Community wildfire protection plan, Paulding County: an action plan for wildfire mitigation and conservation of natural resources

A Program of the Georgia Forestry Commission with support from the U.S. Forest Service

Community Wildfire Protection Plan
An Action Plan for Wildfire Mitigation and Conservation of Natural Resources
Paulding County

Development near the Yorkville Community is representative of building trends in the Northwest of Paulding County where larger tracts of wildland still exist. The Southeastern part of the County is more extensively developed and wildland fuels are more fragmented.
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The following report is a collaborative effort between various entities. The representatives listed below comprise the core decision-making team responsible for this report and mutually agree on the plan's contents.

County Representative(s):

Name Address Phone Number Signature

David Austin Chairman County Commission 240 Constitution Blvd. Dallas, GA 30132 (770) 443-7550

Name Address Phone Number Signature

Larry Ragsdale Commissioner Post 1 240 Constitution Blvd. Dallas, GA 30132 (770) 443-7550

Name Address Phone Number Signature

Todd Pownall Commissioner Post 2 240 Constitution Blvd. Dallas, GA 30132 (770) 443-7550

Name Address Phone Number Signature

Tommie Graham Commissioner Post 3 240 Constitution Blvd. Dallas, GA 30132 (770) 443-7550

Name Address Phone Number Signature

David Barnett Commissioner Post 4 240 Constitution Blvd. Dallas, GA 30132 (770) 443-7550

Local Emergency Services Representatives

Name Address Phone Number Signature

Michael W. Earwood Fire Chief and Emergency Services Director 535 Seaboard Ave. Hiram, GA 30141 (770) 222-1160

Name Address Phone Number Signature

Joey D. Pelfrey Assistant Fire Chief 535 Seaboard Ave. Hiram, GA 30141 (770) 222-1160
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Local Georgia Forestry Commission Representative(s):

Name Address Phone Number Signature

Denise Croker Chief Ranger Polk - Paulding Counties 1735 Rockmart Hwy. Cedartown, GA 30125 (770) 749-2251

Name Address Phone Number Signature

Carl Melear CWPP Specialist Forest Protection P.O. Box 31 Armuchee, GA 30105 (706) 232-8988

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PLAN CONTENTS
1. Objectives and Goals 2. County Background, Existing Situation, Interface Information 3. Risk Summary 4. Prioritized Mitigation Recommendations 5. Action Plan, Timetables, and Assessment Strategy 6. Wildfire Pre-Suppression Plans 7. County Base and Hazards Maps 8. Appendix
1) OBJECTIVES AND GOALS

The mission of the following report is to set clear priorities for the implementation of wildfire mitigation in Paulding County. The plan includes prioritized recommendations for the appropriate types and methods of fuel reduction and structure ignitability reduction that will protect this county and its essential infrastructure. Prioritized activities to educate the public are included. It also includes a plan for wildfire suppression. Specifically, the plan includes community-centered actions that will:



Educate citizens on wildfire, its risks, and ways to protect lives and properties,



Support fire rescue and suppression entities,



Focus on collaborative decision-making and citizen participation,



Develop and implement effective mitigation strategies, and



Develop and implement effective community ordinances and codes.

This plan should become a working document that is shared by local, state, and federal agencies that will use it to accomplish common goals. It is intended to become part of the master hazard mitigation plan for the County. An agreed-upon schedule for meeting to review accomplishments, solve problems, and plan for the future should extend beyond the scope of this plan. Without this follow up this plan will have limited value.

