Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services

Cherokee County Firefighter, Eddie Barajas, was promoted last Thursday night at the Cherokee County Fire Training Complex, located just south of Holly Springs. After a brief welcome from Cherokee County Fire Chief, Tim Prather, Barajas was asked to come forward to receive his promotion warrant. Barajas, surrounded by family and numerous firefighters, was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Since becoming a firefighter, Barajas has become a Smoke Diver and has completed the Fla...mes course, too. He has also completed his training to become a Paramedic. Barajas, who came to the fire department in 2015, lives in Douglas County with his wife, Dalis. Refreshments were held afterwards in honor Barajas’ promotion. Congratulations to Eddie Barajas for being promoted to Sergeant

Smoke and flames poured from the burn building at the Cherokee County Fire Training Facility as the latest group of fire recruits spent Monday getting hands-on experience. With full turnout gear and self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBA) on, fire recruits got their first experience with live fire. The fire recruits got to experience the different stages of fire which include: 1. Ignition: Fuel, oxygen and heat join together in a sustained chemical reaction. At this stag...e, a fire extinguisher can control the fire. 2. Growth: With the initial flame as a heat source, additional fuel ignites. Convection and radiation ignite more surfaces. The size of the fire increases and the plume reaches the ceiling. Hot gases collecting at the ceiling transfer heat, allowing all fuels in a room to come closer to their ignition temperature at the same time. 3. Fully developed: Fire has spread over much if not all the available fuel; temperatures reach their peak, resulting in heat damage. Oxygen is consumed rapidly. 4. Decay (Burnout): The fire consumes available fuel, temperatures decrease, fire gets less intense. Live fire training can reduce the number of injuries and deaths of firefighters and civilians. Plus, it can help to reduce property damage, too. Fire recruits will have numerous hours of live fire training before they graduate from firefighter recruit school next year.

Twenty-eight new recruits started the second phase of fire training this past Monday at the Cherokee County Fire Training Center located on Highway 5, just south of Holly Springs. The 28 recruits started recruit school on June 15th. Half of the students went through EMT school, while the other half went through fire training. After the 20 weeks of training, the students switched to the other component of the course for an additional 20 weeks of training. After the 40 weeks... of training, the students will then become certified firefighters and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). The EMT students will go through firefighter training and will have comprehensive classroom instruction, plus training in firefighting techniques and equipment use. The EMT class will learn how to assess the patient's condition, performing CPR, dealing with blood loss, administering bandages, managing respiratory problems, first response treatment for common injuries and emergency childbirth. Once the recruits complete the class, the will be EMT Advanced. The advanced EMT or AEMT is the new mid-level EMS provider that has been introduced at the national level according to the new national EMS scope of practice model. According to Lead Training Instructor, Robbie Kennedy, Once the recruits finish this phase of the training, they will graduate on March 19th, 2021 as the latest group of firefighters.

After being in the lead for several weeks, Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services is now in second place in the Give Burns the Boot drive this year. Give Burns the Boot is an annual fundraising initiative, in which more than 100 fire departments throughout Georgia join together and collect funds to benefit the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation's mission and programs. Due to COVID-19, this year we're giving burns the "virtual" boot! Currently, Cherokee County has raised... $6,217 for this awesome cause. However, Hall County Fire Department recently surpassed our amount and has currently raised $8,245. That’s over $2,000 more than Cherokee County. Support Cherokee County firefighters and the community by donating to our team. The process is fast, easy, and secure... and you can be sure that it will benefit a great cause! 10% of all our individual donations will be credited to us for fire education and prevention in our community. Through supporting our department, you are truly making a difference! To donate, just go to this link: www.giveburnstheboot.org . Please be sure to put Cherokee County in the box where it says Would you like to credit this donation to a specific fundraiser or team (optional)? Thank you so much for your support!

