Incidents stretch White County personnel

CLEVELAND - It was a wild start to the weekend for White County fire, law enforcement and medical personnel.

White County Public Safety Director David Murphy said the marathon of activities began Friday morning when White County Fire units provided automatic aid to Cleveland Fire Department at a residential fire at 63 Charles Drive. That fire was contained to the stove pipe at the residence.

Friday Afternoon at 5:13, White County fire units responded to a fire call at Hogan Lumber Co., on Holiness Campground Road.

"A large, motorized piece of equipment was on fire with exposures to the building," Murphy said.

When firefighters arrived, they found a loader on fire and quickly extinguished the blaze.

According to Murphy, lumber company employees had removed the loader from inside the building prior to fire units arriving.

At about the same time of the fire at Hogan Lumber Co., the 9-1-1 center received a call about a large commercial vehicle that had overturned on Highway 115 west of Cleveland and the vehicle had begun leaking fuel.
Murphy said one person suffered minor injuries in that accident. The Georgia State Patrol investigated that incident.

Around 9:50 p.m., firefighters were dispatched to a motorcycle accident, with a report of two injuries, at the intersection of Cooley Woods Road and Post Road. One patient was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center. That wreck resulted from a Georgia State Patrol pursuit (see related story).

Then, just after midnight, a single-vehicle accident was reported on Highway 115 East near Shenandoah Drive. County fire personnel, with automatic aid from Cleveland Fire Department, responded.

Four people were injured in that accident. Murphy said two White County ambulances, with mutual aid from Habersham County and a medical helicopter, were used to transport patients. The Georgia State Patrol also investigated that accident and details are forthcoming.

The action didn't stop there. Shortly after midnight, Hall County officials requested mutual aid assistance from White County Fire Department to help with providing water to battle a residential fire.

At about the same time, White County Units were called to help with another residential fire in Hall County.

With so many units and personnel helping Hall County, Murphy said they had to move units and personnel from other stations to cover the county adequately.

"A total of 12 calls with six different fire stations responded to all the calls, keeping firefighters busy during the day Friday and into the early-morning hours Saturday," Murphy said.

The final unit retuned to station at 7:53 a.m. Saturday.


Murphy extended his thanks and appreciation to the dedicated firefighters, men and women, in White County who volunteer their time to assist those in need.