Calhoun Fire Department

🇺🇸 REMEMBERING 9/11 — 25 YEARS LATER 🇺🇸

Today, we pause to remember September 11, 2001 — a day that forever changed our nation.

We honor the 2,977 innocent lives lost, the firefighters, police officers, EMTs, dispatchers, and other first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice, and the countless families and communities forever impacted by that day.

We remember the courage, sacrifice, and selflessness displayed by so many who ran toward danger while others were running away.

As firefighters and emergency responders, we carry their legacy with us every day. We will continue to serve our community with the same courage, dedication, and commitment to helping others.

We will never forget.
We remember. We honor. We serve.

🇺🇸 September 11, 2001 — Never Forget. 🇺🇸

— Calhoun Fire Department

From Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Fire Safety: As we head into Labor Day Weekend, our agency is issuing a fire safety advisory to help reduce preventable fires during the holiday period. Increased outdoor cooking, travel, and recreation create a higher risk for wildfires, structural fires, and burn injuries. Below you’ll find key hazard information, statistics, and practical steps you can share with your community.

🔥 1. Wildland & Brush Fires
Human activities like campfires, grilling, trailing trailer sparks, and fireworks often trigger wildfires during this long weekend.
• The U.S. fire season typically peaks around Labor Day, with Western regions and parts of the Southeast U.S. facing elevated risk due to dry conditions.
• By late August 2025, the U.S. had already recorded approximately 46,122 wildfires year-to-date.
• Agencies warn that every year on this weekend, human-caused ignitions spike, often from unattended cooking, campfires, or sparks from trailers.

2. Grill-Related Fires
Backyard barbecues are a major source of weekend fire risk.
• U.S. fire departments respond to an annual average of 12,100 home fires involving grills—almost evenly split between structural and outdoor fires.
• The grill had not been cleaned in roughly one-fifth (20%) of the fires (NFPA).
• U.S. Fire Administration data (2006–2008) show about 5,700 grill fires per year on residential property, resulting in ~10 deaths, 100 injuries, and $37 million in losses annually.
• 76% of these grill fires involve gas grills; 32% start on patios, terraces, or screened-in porches.

Safety Tips
• For propane grills, check the gas tank for leaks before use in the months ahead.
• Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grills and in trays below the grill.
• Place the grill well away from the home, deck railings, and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
• Never leave your grill unattended when in use.

3. Fireworks
Firework displays—or improper use of consumer fireworks—significantly increase holiday fire risk.
• According to NFPA, in 2024 U.S. hospitals treated about 14,700 patients for fireworks-related injuries; resulting fires caused 59 injuries and approximately $98 million in property damage.
• The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported 9,700 fireworks-related injuries treated in emergency departments in 2023.

We want to publicly congratulate two of our members who have recently been promoted. These two dedicated men have worked hard to earn these spots and are going to be assets to their crew and to the public we proudly serve.

Tavarious Kidd has been promoted to Lieutenant of Ladder 21, Station 2, C-shift.

Tyler Richardson has been promoted to Engineer of Ladder 21, Station 2, C-shift.

🚒 Quarterly Training – Day 1 is complete at Calhoun Fire!

This quarter, our focus was Confined Space Rescue, with our members and regional partners working together to sharpen the skills needed for these complex and challenging incidents.

A huge thank you to all of the TF6 members who came out to participate and in this training exercise. We also want to recognize and thank all of the departments that make up and support TF6. Your commitment to training, teamwork, and operational readiness makes this team stronger.

Train together. Respond together. Serve together.

🔥 Calhoun Fire Department | TF6

Congratulations Chief Schutz!

CFD hosted a breakfast this morning for members past and present to fellowship, meet new firefighters, and tell tall tales. Chief Schutz addressed the past members on what was going on currently in the department and discussed plans for the future. Thanks to all who came, we look forward to getting together more often.

Calhoun Fire Department personnel recently conducted 3 days of elevator rescue training at Calhoun High School. This training involved both classroom and hands on skills evolutions designed to enhance our ability to remove passengers from stalled elevators. Training is vital to any professional fire department and we remain committed to continually improving our knowledge and abilities to better serve the public. We’d like to thank Calhoun High School for allowing us to use their facility for this training.

Help us help our community. We are participating in a public safety food drive where all donations go directly to the VAC food pantry in Calhoun.
Drop donations off at any of our three fire stations the month of July and visit with our firefighters.

Station 1
327 S Wall St

Station 2
391 Richardson Rd

Station 3
290 Curtis Parkway

Calhoun Fire is honored to serve our community. We love having the opportunity to read to children and showing off our fire trucks! Thank you United Way of Gordon County for including us in !