Forsyth County fire stations collect relief supplies for South Georgia fire victims

Forsyth County fire stations have become drop-off points for South Georgia families displaced by wildfire, with the county collecting nonperishable supplies through May 10 at every station and at the Public Safety Complex, 3520 Settingdown Road.

The drive opened April 28 and donations were already coming in quickly, according to CBS Atlanta. Forsyth County said everything collected will move through local partner organizations to points of contact in South Georgia for distribution to people in need. The requested items are practical and wide-ranging: canned meats, soups and other shelf-stable food, hygiene products, baby supplies, first-aid items, blankets, small pillows, pet food, pet supplies and N95 or KN95 masks.

Division Chief Jason Shivers said, "We've been watching what's happening in southeast Georgia with a heavy heart." Fire Chief Barry Head thanked Forsyth County residents in advance and said the community has repeatedly shown it is ready to help neighbors to the south. The county’s push comes as South Georgia wildfire updates have described families being displaced, more than 120 homes destroyed and relief groups mobilizing to meet immediate housing and household needs.

The response also reflects how closely tied fire has become to daily life in Forsyth County. County leaders implemented a burn ban April 24 because of extremely dry weather and a long stretch without meaningful rainfall, pulling forward the usual state-required summer ban from May 1. Outdoor burning will not be allowed again until October 1, weather permitting. Across Georgia, burn bans have spread to 91 counties as drought conditions deepened, and a major fire near Valdosta grew to nearly 9,000 acres and was 10% contained earlier in the week.

For Forsyth County, the relief drive turns a local fire agency into a regional lifeline. By moving supplies from Cumming to South Georgia through established partners, the county is using its own fire stations for more than emergency response at home. It is helping meet the basic needs of families who lost homes, belongings and stability in fires elsewhere in the state.