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2) COUNTY BACKGROUND-EXISTING SITUATION-INTERFACE INFORMATION

Paulding County

Paulding County, in northwest Georgia, is the state's eighty-ninth county, created in 1832 as one of nine counties carved from the original Cherokee County. It was named for John Paulding, one of three New Yorkers who captured the British spy John Andr. Andr was the accomplice of Benedict Arnold, a general during the Revolutionary War (1775-83) who hatched a treasonous plot to surrender an American fort to the British enemy.
Originally held by Creek Indians, the land was lost in battle to the Cherokee Nation in 1755. In turn the Cherokee lost the land to white settlers who arrived in the nineteenth century. Many of them came in response to the discovery of gold, with two veins running through what was to become Paulding County, in 1829. Upon this discovery the state broke all its treaties with the Cherokee and divided the land into forty-acre "Gold Lots," which it distributed by lottery in 1832. Gold seekers migrated from other parts of Georgia and from other states. Many did not find gold but remained in the area to farm.
By 1840 agriculture was the primary occupation in Paulding County, followed by manufacturing and trades. Primary crops were corn, tobacco, and wheat, with some cotton. Nonfarm enterprises included a number of gristmills, sawmills, potteries, and tanneries.
In 1851 Polk County was created from part of Paulding. Between 1832 and 1874 parts of Paulding County were annexed to several other counties: Campbell (now defunct), Carroll, Cass (later Bartow), Cobb, Douglas, Haralson, and Polk. Between 1850 and 1874 Paulding County annexed parts of Carroll, Cobb, Douglas, and Polk counties. Today the county covers 313 square miles. There have been two county seats in the county's history. The first, Van Wert, was created in 1833 and named after one of John Paulding's two companions in the arrest of Major Andr. Van Wert was in the part of Paulding County that went to Polk County.

The new county seat was named Dallas for George Mifflin Dallas, who had just

finished serving as vice president in U.S. president James K. Polk's

administration. Incorporated in 1854, Dallas has been home to several

courthouses, the first described as resembling a shack, three miles from today's

city center. The next courthouse was built in the mid-1850s and was replaced

by the current structure in 1892. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, the current building has been renovated several times and was

Paulding County Farmer

provided with a three-story annex in 1990. Other incorporated cities in the county are Braswell and Hiram.

In the months leading up to the Civil War (1861-65), Paulding County, largely rural and inhabited by a majority of nonslaveholding citizens, was a cooperationist county. After Georgia seceded, however, the county joined wholeheartedly in the Confederate cause. A large number of Paulding County men joined the Confederate forces, and both civilians and soldiers saw action in the county. Many of the county's roads, following Indian trails that led from a spring near Dallas, radiated from the county seat to cities such as Atlanta and Marietta. Union general William T. Sherman planned to take possession of Dallas so that he could control the routes to and from these cities. Confederate general Joseph Johnston and his troops attempted to prevent Sherman from realizing his plans, resulting in three major encounters in Paulding County in May 1864: the battles of New Hope Church, Pickett's Mill, and Dallas. These conflicts delayed the Union capture of Atlanta by at least a week.

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After the Civil War the county languished for decades, experiencing the difficulties common to other agricultural areas in the South beset by the loss of numerous young men, overused soil, and economic depression. Life for the county began to improve in 1882, however, when the East Tennessee, Virginia, and Georgia Railroad built lines through it. The railway was directly responsible for tripling the population in Dallas by the end of the decade. The town of Braswell was created around a depot placed at the site by the railway in 1882, when it laid tracks through the area.

Paulding County Courthouse

By the turn of the century Paulding County was flourishing. Many one-room schools dotted the county, an indication of the population boom and a testament to the high value residents placed on education.

The county economy followed that of the nation, suffering with the Great Depression and improving during the era following World War II (1941-45).

Oak Hill School

Agribusiness is a major economic factor in the county, but some areas have become bedroom communities for Cobb County and Atlanta, making Paulding County one of the fastest-growing counties in the state.
Notable residents include country music singers Patty Loveless and Travis Tritt.

The Paulding County Historical Society operates the Paulding County Museum in a building constructed in 1861, which served as the first school in Dallas. It was used as a hospital during the Civil War and returned to its school functions after the war. Later it became a private family residence, and then a church service building. It was moved to its present location in 1997.

The Hiram Colored School, located in Hiram, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. Built in 1930 with funds from the Julius Rosenwald Fund, this wood-frame structure served area African American students until 1955, when the school system was consolidated and the building sold to the Sweet Home Baptist Church.

The cemetery of New Hope Church (now nestled in a commercial section of Dallas) is the site of the Civil War battle named for the church. There, on May 25, 1864, Confederate general Joseph Johnston's men won a significant victory over General Sherman's troops (under Joseph Hooker).