During the holiday season, Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services will be participating in the Keep the Wreath Green campaign from starting today and going through January 1st, 2021. One green bulb on the wreath will be replaced by a red bulb for every structure fire that occurs in Cherokee County during that time period. The purpose of this campaign is to remember to practice fire prevention during the holidays. It’s the time of year when we enjoy festive meals with fam...ily and friends, deck our halls with colorful decorations and listen to squeals of delight as children open their brightly wrapped presents. Use this checklist to ensure everyone has a safe holiday. Decorate with kids in mind: Move ornaments that are breakable or have metal hooks towards the top of the tree and put things that are ok to touch at the bottom. Be sure to water your natural tree often to prevent dry needles from becoming a fire hazard. Discard your tree as soon as possible after the holiday. Check your lights for exposed or frayed wires, loose connections and broken sockets. Never leave lit candles unattended. Store matches and lighters away from children. Keep harmful plants like mistletoe berries, holly berries and Jerusalem Cherry away from children and pets. If an accident does occur call the National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222. Buy toys appropriate for children’s ages. Check for choking hazards. Keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from any other object. Be careful about having a fire when stockings are hung on the fireplace. Use a fireplace screen to prevent sparks from escaping. If traveling this season, be sure everyone in the car is safe. Have your car seats checked before you hit the road. For appointments visit www.safekidscherokeecounty.org Plan for your trip to take longer with little ones. Getting a new bike this holiday? Don’t forget the helmet. Keep a 3-foot kid-free zone around the oven and stove. Check your smoke alarm batteries. Sleep with your bedroom doors closed to prevent spread of fire. Review your family fire escape plan and have a meeting place outside the home in case of fire. Teach your guests your fire escape plan. When attending holiday celebrations designate a driver to get everyone home safely. According to Senior Fire Educator, Lisa Grisham, Last year we had 11 structure fires. This year we hope the wreath stays totally green. The fire stations where the wreaths are placed are Station 4 in the Free Home, Station 12 in Waleska, Fire Station 16 in Canton, Fire Station 19 at Ridge Mill Court, Fire Station 21 near Airport Road, Fire Station 22 on Bells Ferry Road and Fire Station 23 on Vaughan Road in Hickory Flat, Cherokee County Fire Headquarters and Cherokee County Government Offices at the Bluffs in Canton.

A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for Cherokee County until 7:00 AM Tuesday morning. Total accumulations are still expected to amount to less than one (1) inch. This could cause some roadways to become slick this evening through tomorrow morning. Please use caution when traveling.

The risk for winter weather in Cherokee County has been downgraded to "Trace Amounts" of snow possible at elevations above 2000 feet, this evening and clearing overnight. However, temperatures dropping into the freezing range could affect bridges and overpasses.

UPDATE AS OF 3PM TODAY The latest update on power outages and road closings in Cherokee County from Tropical Storm Zeta are below from the Cherokee County Emergency Management Agency. Power outages across all providers, total = 644 : Ga. Power - 28 ... Cobb EMC - 439 Sawnee EMC - 77 Amicalola EMC - 100 Road Closures: Cherokee County S. Cherokee Ln. Fate Conn at Moss Dr. (PASSABLE-use caution) McClure Dr. (500 block)

Every fall, Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services reminds its citizens of the simple, life-saving habit of changing and testing the batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors when setting the clocks back for daylight saving time. The National Fire Protection Association reports that 71% of smoke alarms which failed to operate had missing, disconnected or dead batteries. This reinforces how important it is to take this time each year to check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services is committed to educating you about home safety. We want to remind you to change your batteries in all of your connected home devices when you change your clocks back for Daylight Saving Time this weekend.

Hurricane Zeta came through north Georgia this morning with a vengeance resulting in one storm-related fatality and thousands of people without power here in Cherokee County. A large Oak tree fell and killed a man who was a resident of the East Gate Mobile Home Park, located at 6310 Bells Ferry Road in Acworth, this morning at approximately 5:45. No other injuries were reported and the name has not been released at this time. Currently, Cherokee County has 39,028 customers wi...thout power. Earlier, at approximately 7 AM there were 44,558 outages. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Cherokee County until 11:00 this morning. The storm is currently centered about 50 miles west of Asheville, North Carolina, with sustained winds at 60 miles per hour. Tropical Storm Zeta is currently centered 50 miles West of Asheville, NC, moving northeast at 39 mph. Sustained winds are currently 60 mph. Numerous trees and power lines have been downed throughout the county, plus, we have had reports of numerous trees on homes, resulting in extensive damage. Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s office have been responding to calls continuously since 4:15 am this morning. Winds should subside as the morning progresses and conditions should steadily improve through the late morning hours and into this afternoon. Many major and secondary roadways in the county are closed due to fallen trees. Below is a listing of the major roadways currently blocked: Bells Ferry Road at Wyngate Parkway Ridge Road near Highway 5 Cumming Highway at Scott Road Yellow Creek Road at Shiloh Church Road

Weather Update: There are approximately 40 highways and roads closed in Cherokee County. Major roadways include Hwy. 20/Cumming Highway at Scott Road; North Arnold Mill; Arnold Mill; Bells Ferry Road at Wyngate; This is a serious situation folks. We have had several vehicle accidents with entrapment; trees falling into homes; As of right now....there is 1 fatality. Folks this is a serious situation. If you can delay reporting for work or getting onto the road...please delay until we can get some of these roadways cleared. Yellow Creek Road closed.....large trees and power lines down across roadway.

Update: Arnold Mill Road and North Arnold Mill roads are closed due to downed trees...traffic is a mess.

