Pooler Fire-Rescue

05/26/2026

Late Post:

This afternoon (May 25th, 2026) your Pooler Fire-Rescue firefighters were dispatched to the Harmony Subdivision for reports of a structure fire.

Chief 603 arrived on scene and noted a 2-story, multi-family set of town homes with smoke showing from the front of the structure and declared a working fire, completing a walk-around of the building and shutting the front and rear doors to prevent further fire growth.

Truck 60 & Engine 601 arrived on scene and conducted search and fire attack responsibilities. Truck 602 and Engine 603 arrived on scene to assist with gaining access to the garage and establishing water supply. Engine 604 arrived to assess water supply and were returned to service.

The fire was knocked down quickly, salvage and overhaul tasks were completed. Two adults and one child were displaced and the services of the Red Cross were initiated. Companies operated for approximately one hour.

Companies on scene: Engines 601, 603, 604. Trucks 601, 602. Battalion 601, Chief 603.

05/17/2026

Animal Rescue:

This afternoon (May 17th, 2026) your Pooler Fire-Rescue firefighters were dispatched to the 500 block of S Rogers for a service call. Engine 601 & Truck 601 responded, where are kitten was found stuck in the roof of a building in a void space between the ceiling and roof line.

Companies utilized cameras designed to search void spaces for entrapped occupants to locate the kitten. Once located, they cut a hole in the roof to get access to a void space approximately 18 inches in height. A firefighter was able to enter the tight space and she was able remove the kitten.

Once removed, the roof was patched with plywood and a tarp until a professional can fix the damage.

Great work!

05/07/2026

Late Post:

Last night (May 6, 2026) your Pooler Fire-Rescue firefighters were dispatched to a reported fire in the wood line on Ryan's Way threatening a structure.

Engine 601, 604, Truck 601, Battalion 601, Brush 601 and Chief 601 responded on the initial dispatch. Engine 601 arrived to find a fire which had escaped an unattended burn barrel and impacted a fence and nearby wooded area. Hose lines were deployed quickly and the fire was confined and knocked down, returning Chief 601 and Engine 604. The area was thoroughly overhauled by companies prior to going avaliable.

Please remember, that despite the recent rain, much of our vegetation is still dry and susceptible to rapid fire spread. Do not leave your burn barrels or burn piles unattended and without adequate suppression capabilities. We are here if you need us!

05/07/2026

05/06/2026

Today your Pooler Fire-Rescue firefighters were out at one of our local apartment complexes that is under construction performing simulated elevator shaft rescues. They were practicing there technical rescue skills using a piece of equipment called the Arizona Vortex. Your Pooler Fire-Rescue firefighters stay committed to training in all aspects of our job to be ready when you call upon us. Strong work guys.

05/05/2026

BURN BAN UPDATE:

Effective May 5, 2026 the burn ban has been lifted for Chatham County and our contiguous counties by order of the Georgia Forester.

This means that you are now able to burn natural, hand-piled vegetation such as leaves and limbs (no trash or construction materials permitted).

Notes:

○ Burning is permitted during daylight hours only.
○Always keep piles at least 50 feet away from structures and 25 feet from wood lines.
○ Always have a water source for immediate suppression, and contain the fire, if possible.
○ Never leave a fire unattended.

We hope you have a happy Cinco de Mayo!

05/04/2026

April run data is in:

Your Pooler Fire-Rescue firefighters have responded to 500 calls for service in April marking a 4.38% increase over April 2025 (479 calls), and we are currently 7.65% above this time in 2025 overall (1794 calls).

We saw an uptick in fires due to the drought conditions, and it must be said that even though we received rain over the weekend, the burn ban is still in effect until May 22nd, unless otherwise extended by the Georgia Forestry Commission.

The monthly average response time in April 2026 was 5 minutes 45 seconds which is determined by the time we are notified by dispatch to on scene and mitigating emergencies. This includes receiving the incident notification, getting dressed for the emergency, on the apparatus responding, navigating traffic, and arriving on scene to serve our residents and visitors.

As always, we appreciate our community and everything they do for us at Pooler Fire, please do not burn, and May the 4th be with you!

04/22/2026

Supporting others in their time of need:

Starting at 0600 on April 23, 2026 your Pooler Fire-Rescue firefighters will be deploying 2 personnel daily along with Brush 601 to the wildfire in Brantley County. We will be rotating personnel in 12 hour blocks as needed to assist others.

This is part of a massive statewide effort to help our neighbors in south Georgia as they suffer this devastating loss.

Always ready, and always willing to help, your PFR is here when you need us.

Pictures below are from a recent fire in Bloomingdale:

04/22/2026

To all of our Pooler residents and visitors. Please take time to review the following press release regarding the burn ban issued by the Georgia Forestry Commission which now precludes from open burning during the current drought conditions.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
APRIL 22, 2026

Georgia’s extreme drought is worsening and the risk of wildfires is rising, especially in southern region of the state. As a result, Georgia’s State Forester today issued a ban on outdoor burning for 91 counties in the lower half of the state.

“We need everyone to take this situation seriously,” said Georgia State Forester and Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) Director Johnny Sabo. “GFC’s wildland firefighters are responding daily to a near-record number of wildfires. It’s critical to remember that just one spark or ember can ignite a life-threatening wildfire.”

Fully 98% of Georgia’s total land area is currently in moderate to exceptional drought conditions. The number of wildfires statewide in April has also now risen above Georgia’s five-year average.

“I want to thank Director Sabo, Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, Georgia EPD, and all those working to address the impacts of this critical drought,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “Georgia Forestry responders are working hard to battle the wildfires caused by these dry conditions, and I’m encouraging all Georgians to do their part in helping them by adhering to this burn ban.”

The burn ban area includes counties below metro Atlanta, running from Harris County in the west all the way to Columbia County in the east and south to the Florida state line. This is the first time in the agency’s history that a GFC mandatory ban on outdoor burning has been issued. The provisions of the GFC Burn Ban Order, found here, went into effect upon the State Forester’s signature and will remain in effect for 30 days, unless otherwise extended. The order prohibits, among other activities, prescribed burns as well as the burning of yard debris and agriculture material in the affected area.

“The extreme drought conditions across Georgia are putting agriculture and forestry at significant risk, and I want to strongly encourage all Georgians to do the right thing and adhere to the Georgia Forestry Commission’s burn ban while these conditions persist,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J. Harper. “I am deeply grateful to Commissioner Sabo and the entire team at GFC for their tireless efforts to successfully contain wildfires across the state.”

Chance of rain is unlikely for most of the affected area in the coming days. GFC will continue to work closely with local responders, the Governor’s Office, the Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Division, and other state and local partners to combat any wildfires and address the ongoing drought.