NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. — The Newton County Fire Department went before the county commission this month to seek approval of a series of programs aimed at assisting victims of fire disasters in the county.
Fire Chief Royce Turner went before the commission to pitch the program, and a variety of community partnerships, to provide assistance to those impacted by fires in Newton County.
"The victim assistance program in Newton County will focus on helping families and individuals impacted by fire incidents, not criminal activity," a fire department spokesman said. “These programs fill the gap between the American Red Cross, emergency response, and long-term recovery."
According to the department, the program request was inspired by the department’s response to a fire on Dec. 18, 2024, when a family of five was displaced but the American Red Cross was unavailable to provide the family with assistance.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
TRENDING STORIES:
- WATCH: Alleged porch pirates steal from Atlanta home two days in a row
- Georgia officers return home after being shot while serving search warrant
- 3 members of Cobb County school board agree to return campaign contributions after investigation
"The Newton County Fire Service went above and beyond the call of duty to secure housing, food, transportation, and clothing for the family. We also rallied the community to donate money and Christmas gifts for the family so they would have a Christmas after losing everything," the fire department told Channel 2 Action News.
That incident, and the recovery assistance firefighters provided, set the Newton County Fire Department on a path to fill the gap between disaster and recovery in the long-term.
The programs proposed by Newton County Fire Department staff include immediate on-scene support, connecting families and victims with emergency resources for food, housing, clothing and financial assistance, help with insurance and paperwork, counseling services, loss-recovery assistance for essential items and follow-up support.
The county commission approved all of the program proposals unanimously, according to a department spokesman.
Going forward, J Key Restoration, Pace Restoration, LLC, 1-800-Boardup of Atlanta and Paul Davis Restoration, LLC will work with the Newton County Fire Department to provide both immediate and long-term assistance to fire victims.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