Pickett's Mill Battlefield Historic Site is considered one of the best-preserved

Hiram Colored School

Civil War battlegrounds in the country. Fought on the grounds of a farm and

gristmill owned by Benjamin and Malachi Pickett on Little Pumpkin-Vine Creek, the battle is considered the worst

Union defeat of the Atlanta campaign. The nearly 800-acre site provides vivid evidence of the soldiers' battlements

and a sense of how the area looked during the battle.

The Silver Comet Trail for bicyclists and hikers runs through the middle of Paulding County. The trail begins in Cobb County, goes through Paulding County, and ends in Polk County on the Alabama border, where it meets the Chief Ladiga Trail and continues to Anniston, Alabama. Completed in 2008, the trail is the longest continous bicycle path in the United States. Of its total 95.5 miles, 61.5 run through Georgia.

Chattahoochee Technical College, based in Marietta, operates a campus in Dallas.

According to the 2010 U.S. census, the population of Paulding County was 142,324, a substantial increase from the 2000 population of 81,678.

The above material is provided courtesy of the New Georgia Encyclopedia

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Fire History and Existing Situation
Wildland fire activity in Paulding County has been consistent during past years. Activity was low statewide during Fiscal year 2010 due to increased rainfall during that year. Examination of Georgia Forestry Commission records shows that incendiarism remains the leading cause for the past 7 years. Arson related causes have been significant for decades in the county. Thus far in FY 2012, which began on July 1, 2011, 11 of the 20 fires that have been responded to by the Georgia Forestry Commission were attributed to incendiarism. Escapes from debris burning remains the second most numerous cause in most years. Causes range across most cause categories recognized by the Georgia Forestry Commission.

Fiscal Year
2011 2010 2009 2008 2007

Number of Fires
40 12 40 67 96

Acres
97.44 66.99 93.53 252.70 316.36

Average Size
2.44 5.58 2.34 3.77 3.30

Statewide Average Size
16.16 3.56 3.90 4.46 18.64

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This table represents fire activity for the most complete fiscal year 2011 that began on July 1, 2010 and ended on June 30, 2011.

County = Paulding

Cause

Fires

Acres

Fires 5 Yr Avg

Acres 5 Yr Avg

Campfire

Campfire

0

0.00

0.80

1.22

Children

Children

0

0.00

1.80

0.78

Debris: Ag Fields, Pastures, Orchards, Etc

Debris: Ag Fields, Pastures, Orchards, Etc

0

0.00

0.40

0.20

Debris: Construction Land Clearing

Debris: Construction Land Clearing

0

0.00

0.80

0.44

Debris: Escaped Prescribed Burn

Debris: Escaped Prescribed Burn

2

7.00

0.40

1.40

Debris: Household Garbage

Debris: Household Garbage

1

2.00

1.40

1.42

Debris: Other

Debris: Other

1

1.00

1.00

0.27

Debris: Residential, Leafpiles, Yard, Etc

Debris: Residential, Leafpiles, Yard, Etc

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25.60

9.60 16.76

Debris: Site Prep - Forestry Related

Debris: Site Prep - Forestry Related

1

0.50

1.00 18.36

Incendiary

Incendiary

21

59.06

22.80 88.80

Lightning

Lightning

0

0.00

2.40 20.30

Machine Use

Machine Use

1

0.33

3.40

5.60

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous

0

0.00

4.20

9.34

Railroad

Railroad

2

1.95

0.80

0.49

Smoking

Smoking

0

0.00

0.20

0.02

Totals for County: Paulding Year: 2011

40

97.44

51.00 165.40

Thus far in Fiscal 2012 there have been 20 wildland responses that burned 149.97 acres. As was mentioned earlier, 11 of these responses were related to woods arson. These fires totaled 135.97 acres. Other causes include debris burning, machine use, railroads, and miscellaneous causes.

