First round of Savannah firefighters sent to Brantley County return home

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - The first round of Savannah firefighters sent to Brantley County returned home Thursday.

Fourteen Savannah firefighters, including Chief of Special Operations Scott Boyd, made their way down to Brantley County last Thursday. Personnel volunteered their time and equipment. Savannah Fire brought down two brush trucks to help contain the flames.

Boyd said the wildfires were unlike anything Savannah firefighters are used to dealing with.

“I’m really proud to be part of an organization that is so willing to help other communities,” Boyd said.

Adapting to rural conditions

The crew worked alongside first responders from across southeast Georgia. Boyd said his team fit in seamlessly, stepping into critical leadership roles.

“These are all well seasoned fire fighters with lots of experience here, they were able to really take those experiences they have and leadership skills and put them to work down there,” Boyd said.

Firefighters with the Savannah Fire Department are used to putting out structure and brush fires. Coming from an urban setting to a rural wildfire was a big change for crews. From road conditions to fire hydrant access, Boyd said his team had to adapt, but that they did so quickly.

“The guys down there were able to quickly over come that, they got a real good plan together and were able to be really successful down there…save a lot of homes,” Boyd said.

Boyd said his crew saved over 100 homes from being destroyed.

Crew rotation continues

All 14 firefighters who made their way down to Brantley County last Thursday are now home. However, Savannah Fire still has personnel in the area and will stay there until the end of the week. They made the decision to swap crews to keep everyone safe and fresh.

“We certainly don’t want fatigue to step in and get somebody hurt, or anything like that, so we are monitoring that really closely,” Boyd said.

Boyd said if conditions worsen, Savannah Fire is open to sending down reinforcements as needed. He urged residents to pay attention to the ongoing burn bans.