Wildcat Community Inc. is a consortium of Big Canoe, Burnt Mountain Estates, Monument Falls, Sassafras Mountain Estates, Tate Estates, Tomahawk Mountain Civic Association, Windsong, and Wintermont communities. Property owners outside of these communities have also joined in the effort to help secure emergency management services and to protect the mountains.
Wildcat Community Inc. organized to carry out the following goals:
1. To educate property owners in the mountain area in risk mitigation and emergency incident response management associated with wildland/urban interface fires and other natural disasters.
2. To provide funds to enhance resources to support emergency management capabilities.
3. To interface with all state, local, and federal authorities and agencies associated with emergency management.
We have made great strides in meeting these goals:
1. The Wildcat Community, with the support of Chief Ranger Carol Sweatman, Dawson County - Forsyth County District of the Georgia Forestry Commission, received recognition from the National Fire Protection Association as a Firewise Communities/USA® community in 2006. We educate all property owners about building defensible space around their land and homes to reduce risks of wildland fire and to protect themselves and property during a wildland fire.
2. The Community donated over $95,000 to help Dawson and Pickens Counties establish a fire station and equip it with two trucks. We have cooperated with local governments and Emergency Management Services in Pickens and Dawson Counties to train medical first responders and a core of Support Firefighters. Wildcat volunteers assisted Pickens County Commissioner Robert Jones with negotiating a lease for land on Monument Road as the site for the station. Pickens County also contributed $45,000 to help pay for the station construction. The Dawson County Board of Commissioners and Fire Department cooperated in this effort by installing a 45,000-gallon water tank on the land.
We cooperated with Dawson and Pickens governments and Emergency Management Services to establish a fire station in the Community. Wildcat volunteers assisted Pickens County Commissioner Robert Jones in negotiating a lease for land on Monument Road as the site for the station. The Dawson County Fire Department provides administration of the station.
Of the $95,000 Wildcat raised to supplement the Counties' contributions establishing Station 8 on Monument Road, $50,000 was used to help pay for the building, plumb the building, install the electrical system, the heat and ventilation systems, and the water system for the building, and construct an office, storage room, and other facilities inside.
Wildcat Community provided the supervision of the fire station construction including contracting with the builder and sub-contractors. We also provided fiscal management and general oversight and management of the construction process. Donations of $40,000 were used to purchase an engine that can negotiate the steep and winding roads found in many of our communities.
3. Wildcat Community manages the Firewise Program® for the multi-community organization. In conjunction with the Dawson and Pickens Emergency Management Services and the Georgia Forestry Commission, we are developing a disaster and emergency management plan. The plan coordinates the plans of all Wildcat communities, Pickens County, Dawson County, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, the Georgia Forestry Commission, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
4. We cooperated with the Georgia Forestry Commission to develop a Community Wildfire Protection Plan for Dawson and Pickens Counties. The Plan establishes priorities for the implementation of wildfire mitigation, makes prioritized recommendations for the appropriate types and methods of fuel reduction and structure ignitability reduction, and recommends prioritized activities to educate the public. It also includes a plan for wildfire suppression.
5. Our Firewise® efforts attracted state and national attention. Members of the Wildcat Board met with the U. S. Forest Service personnel and personnel from the Southern Group of State Foresters to learn of our success in organizing a large number of communities into the Firewise/USA Program® and gaining the support of both Dawson and Pickens county governments.
5. As a result of the efforts and successes the Wildcat Community has enjoyed and for promoting Firewise Communities/USA® throughout Georgia and the Southeast, we received a Firewise Leadership award from the Firewise Communities/USA® national organization in 2008.
6. The Wildcat Community has received national attention. We were featured on the National Fire Protection Association blog as an example of a successful Recognized Firewise Community.® The NFPA is the world's leading advocate of fire prevention and an authoritative source on public safety.
7. We maintain a website, www.wildcatcommunityga.org, which has suggestions and recommendations for preparing for, protecting lives and property, and recovering from disasters.
8. We continue our mission by:
a. Educating homeowners, community leaders, planners, developers, and others in the effort to protect people, property, and natural resources from the risk of wildland fire and other natural disasters.
b. Developing the Disaster and Emergency Management Plan.
c. Working with county governments to make them aware of our emergency management needs.
d. Seeking funding to help provide resources that the community needs.