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The Wildland-Urban Interface
There are many definitions of the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), however from a fire management perspective it is commonly defined as an area where structures and other human development meet or intermingles with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels. As fire is dependent on a certain set of conditions, the National Wildfire Coordinating Group has defined the wildland-urban interface as a set of conditions that exists in or near areas of wildland fuels, regardless of ownership. This set of conditions includes type of vegetation, building construction, accessibility, lot size, topography and other factors such as weather and humidity. When these conditions are present in certain combinations, they make some communities more vulnerable to wildfire damage than others. This "set of conditions" method is perhaps the best way to define wildland-urban interface areas when planning for wildfire prevention, mitigation, and protection activities.
There are three major categories of wildland-urban interface. Depending on the set of conditions present, any of these areas may be at risk from wildfire. A wildfire risk assessment can determine the level of risk.
1. "Boundary" wildland-urban interface is characterized by areas of development where homes, especially new subdivisions, press against public and private wildlands, such as private or commercial forest land or public forests or parks. This is the classic type of wildlandurban interface, with a clearly defined boundary between the suburban fringe and the rural countryside.
2. "Intermix" wildland-urban interface areas are places where improved property and/or structures are scattered and interspersed in wildland areas. These may be isolated rural homes or an area that is just beginning to go through the transition from rural to urban land use.
3. "Island" wildland-urban interface, also called occluded interface, are areas of wildland within predominately urban or suburban areas. As cities or subdivisions grow, islands of undeveloped land may remain, creating remnant forests. Sometimes these remnants exist as parks, or as land that cannot be developed due to site limitations, such as wetlands. (courtesy Fire Ecology and Wildfire Mitigation in Florida 2004)
Paulding County is undergoing a transition from a relatively rural county to one that is undergoing development of both boundary and intermix interface. Development has slowed somewhat due to the downturn in the economy.
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Wildland Urban Interface Hazards Firefighters in the wildland urban interface may encounter hazards other than the fire itself, such as hazardous materials, utility lines and poor access.
Hazardous Materials Common chemicals used around the home may be a direct hazard to firefighters from flammability, explosion potential and/or vapors or off-gassing. Such chemicals include paint, varnish and other flammable liquids; fertilizer; pesticides; cleansers; aerosol cans, fireworks, batteries and ammunition. In addition, some common household products such as plastics may give off very toxic fumes when they burn. Stay OUT of the smoke from burning structures and any unknown sources such as trash piles.
Illicit Activities Marijuana plantations or drug production labs may be found in wildland urban interface areas. Extremely hazardous materials such as propane tanks and flammable/toxic chemicals may be encountered, as well as booby traps.
Propane tanks Both large (household size) and small (gas grill size) liquefied propane gas (LPG) tanks can present hazards to firefighters, including explosion. See the "LPG Tank Hazards" discussion for details.
Utility lines Utility lines may be located above and below ground and may be cut or damaged by tools or equipment. Don't spray water on utility lines or boxes.
Septic tanks and fields Below-ground structures may not be readily apparent and may not support the weight of engines or other apparatus.
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New construction materials Many new construction materials have comparatively low melting points and may "off-gas" extremely hazardous vapors. Plastic decking materials that resemble wood are becoming more common and may begin softening and losing structural strength at 180 F, though they normally do not sustain combustion once direct flame is removed. However, if they continue to burn they exhibit the characteristics of flammable liquids.
Pets and livestock Pets and livestock may be left when residents evacuate and will likely be highly stressed, making them more inclined to bite and kick. Firefighters should not put themselves at risk to rescue pets or livestock.
Evacuation occurring Firefighters may be taking structural protection actions while evacuations of residents are occurring. Be very cautious of people driving erratically. Distraught residents may refuse to leave their property, and firefighters may need to disengage from fighting fire to contact law enforcement officers for assistance. In most jurisdictions firefighters do not have the authority to force evacuations. Firefighters should not put themselves at risk trying to protect someone who will not evacuate!
Limited access Narrow one-lane roads with no turn-around room, inadequate or poorly maintained bridges and culverts are frequently found in wildland urban interface areas. Access should be sized-up and an evacuation plan for all emergency personnel should be developed.
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3) Risk Summary
