East Brooks Fire Department Closing

Brooks County---On December 15, 2022 the Board of Commissioners held a public hearing in reference to three decisions to be made on the East Brooks Fire Department in Brooks County, Georgia. 

On December 16, 2022 the East Brooks Fire Department was sent a letter by the county attorney’s Burchett & Kemp, LLP. The letter states as follows: 

“Dear Mr. Nary: 

This letter has been sent to you on behalf of the Brooks County Board of Commissioners (“Brooks County”). Our firm, Burchett & Kemp, LLP, serves as the County Attorney for Brooks County. Brooks County held an open meeting on December 15, 2022 and decided three items that pertain to the East Brooks County Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. (“East Brooks”). This letter serves as official notice on all three decisions as well as an official demand to cease-and-desist the activities outlined below. 

Brooks County voted to cease dispatching East Brooks. East Brooks is not authorized to respond to any emergencies on behalf of Brooks County. The foregoing includes “self-dispatching.” Therefore, this is serves as a demand that you cease and desist from dispatching your personnel and equipment for emergencies in Brooks County. Your failure to honor this cease-and-desist letter will expose East Brooks to liability, and Brooks County shall be entitled to pursue any and all legal and equitable remedies available to it. 

Brooks County voted to cease paying all expenses of East Brooks currently being paid by Brooks County effective February 28, 2023. It is in East Brooks’ best interest to prepare for the foregoing date when all such payments on East Brooks’ behalf will cease. 

Brooks County voted to reclaim any equipment, supplies, and vehicles owned by Brooks County but in East Brooks’ possession. You should expect contact from Chief Catlett in the near future to take inventory of such property and coordinate its return to the County. 

Please contact us at (912) 490-3755 or the County Administrator at (229) 263-5561 if you have any questions concerning this letter.” 

The letter was signed by Jason Kemp, Attorney at Law. The original letter is below. 

On December 17, 2022 the East Brook Fire Department shared their letter on their social media page to alert those whom they serve. The result of that was over 65 comments, 79 shares, and 20 likes with emojis. 

Outrage, disappointment in the local government, and countless other emotions were shared about the Brooks County Board of Commissioners decisions including a call to have the board members removed while others responded by commenting to vote them off next election term. 

Brooks County Georgia Facebook page shared their reasoning in the decision stating: 

“On Thursday, December 15, 2022, the Brooks County Board of Commissioners (BOC) held a Special Called Meeting to discuss the county’s position on continuing to dispatch the East Brooks Volunteer Fire Department. As a result, motions were made unanimously across the BOC to no long dispatch nor fund the East Brooks Volunteer Fire Department as a result of an agreement not being met and to eliminate the existing liability of operating outside of an agreement. 

Over the course of the past five years the BOC has made countless attempts to negotiate a consolidation agreement with the East Brooks Volunteer Fire Department to no avail. The absence of this agreement did not permit the BOC full control over tax payers dollars nor did allow the BOC reach into operational and financial records to ensure proper compliance. Continuing to operate under these conditions alone increased the liability across several arenas of the county’s operations. 

As a result, it was in the best interest of the county to determine the most viable and responsible option for continuing coverage in the East Brooks area of our county. Effective Friday December 16, 2022, the Brooks County Fire Department. This expands the BOC operation across the county 24/7 with fully certified staff to satisfy operations compliance and eliminating an adverse impact to ISO. 

Additionally, in preparation of the opening of Station 2, the State Fire Certification requirements are also being currently met to ensure our second Station is compliant and registered appropriately with Georgia Fire Standards and Training Council.” 

The Brooks County Georgia Facebook post explaining the BOC decision has had 26 shares, 9 comments, and 24 likes. Comments on this post pertained to the lack of notice being given to the Briggs District, the money being spent by the BOC, and the fact that 40 plus years of volunteer fire fighting was simply thrown away without regard. 

East Brook Volunteer Fire Department was first made in response to the need for fire fighters within the area. In 1982 a special called meeting was held in reference to this fire department. Below is the documentation signed by a Judge of Probate Court in 1982. 

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