Wildcat Community Inc. organized to carry out the following goals:
1. To educate property owners in the mountain area in risk mitigation and emergency incident response management associated with wildland/urban interface fires and other natural disasters.
2. To provide funds to enhance resources to support emergency management capabilities.
3. To interface with all state, local, and federal authorities and agencies associated with emergency management.
We have made great strides in meeting these goals:
1. The Wildcat Community, with the support of Chief Ranger Carol Sweatman, Dawson County - Forsyth County District of the Georgia Forestry Commission, received recognition from the National Fire Protection Association as a Firewise Communities/USA® community in 2006. We educate all property owners about building defensible space around their land and homes to reduce risks of wildland fire and to protect themselves and property during a wildland fire.
2. The Community donated over $95,000 to help Dawson and Pickens Counties establish a fire station and equip it with two trucks. We have cooperated with local governments and Emergency Management Services in Pickens and Dawson Counties to train medical first responders and a core of Support Firefighters. Wildcat volunteers assisted Pickens County Commissioner Robert Jones with negotiating a lease for land on Monument Road as the site for the station. Pickens County also contributed $45,000 to help pay for the station construction. The Dawson County Board of Commissioners and Fire Department cooperated in this effort by installing a 45,000-gallon water tank on the land.
We cooperated with Dawson and Pickens governments and Emergency Management Services to establish a fire station in the Community. Wildcat volunteers assisted Pickens County Commissioner Robert Jones in negotiating a lease for land on Monument Road as the site for the station. The Dawson County Fire Department provides administration of the station.
Of the $95,000 Wildcat raised to supplement the Counties' contributions establishing Station 8 on Monument Road, $50,000 was used to help pay for the building, plumb the building, install the electrical system, the heat and ventilation systems, and the water system for the building, and construct an office, storage room, and other facilities inside.
Wildcat Community provided the supervision of the fire station construction including contracting with the builder and sub-contractors. We also provided fiscal management and general oversight and management of the construction process. Donations of $40,000 were used to purchase an engine that can negotiate the steep and winding roads found in many of our communities.
3. Wildcat Community manages the Firewise Program® for the multi-community organization. In conjunction with the Dawson and Pickens Emergency Management Services and the Georgia Forestry Commission, we are developing a disaster and emergency management plan. The plan coordinates the plans of all Wildcat communities, Pickens County, Dawson County, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, the Georgia Forestry Commission, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
4. We cooperated with the Georgia Forestry Commission to develop a Community Wildfire Protection Plan for Dawson and Pickens Counties. The Plan establishes priorities for the implementation of wildfire mitigation, makes prioritized recommendations for the appropriate types and methods of fuel reduction and structure ignitability reduction, and recommends prioritized activities to educate the public. It also includes a plan for wildfire suppression.
5. Our Firewise® efforts attracted state and national attention. Members of the Wildcat Board met with the U. S. Forest Service personnel and personnel from the Southern Group of State Foresters to learn of our success in organizing a large number of communities into the Firewise/USA Program® and gaining the support of both Dawson and Pickens county governments.
5. As a result of the efforts and successes the Wildcat Community has enjoyed and for promoting Firewise Communities/USA® throughout Georgia and the Southeast, we received a Firewise Leadership award from the Firewise Communities/USA® national organization in 2008.
6. The Wildcat Community has received national attention. We were featured on the National Fire Protection Association blog as an example of a successful Recognized Firewise Community.® The NFPA is the world's leading advocate of fire prevention and an authoritative source on public safety.
7. We maintain a website, www.wildcatcommunityga.org, which has suggestions and recommendations for preparing for, protecting lives and property, and recovering from disasters.
8. We continue our mission by:
a. Educating homeowners, community leaders, planners, developers, and others in the effort to protect people, property, and natural resources from the risk of wildland fire and other natural disasters.
b. Developing the Disaster and Emergency Management Plan.
c. Working with county governments to make them aware of our emergency management needs.
d. Seeking funding to help provide resources that the community needs.
The Firewise/NFPA logo used by permission of the National Fire Protection Association.
1 May, 2013
Wildcat Community, Inc.
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