Following a meeting between the Georgia Forestry Commission and Paulding County Fire and Rescue department personnel on April 12, 2011 assessments of communities at risk from wildland fire was undertaken. This assessment process was based on information provided by the Georgia Forestry Commission from the Southern Fire Risk Assessment supplemented by local knowledge of high risk areas. Communities were assessed using the Georgia Forestry Commissions Form 140 for Woodland Community Wildfire Hazard Assessment. This form determines risk based on four criteria subdivision design, site hazard, building construction, and additional factors. Communities are assigned a risk category based on a numerical score. Communities are designated as being at extreme, high, moderate, or low risk. Assessments were declared complete on October 12, 2011. Fifteen (15) areas were assessed. Two (2) were moderate, and Thirteen (13) were rated as low risk. Results from this assessment process are summarized in a spreadsheet entitled `Risk Summary Paulding County' which is included in the appendix. This document contains summary information from the assessment forms. The map numbers listed on the spreadsheet correspond to the numbers on Wildland Fire Susceptibility Map and show the locations of the assessment areas. Opportunities for community assessment still are available in the County.
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4) Prioritized Mitigation Recommendations
The following recommendations were developed by collaboration between the Georgia Forestry Commission and various County Fire and Emergency Services. A priority order was determined based on which mitigation projects would best reduce the hazard of wildfire in the assessment area. It is noted that
as incendiary fire remains the leading cause in the county, all fires that are determined to be caused by arson should be investigated as standard practice.
Community Hazard and Structural Ignitability Reduction Wildland Fuel Reduction or Modification Improvements to Capabilities of Wildland Response Agencies Public Education Regarding Risk of Wildland Fire Proposed Community and Structural Ignitability Reduction Priorities: 1. Locate lack of and improve defensible space around structures in communities at risk 2. Identify access problems that affect initial attack in communities at risk 3. Identify structural ignitability concerns in communities at risk 4. Identify and resolve problems with codes, covenants, or ordinances that negatively influence
structural ignitability Proposed Wildland Fuel Reduction or Modification Priorities: 1. Reduction or modification of wildland fuel in proximity to communities at risk 2. Reduction or modification of fuel concentrations in shared spaces inside communities at risk Proposed Improvements to capabilities of Wildland Response agencies: 1. Identify needs and improve training and qualification of wildland response agencies 2. Identify needs and recommend equipment acquisitions for wildland response agencies Proposed Education and Outreach Priorities: 1. Improve public knowledge in communities at risk and in the general population of the County
regarding Firewise principles. 2. Notification of communities at risk regarding wildland fire hazard 3. Improvements to public notification during periods of high to extreme fire danger.
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5) Action Plan, Timetables, and Assessment Strategy
POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES:
As funding is questionable in these times of tight government budgets and economic uncertainty, unconventional means should be identified whereby the need for funding can be reduced or eliminated. Publications / Brochures FIREWISE materials are available at www.firewise.org. Another source of mitigation information can be found at www.nfpa.org. Access to reduced cost or free of charge copy services should be sought whereby publications can be reproduced. Free of charge public meeting areas should be identified where communities could gather to be educated regarding prevention and firewise principles.
Mitigation Community Protection Grant: o USFS sponsored prescribed burn program. Communities with at risk properties that lie within 3 miles of
the USFS border may apply with the GFC to have their forest land prescribed burned free of charge. FEMA Mitigation Policy MRR-2-08-01: through GEMA - Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and
Pre Disaster Mitigation (PDM) o To provide technical and financial assistance to local governments to assist in the implementation of
long term cost effective hazard mitigation measures. o This policy addresses wildfire mitigation for the purpose of reducing the threat to all-risk structures
through creating defensible space, structural protection through the application of ignition resistant construction, and limited hazardous fuels reduction to protect life and property. o With a complete and registered plan (addendum to the State plan) counties can apply for premitigation funding. They will also be eligible for HMGP if the county is declared under a wildfire disaster. GFC - Plowing and burning assistance can be provided through the Georgia Forestry Commission as a low cost option for mitigation efforts.
Individual Homeowners In most cases of structural protection ultimately falls on the responsibility of the community and the
homeowner. They will bear the cost; yet they will reap the benefit from properly implemented mitigation efforts. GEMA Grant - PDM (See above)
Ultimately it is our goal to help the communities by identifying the communities threatened with a high risk to wildfire and educate those communities on methods to implement on reducing those risks.
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5) Action Plan
Paulding County has had a consistent history of incendiary fires in most years. All fires that are attributed to this cause should be investigated by the appropriate agency having jurisdiction.

