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Crime & Safety

Memorial Day Weekend Kept Public Safety Personnel Busy

The Forsyth County Fire Department responded to 78 incidents. Fortunately there were no serious injuries reported.

Forsyth County public safety personnel breathed a collective sigh of relief when the three-day Memorial Day holiday ended with no fatalities reported in the county.

Captain Jason Shivers, spokesman for the Forsyth County Fire Department, said his department responded to 78 calls over the three days. "It was about average," he said. "The three summer holidays usually keep us very busy. So we're glad to have one of the three behind us with no fatalities to report."

Shivers said the 78 calls included 52 medical emergencies, one structure fire, one watercraft fire, one downed power line and nine false alarms.

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Fire department personnel responded to a call involving a boat fire at about 2 p.m. on Memorial Day at Old Keith Bridge Park. The boat's three occupants dove overboard and were not injured. They were pulled from the water by other boaters.

Forsyth County's hazmat unit secured the boat to an island and placed a floating boom around it to prevent oil and gas contaminants from spilling into Lake Lanier.

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A much more serious incident took place just across the Hall County line on Sunday. Shivers said Forsyth County was called to assist in recovering the body of a drowning victim, 17-year-old Quavante Combs of Lawrenceville.

"But they recovered the body very quickly and we weren't needed," Shivers said.

Sheriff's deputies were also kept busy. But, while there were several accidents, no serious injuries or fatalities were reported.

"It was very, very busy," said Forsyth County Sheriff's Capt. Tim House. "Typically Memorial Day weekend is the kickoff to a busy holiday season and people really like to get outdoors and enjoy the parks and Lake Lanier."

House did not have an official count of the number of motor vehicle accidents or injuries but said alcohol posed a major problem over the three-day period.

It is illegal to possess or consume alcohol in Forsyth County parks but House noted that, "We wrote 16 citations at West Bank Park alone over the three days. We also wrote quite a few DUIs over the weekend."

Less than 24 hours after the holiday period ended, a four-car pileup closed the southbound side of Georgia 400 during the morning rush hour. House said there were no serious injuries in that accident.

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