By Carrie Hargett
Chattanooga Times Free Press (Tennessee)
Copyright 2006 Chattanooga Publishing Company
DALTON, Ga. — The Dalton area and its neighbors will be better protected in the event of a major fire with the signing of a new mutual aid agreement, Dalton Fire Chief Barry Gober said.
The agreement allows the fire department to share resources and personnel with participating counties and cities during an emergency.
Under the mutual aid agreement are Calhoun, Chatsworth, Dalton, Whitfield County, Murray County and Gordon County, and will help fire departments be better equipped when an incident occurs, Fire Chief Barry Gober said.
Dalton City Council approved the mutual aid pact last week.
“Mutual Aid Agreement ties together our resources and our training with the resources of (others),” Chief Gober said.
About seven years ago, fire departments in the Dalton region realized the need to combine resources in order to help each other during a major catastrophe, officials said.
However, some fire departments did not have enough money until after Sept. 11, 2001, when many fire departments began receiving federal grants to better equip and train their firefighters, officials said.
Dalton City Councilman Terry Christie said the creation of the Department of Homeland Security was key. That is when the local fire departments started receiving money.
“By doing this regional thing, it gives us the equipment we need,” Mr. Christie said. “It (equipment and training) expands beyond hazardous materials.”
For the past couple of years, the fire departments have been training together in order to help solve problems so they hopefully will not have to rely on the state government, Mr. Gober said.
“It just makes sense for us to pool our resources, whether it’s human or equipment,” he said.
The City Council’s approval was the final step in formally allowing Dalton Fire Department to help others out.
“I think every time you can utilize someone else’s resources, it will help everyone,” Lane Ashworth, chairman of the Public Safety Commission, said.
Chief Gober said he believes more cities and counties will become involved in the agreement. If they are located in Northwest Georgia and can afford to send equipment, officials said they can join the agreement.
“If you have something to offer, you are welcome to be a part of this,” the chief said.
Each fire department has made a list of what they have to offer, so everyone knows what is available to them. The resources can be borrowed in any emergency situation -- from train crash to a building collapse -- by making a formal request, Chief Gober said.