Steps to implement Community Hazard and Structural Ignitability Priorities

Hazard Lack of Defensible Space
Access problems
Structural Ignitability
Codes and Ordinances

Specific Action and Responsible Party Using the risk summaries referenced in section 3, each department should conduct inspections of communities at risk in their jurisdiction or area of response for lack of defensible space. Findings will be conveyed to residents and treatment methods will be recommended in accordance with Firewise principles. This would probably be best accomplished by approaching homeowners associations or organizations. Ultimately, the message should reach individual homeowners in each community. Should local organizations not exist, the builder or developer could be contacted. Such contacts would also influence future projects or developments Using individual Communities at Risk maps for each station, the Georgia Forestry Commission and Paulding County Fire officials should visit all identified communities at risk for the purpose of locating and resolving access difficulties. This inspection should extend into the wildland adjacent to the communities at risk looking for hindrances to suppression tactics Paulding County Fire officials should examine structures for structural ignitability concerns at the time when the communities at risk are inspected for lack of defensible space. Using firewise guidelines for reducing structural ignitability, (a checklist could be formulated and used) structures should be assessed and findings conveyed to residents. This could be through use of media or by direct contact with residents or homeowners associations. Paulding County and municipal Fire Marshalls should closely examine all codes and ordinances for gaps and oversights which could cause problems in the wildland fire arena. Examples include proximity of propane tanks to structures, accumulations of debris, lack of proper identification pertaining address or street names, set back distances from wildland fuels, road widths in new developments.

In regard to priority, the above steps should first extend to the higher numbers in the extreme category from the risk summary as these communities are at a higher degree of risk.

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5) Action Plan

Steps to implement Fuel Reduction or Modification Priorities

Hazard Hazardous Wildland Fuel Accumulations
Fuel Continuity between Wildland and Woodland Communities
Hazardous Fuel Accumulations in communities and hindrances to suppression

Specific Action and Responsible Party The Georgia Forestry Commission will prioritize prescribed burning projects adjacent to Communities at risk where burning is determined to be appropriate. Due to the nature of smaller sizes holdings extensive development, burn projects may have to be small scale and carefully managed. A suggested project is depicted for the Kings Crossing subdivision in the appendix. In areas where the need exists and fuel reduction by burning is determined to be inappropriate, permanent or semi-permanent fuel breaks could be established. These breaks should be maintained annually prior to the arrival of prime burning times. Their locations should be mapped and made known to local, state, and federal response personnel. Residents of the Communities adjacent to these breaks should be advised of their purpose and their cooperation in protecting them should be gained. These breaks could be installed by the Georgia Forestry Commission. Using the risk summary in section 3, Fire departments could conduct community clean up days in communities at risk in their respective jurisdictions aimed at reducing hazardous fuels and hindrances to suppression in shared community space. Residents would be provided with guidance and access to disposal alternatives for materials removed.

Steps to implement improvements to wildland response capability

Improvement needed Improve training and qualification of Paulding County Wildland firefighters
Improve or acquire wildland fire fighting equipment

Responsible Party and specific action
Chief Ranger Denise Croker, Assistant District Manager Troy Floyd Jr. of the Georgia Forestry Commission and Paulding County Fire Chief Earwood should examine all training records for personnel under their supervision. All personnel assigned or anticipated to be assigned wildland response responsibilities should be certified Georgia Basic Wildland Firefighter or higher in qualification. Additional training and qualification should be sought for personnel identified in the Paulding County Fire plan who are assigned specific Incident Command System (ICS) functions. Sources for available funds for training should be sought at local, state, and federal levels. All stations for Paulding County Fire Departments should inventory their present equipment relating to their wildland capability. Funding sources should be investigated from available grants or other sources. Needs for job specific wildland responses should be examined by Chief Ranger Croker and Fire Chief Earwood.

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5) Action Plan

Steps to educate or inform the Public regarding wildland fire prevention and responsibilities

Opportunity Improve Public Education through direct contact
Improve Public Education through use of media
Improve Public Education through formal certification