Good Morning Cherokee County Facebook Friends This morning is a mess to say the least. Many roads are blocked and over 37,000 power customers are out of power ...this morning in Cherokee County. Roads and highways are hazardous; power lines and trees are down across roadways. Several roads are closed. Specifically Highway 20 on the East Side of Canton is closed at Scott Road with trees and power lines down. Bells Ferry Road is closed near the Wyngate Parkway intersection with a huge tree across roadway. Folks stay home for a while until we can get some of this clear up to keep you safe. North Arnold Mill and Arnold Mill is also closed due to downed trees...traffic is a mess. Stay home.....

UPDATE ON HURRICANE ZETA'S IMPACT ON CHEROKEE COUNTY Overview and Changes from previous forecast: Zeta has continued to strengthen and is now a high end Category 2 Hurricane as it comes ashore near New Orleans. This has had repercussions in the forecast downstream for us as it is now forecast to be a stronger system as it races through tonight/tomorrow, and we are now expecting stronger wind gusts and greater impacts as a result... The Tropical Storm Warning remains unchanged for north and central Georgia is still in effect through midday Thursday. The Flash Flood Watch area remains unchanged and is still in effect through Thursday evening. Main points / Impacts (for north & central GA): Strong Wind Gusts / Tornado Threat -- o A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect through midday Thursday o Sustained winds 25-45 mph with gusty winds 45-70 MPH will be possible (see graphic below). o These strong (peak) gusts will be possible in stronger showers/embedded thunderstorms and in the higher elevations. o These type gusts WILL cause downed trees and power outages...and due to already saturated soils, trees and powerlines will be easily downed. Tornadoes o With this current track forecast, weak, short-lived tornadoes will be possible across portions of north and west central Georgia overnight into Thursday morning with an additional threat across portions of central Georgia on Thursday (See graphics below). However, widespread severe storms are not expected at this time. We will be transitioning into warning operations through the night and will only send out an email update if we foresee major changes to what's in this email Heavy Rain / Flood Threat o A Flash Flood Watch remains in effect as periods of heavy rainfall are expected across portions of northern and western Georgia, generally along and north of the I-85 corridor, today into Thursday. Widespread 2" to 4" with locally higher amounts will be possible for those within the Flash Flood Watch, especially along and north of the I-85 corridor. o Portions of north and central Georgia are also in a Marginal to Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall for late today into early Thursday then lingering Marginal Risk in the far north for Thursday morning, as seen in the graphics that follow. o With already saturated grounds from previous rainfall, periods of heavy rainfall may lead to localized flash flooding as well as flooding of rivers and streams. In addition, with trees already losing leaves, drains may become easily clogged in periods of rainfall, exacerbating the flooding of low-lying areas.

CHEROKEE COUNTY IS CURRENTLY UNDER A TROPICAL STORM WARNING TROPICAL STORM WARNING IN EFFECT Tropical Storm Warning issued October 28 at 11:04AM EDT by NWS Peachtree City GA A Tropical Storm Warning means tropical storm-force winds are...Continue reading

Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services encourage our citizens to take health precautions when celebrating Halloween on Saturday. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta issued recommendations for parents who allow children to trick-or-treat door to door: 1. Have children wear protective face coverings. Don’t share costume masks. The CDC warns people not to use costume masks in place of cloth masks unless the costume mask is made of "two or more layers of breathabl...e fabric" that covers the person's mouth and nose, and doesn’t leave gaps around their face. It also recommends people not wear a costume mask over a cloth mask; it may make it hard to breathe. Consider a Halloween-themed protective cloth mask instead. 2. Only people in their household should escort children while they trick-or-treat. 3. Everyone who goes out should wash their hands carefully before and after trick-or-treating. Use hand sanitizer after ringing doorbells and cover coughs and sneezes. 4. Everyone should avoid touching their eyes, nose, mouth and face coverings while out. 5. Choose to go trick-or-treating when foot traffic is less crowded. 6. Wait until the group ahead leaves the walkway and doorway before approaching a home. 7. Stay six feet or more from doors. Children should put their candy bucket or bag by the door, back up six feet and wave when the person at home opens the door. 8. Children should wait until they get home to eat treats. While the risk of getting COVID-19 from food packaging is low, health officials advise parents wipe off packaging with soap and water, or let the candy sit in a safe place for 24 to 72 hours. 9. Don't allow children to trick-or-treat if they have been around someone who has or might have COVID-19. Screen everyone in your household for symptoms before allowing kids to trick-or-treat. Health officials also released recommendations to those who plan to give out candy: 1. Distribute only pre-packaged candy. Make sure packaging is sealed. 2. Wash your hands well with soap and water before you handle candy. 3. Wear a face covering while handing out treats. 4. Draw a line six feet from your door with chalk or tape so children know how far back to stand. 5. Use tongs to give out candy. 6. Throughout the evening, frequently disinfect touched surfaces like doorbells. 7. Don't hand out candy if you have been around someone who has or might have COVID-19. Screen yourself for symptoms before giving out candy. Have fun, but, more importantly, be safe this Halloween.

