Whitfield County Get Grant For Custom ATV For Rescue And Response

WHITFIELD COUNTY, GA, (WDEF)- It was needed during the heavy snows of recent weeks but now Whitfield County EMA are ready for any outdoors emergency.

Jeff Ownby, Whitfield County EMA, "May end up saving a life or we may just end up getting to them quicker, maybe, a leg injury, or something, you don’t want to leave any injury out there too long,  they always say have a speedy response"

Ownby believes the new equipment will be called upon more and more as the weather improves.

"Rural bike riding trails, and foot trails, ATV trails in our community also during unusual weather events we might have to use it"

Whitfield County EMA  were awarded the money through the  Response and Recovery Fund which  includes a specialized patient trailer for those with broken bones.

The new equipment will be stored here in Tunnel Hill at Station House 7 and is ready to be deployed anywhere at any given time.

Whitfield County firefighters say the ATV equipped with siren and radio will help them get to those who are elderly and in isolated parts of North Georgia.

Tammy Joe Kirk of Kirk Cycles Dalton says the demand for ATV’s from rural areas is growing every year.

"We are in a great riding area near the mountains and stuff and when the snow and all come the last week we sold 11 ATV’s just that week, these things are very popular round here"

Kirk added everyone from schools to outreach groups are purchasing them and it’s encouraging that now their local EMA is ready.

"Back in the woods somewhere, you cant get a regular vehicle, these things have the option of towing 1500lbs"

The grant required a 25% match of 3500 dollars from Whitfield County and bids were submitted from across North Georgia.