Friday, May 4, 2012
Students from Whitlow Elementary School win second annual fire safety poster contest.
The winners of the 2012 Fire Safety Poster Contest were announced during Thursday's county commission meeting. The contest, that began in January, hosted by the Forsyth County Fire Department was a way to promote the involvement of local young people while increasing fire safety awareness, according to Fire Chief Danny Bowman. The three winners from Whitlow Elementary School are: All three will enjoy a pizza party with their class and local firefighters. The three runners up are: Julia-Claire Anderson, a student at Sharon Elementary School; Mason Chester, a student at Sawnee Elementary School; and Kayden Shuster, a student at Matt Elementary School. “We could not be more proud of these students, and of each and every student who submitted …
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
The annual 'Give Burns the Boot' kicks off this weekend in Forsyth County and across Georgia.
More than 100 fire departments across Georgia are preparing for the annual boot drive called "Give Burns the Boot" benefiting the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation. Beginning this Saturday, May 5 and the following two Saturdays, May 12 and 19, motorists can expect to see local firefighters at intersections throughout the county collecting donations. “We are very appreciative of the support the boot drive receives here in Forsyth County,” said Fire Chief Danny Bowman in a news release. “Year after year, our citizens demonstrate their compassion for Georgia’s burn victims through their generous donations.” The collected funds, presented to the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation, will be utilized for fire safety and prevention education…
Monday, April 30, 2012
Burning leaves, tree limbs or yard wastes are prohibited, but properly constructed outdoor fireplaces and fire pits are OK.
The Forsyth County Fire Department would like to remind the community the state's "burn ban" goes into effect Tuesday, May 1. The ban, which is enacted because of dry conditions and environmental health regulations, is issued by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division and covers Cumming, Forsyth County and a number of other surrounding counties. It lasts until Sept. 30. "These restrictions are required by the state Environmental Protection Division so that fewer chemicals and particle pollutants are released into the air," Georgia Forestry Commission Chief of Forest Protection Frank Sorrells said in a news release. "The risk of wildfire is also high at this time, and the Georgia Forestry Commission will be closely monitoring fire …
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
An early morning fire Monday does significant damage to the Shell gas station on Dahlonega Street in Cumming.
Firefighters were called to an early morning fire Monday at the Shell gas station located at the intersection of Dahlonega Street and Sawnee Drive, across from the public library, in Cumming. Capt. Jason Shivers of the Forsyth County Fire Department said fire and smoke damaged about 20 percent of the building enough to close the business, for now, temporarily. It is not known how the fire was started and there is no damage estimate at this time. Shivers did say the fire is believed to be accidental and that an investigation is underway.
A couple from Cumming were involved in an apparent two-boat collision that killed a man and seriously injured a woman over the weekend.
A 59-year-old man killed in a boating accident on Lake Lanier over the weekend, has been identified as Stephen Blake Jones, 59, of Duluth, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Jones and a woman, who was seriously injured in the accident, were in a 32-foot pontoon boat reportedly struck by a ski boat sometime between 11 p.m. and midnight Saturday, said Major Stephen Adams of the Georgia DNR. The couple in the 21-foot ski boat are identified as Steven Parker, 32, and Ashley LeBlanc, 30, both of Cumming, according to Adams. The boat collision is believed to have occurred approximately 200 yards from the face of the dam back toward Lower Overlook Park inside Gwinnett County. Capt. Tommy Rutledge of Gwinnett Fire/EMS …
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Several empty canisters used to store dynamite werre found along roadway in north Forsyth County.
An explosive scare that turned out to be a false alarm had one north Forsyth County area shut down for a short time Thursday afternoon while authorities investigated the situation. Capt. Jason Shivers with the Forsyth County Fire Department said several empty canisters used to store dynamite were found along the roadway of Chattahoochee Road and Shady Grove Road (near Highway 369 and Hammond's Crossing). That area was shut down for about 40 minutes until it was deemed safe, according to Capt. Tim House of the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office. Shivers told Cumming Patch the canisters were properly disposed of and that the area was never in any danger.
34.24119
-84.05967
Chattahoochee Rd & Shady Grove Rd, Cumming, GA
/articles/explosive-scare-turns-out-to-be-false-alarm
/locations/6836946
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Repair crews successfully burn off leaking gas from propane truck 12 hours later after it started.
Eight businesses in south Forsyth County were evacuated Tuesday morning while firefighters and repair crews responded to a gas leak on a propane tanker truck. The incident happened at Macsteel USA located on Grassland Parkway off McFarland Road at 9:45 a.m. Twelve hours later, crews had burned off the fuel, the truck was driven out of the area and no injuries were reported. Capt. Jason Shivers of the Forsyth County Fire Department said a 3,000-gallon propane delivery truck had a malfunctioning valve beneath the vehicle that was leaking gas. Firefighters evaluated and secured the scene while a repair crew from AmeriGas attempted to fix the valving. "That was unsuccessful," Shivers said. "Also off loading the vehicle to another vehicle was…
34.14195
-84.24111
2005 Grassland Pky, Alpharetta, GA
/articles/eight-businesses-evacuated-due-to-gas-leak
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Tuesday, April 17, 2012
A family outing turns tragic Saturday at Lake Lanier.
A 40-year-old father and his 14-year-old stepson both from Lawrenceville, drowned in Lake Lanier Saturday, according to authorities. Sgt. Stephen Wilbanks of the Hall County Sheriff's Office said Jose Alfredo Benitez was fishing on the shoreline of Mountain View Park, off Browns Bridge Road, while his two sons were swimming in the lake. It's believed Carlos Amaya, 14, and his older brother decided to swim out across the cove to some small islands located about 60 yards from shore. "The 14-year-old became distressed, either through fatigue, cause the water was so cold, we really don't know," said Wilbanks. "But he got into trouble and his older brother attempted to help him and wasn't able to. Wilbanks said by this time the father noticed …
Thursday, April 5, 2012
If you're looking for a fulfilling camp experience for your child this summer, consider Fire Camp and Junior Fire Academy.
Spring break is in full force and it won't be long before school's out for the summer. If you're considering camp for the kids you may want to check out several exciting programs being offered by The Forsyth County Fire Department. Registration is underway for two free week-long summer camp programs. A Fire Camp and a Junior Fire Academy, that debuted in 2011, are being offered again this year to give Cumming sixth, seventh, and eight graders the opportunity to learn what life is like as a firefighter and to teach valuable fire and life safety lessons. "The Forsyth County Fire Department prides itself on being actively involved in our community, and in engaging our community’s youth through our educational and outreach programs," said Fire…
Sunday, March 18, 2012
More than two million poisonings are reported each year to poison centers nationwide.
Harmful and even fatal poisonings affecting children, adults, and pets can be caused by the misuse of medications, cleaning products, cosmetics, plants, food and pesticides. Everyone is at risk for unintentional poisoning. According to the Georgia Poison Center (GPC), more than two million poisonings are reported each year to poison centers nationwide, and in 2011 alone, the GPC handled over 77,000 poison exposure calls. Knowing what to do to prevent poisonings and knowing what to do when a poisoning is suspected is crucial. National Poison Prevention Week begins today, March 18 and continues through March 24. This is a nationally designated week highlighting the dangers of poisonings and how to prevent them. The Forsyth County Fire …
