With the recent flooding events and natural disasters, Fannin County Fire held classes getting there men ready for worst case scenarios. The two classes that were held were a SAR Training and Swift Water Rescue training.The SAR Training, Search and Rescue, put the men through a 60hr course. Cory Collogan, Training Chief gave a statement about what the course entailed,

“The students learned about legal issues, incident command structures, search and rescue theories and techniques. In addition to the academic portion, the students also learned knots used for low-angle rescues, how to navigate successfully using topographical maps, compasses, and handheld GPS units.”

After the classroom portion was done, the firefighters would hit the woods to show the new skills they were taught. The students of the class would go out and build tents and overnight shelters to show they were capable of holding a patient overnight, if necessary.

When the final weekend of the training arrived, the firefighters faced several different scenarios over a 30 hr period. To start with the team was given a GPS location and they were made to find it and set up a command center.

Once at the command center the class would learn of the next task at hand. They would have to go out and find a lost geo-cacher. Once they had located him they would be required to set up shelter for the night.

The next exercises included a grid search for evidence of a lost hiker, and a night search of an overdue hunter. The class would find the hunter had “fallen out of a tree stand.” The team would have to treat the hunter for a back injury and a broken leg while extricating him through the woods.

At the end of the course Collogan would state,

“All in all, I felt the class did exceptionally well with all the challenges we delt them in this course. I have all the confidence in the world; they can join our existing SAR team and perform at the top level we expect of them.”

Fire Chief Larry Thomas told FYN,

“After this training, we have twenty plus guys that are SAR trained and ready when the time comes.”

Thomas would also go on to inform us that the department is still in the process teaching the new Swift Water Class and will be completed within the next few weeks.

This training came about after the two recent floods in Gilmer County. This was a reminder to the department that things of this nature could happen at any time and that lives depend on it.

East Ellijay Chief of Police Larry Callahan is thankful the team had the skills and knowledge that they possess. It was the some of Fannin’s rescue team that saved the Callahan in the recent flooding. You never know who it could or when a person will need to be saved.

Thomas would go on and say that the county had purchased more Swift Water gear including life jackets and suits.

“We are also getting a new Zodiac raft to replace a recently damaged one.”

With all of the new skill sets and equipment, Fannin County Fire and Rescue is ready to face what is handed to them.