Responsible Party and Specific Action Prior to the onset of fire season(s) rangers of the Georgia Forestry Commission and Paulding County Fire personnel should conduct firewise meetings in conjunction with normally scheduled fire department meetings. People living in or near extreme and high risk communities should be invited to these meetings by use of door to door campaigns or by mailbox flyers. Notices regarding these meetings could be placed in local post offices or stores near communities at risk. A Firewise display should be acquired and utilized at this meeting. This display would be retained by the Polk Paulding unit of the Georgia Forestry Commission and used for all firewise meetings in those Counties. Local news media should be invited to these meetings. Goals for potential Firewise certified communities in Paulding County could be considered after these meetings are completed. Prior to the onset of fire season(s) or during periods of particularly high fire danger use of the media should be stepped up by personnel of the Georgia Forestry Commission. This should include use of all available media in the County. PSA's should be run weekly during periods of high to extreme fire danger. Signs or poster boards could be developed for display in pubic spaces near communities at risk advising residents that they live in areas that are susceptible to wildland fire and directing them to sources of information regarding wildland fire and their role in improving their own personal safety. Signs directing residents to the firewise website could be effective. Firewise materials could be provided to the County building permit office. Before the end of calendar year 2011 the Georgia Forestry Commission and Paulding County Fire should obtain Firewise certification for the Kings Crossing Community. Should this goal not be realistic, another community from the risk summary should be selected.

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5) Action Plan
Timetables for Actions Steps to implement Community Hazard and Structural Ignitability Priorities
Steps to examine communities at risk for defensible space and structural ignitability should take place during the spring of 2012
Pre-planning to examine access and suppression problems should take place at any time during the current burning season.
Codes and Ordinances should be examined as soon as possible in order for the legal workings of changes to take place.
Steps to implement Fuel Reduction or Modification Priorities
Any identified prescribed burn projects should take place in late winter 2012. Any other priority burn projects or installation of pre suppression fuel breaks should take place during this same window.
Steps to reduce fuels in communities at risk should coincide with steps to improve defensible space and reduce structural ignitability. Timing of these actions would be dependent upon Fire station availabity during the late winter of 2012
Steps to implement improvements to wildland response capability
Cooperation between state and local wildland suppression forces regarding improvements to training and equipment should begin immediately.
Steps to educate or inform the Public regarding wildland fire prevention and responsibilities
Direct contact with residents in Communities at risk should take place as soon as possible during early calendar year 2012
The use of media should coincide with the above action. Certification of Firewise communities should follow the timetable associated with the action plan
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5) Action Plan
Assessment of Actions Reduction of Community hazard and structural ignitability
Direct measurement of the number of communities assessed would be the appropriate measure of success
Any meetings that result in cooperation between wildland departments should be logged along with minutes of those meetings. Goals should be set and reviewed after each meeting.
Any changes to or additions to codes and ordinances would be an obvious measure of success.
Steps to implement Fuel Reduction or Modification Priorities
Acres burned would be the appropriate measure for fuel reduction. A direct measure of linear feet of firebreaks would be an appropriate measure for pre suppression breaks.
Fuel reduction in communities at risk would be measured by the number of communities affected and number of projects completed.
Steps to implement improvements to wildland response capability
A direct measure of the number of capabilities or qualifications gained would be the appropriate measure of success.
Any equipment acquired or any equipment brought up to national standards would be the appropriate measure of success.
Steps to educate or inform the Public regarding wildland fire prevention and responsibilities
Direct measurement of the number of persons contacted, literature distributed, public notices posted, and news articles published, radio programs aired, etc. would be the best measure of success. The number of communities that achieve Firewise status would be an obvious measure of success.
6) Wildfire Pre-Suppression Plans
The 2009 - 2010 update of the Georgia Forestry Commission Paulding County Fire plan is included in the appendix of this plan.
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7) County Base and Hazards Maps
Maps of the Wildland Fire Susceptibility, Surface Fuels, and Fire Occurrence areas are included in the appendix of this plan. The Fire Occurrence and Surface Fuels maps contain minimum feature information to preserve continuity of what they represent. These maps are in PDF format and are available from the Georgia Forestry Commission. When viewed in this electronic format increased magnification and resolution capabilities are realized which will make these maps more useful. File sharing is also facilitated.
8) Appendix
Risk Summary table County maps of Wildland Fire Susceptibility, surface fuels, and fire occurrence areas Paulding County Pre-Suppression plan.
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P. O. Box 819 Macon, GA 31202 1-800-GA-TREES GaTrees.org
The Georgia Forestry Commission provides leadership, service, and education in the protection and conservation of Georgia's forest resources. An Equal Opportunity Employer and Service Provider
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