UPDATE ON FLASH FLOOD WATCH Here is the 07:00 AM update on Hurricane Zeta from the NWS Atlanta: Overview:... Tropical Storm Zeta is expected to reintensify into a hurricane later this afternoon after crossing the Yucatan peninsula. Zeta is expected to move into the northern Gulf Coast on Wednesday. Zeta is then expected to move towards northwest/west Georgia by Thursday morning, moving northeast across the local forecast area through the day on Thursday. Changes from previous forecast: With certainty increasing for periods of heavy rainfall ahead of and with Tropical Storm Zeta, a Flash Flood Watch has been issued for portions of northern and western Georgia from Wednesday morning through Thursday evening, generally along and north of the I-85 corridor. Main points / Impacts (for north & central GA): Heavy Rain / Flood Threat o A Flash Flood Watch is in effect as periods of heavy rainfall are expected across portions of northern and western Georgia, generally along and north of the I-85 corridor, Wednesday into Wednesday night as well as on Thursday. Widespread 3" to 4" with locally higher amounts will be possible for those within the Flash Flood Watch, especially along and north of the I-85 corridor. o Portions of northern and western Georgia are also in a Marginal Risk of Excessive Rainfall with all of northwest Georgia in a Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall as seen in the graphic that follows. o With already saturated grounds from previous rainfall, periods of heavy rainfall may lead to localized flash flooding as well as flooding of rivers and streams. In addition, with trees already losing leaves, drains may become easily clogged in periods of rainfall, exacerbating the flooding of low-lying areas. Gusty Winds / Strong Storm Threat -- o With this current track forecast, strong winds gusts and weak, short-lived tornadoes will be possible across portions of north and central Georgia on Thursday. However, widespread severe storms are not expected at this time and the threat will need to be evaluated as the storm approaches the area. o Gusty winds 30-45 MPH will be possible on Thursday as Zeta crosses the area. Gusty winds will also be possible in stronger showers/embedded thunderstorms. o Due to already saturated soils, trees and powerlines may be easily downed. A LOT of uncertainty still exists with this storm, both in timing and location as it moves through the Gulf states. We will continue to send email updates as the forecast evolves and becomes more certain. In between these updates feel free to refer to the National Hurricane Center for more details.

FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR CHEROKEE COUNTY Overview: After crossing the Yucatan peninsula, Zeta is expected to move into the northern Gulf Coast on Wednesday. Zeta is then expected to move towards northwest/west Georgia by Thursday morning, moving northeast across the local forecast area through the day on Thursday.... Changes from previous forecast: With certainty increasing for periods of heavy rainfall ahead of and with Zeta, a Flash Flood Watch has been issued for portions of northern and western Georgia from Wednesday morning through Thursday evening, generally along and north of the I-85 corridor. Main points / Impacts (for north & central GA): Heavy Rain / Flood Threat o A Flash Flood Watch is in effect as periods of heavy rainfall are expected across portions of northern and western Georgia, generally along and north of the I-85 corridor, Wednesday into Wednesday night as well as on Thursday. Widespread 2" to 3" with locally higher amounts will be possible for those within the Flash Flood Watch, especially along and north of the I-85 corridor. o Portions of northern and western Georgia are also in a Marginal Risk of Excessive Rainfall with all of northwest Georgia in a Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall as seen in the graphic that follows. o With already saturated grounds from previous rainfall, periods of heavy rainfall may lead to localized flash flooding as well as flooding of rivers and streams. In addition, with trees already losing leaves, drains may become easily clogged in periods of rainfall, exacerbating the flooding of low-lying areas. Gusty Winds / Strong Storm Threat -- o With this current track forecast, strong winds gusts and weak, short-lived tornadoes will be possible across portions of north and central Georgia on Thursday. However, widespread severe storms are not expected at this time and the threat will need to be evaluated as the storm approaches the area. o Gusty winds 30-45 MPH will be possible on Thursday as Zeta crosses the area. Gusty winds will also be possible in stronger showers/embedded thunderstorms. o Due to already saturated soils, trees and powerlines may be easily downed. A LOT of uncertainty still exists with this storm, both in timing and location as it moves through the Gulf states. We will continue to send email updates as the forecast evolves and becomes more certain. In between these updates feel free to refer to the National Hurricane Center for more details.