — American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

9:03 a.m. — United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower.

9:37 a.m. — American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon.

9:59 a.m. — The South Tower collapsed.

10:03 a.m. — United Airlines Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew fought back against the hijackers.

10:28 a.m. — The North Tower collapsed.

Today, we remember the victims, honor the survivors, and pay tribute to the firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMS providers, and countless civilians who ran toward danger to help others.

We would like to sincerely thank everyone who came out this morning to stand with us, remember those we lost, and ensure that the sacrifices of September 11, 2001, are never forgotten.

We remember. We honor. We will never forget. 🇺🇸

08/20/2026

08/20/2026

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Michael Chastain of Sky Valley–Scaly Mountain Fire Department for organizing a multi-company training Tuesday evening. We would also like to thank Doc Wilson of Wilson Gas Company (Sheryl-Dennis Wilson) for taking the time to work with our crews and provide valuable instruction on propane, propane emergencies, and the hazards associated with them. Training opportunities like this help our departments better prepare for emergencies and provide safer, more effective responses to our communities. We greatly appreciate everyone who took the time to participate and share their knowledge. Rabun county station 8, SKY VALLEY-SCALY MOUNTAIN VOLUNTEER FIRE & RESCUE,

08/19/2026

At approximately 9:58 p.m. on August 17th, Highlands Fire and Rescue, along with multiple mutual aid agencies, were dispatched to Arnold Road in reference to a commercial structure fire. Upon arrival at 10:03 pm crews reported a working structure fire with heavy fire involvement throughout approximately half of the building, at this time command on scene requested more tankers and man power. Firefighters immediately began operations to contain and extinguish the fire, working diligently throughout the night to bring the incident under control. Crews remained on scene throughout the night, and most of the day on August 18th to conduct overhaul operations and to ensure the fire was extinguished. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. We would like to thank Cashiers-Glenville Volunteer Fire Department, Cullasaja Gorge Fire and Rescue, SKY VALLEY-SCALY MOUNTAIN VOLUNTEER FIRE & RESCUE, Rabun county station 8, Franklin Fire - Rescue, OTTO FIRE AND RESCUE, Macon County EMS, and Macon County North Carolina 911 for all of the help!

08/11/2026

Today at approximately 1 pm Highlands Fire and Rescue, along with Glenville-Cashiers Rescue Squad, was dispatched to Whiteside Mountain in reference to a hiker requiring assistance. Upon arrival, crews quickly made contact with the hiker and worked alongside Glenville-Cashiers Rescue to safely assist them off the trail. Once the hiker was brought to a safe location, care was transferred to Glenville-Cashiers paramedics for continued evaluation and treatment.We would like to thank Glenville-Cashiers Rescue for the continued partnership between our agencies!

08/09/2026

Press release : MVA

Today at approximately 2:55 p.m., Highlands Fire and Rescue was dispatched to Buck Creek Road in reference to an iPhone crash notification. Upon arrival, units located a vehicle that had traveled over an embankment and come to rest on its roof, with one occupant trapped inside. Crews immediately began working to safely extricate the patient from the vehicle. The patient sustained minor injuries and was successfully extricated before being turned over to Macon EMS for transport.We would like to thank all responding agencies for their assistance and cooperation on scene.

08/08/2026

First and foremost, we want to extend a big thank you to everyone who came out to support our Annual Open House today! We had a fantastic time spending the day with our community, from showcasing our rescue demonstrations to giving fire truck rides and sharing what we do with the people we proudly serve. We hope everyone who joined us had just as much fun as we did! Thank you for making this year’s Open House such a great success. We truly appreciate the continued support of our community!

08/04/2026

Come on August 29th and learn lifesaving skills and to have confidence in real-world emergencies.
The link below will take you to the sign up sheet!
149 Franklin rd.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf9xoJ8NShs_kAGDjoud6pV9hlWQqhrp3glmRloeDj53KXdww/viewform