Hiwassee Dam Fire Department

09/02/2026

Ranger is hosting the Blood Assurance donation bus on October 10th.

09/02/2026

Actual temperatures today and tomorrow will be around 95-96. The heat index will be even hotter. Saturday only slightly better at 93+. Parts of Polk, Monroe and areas north and west have a heat advisory for 105-108 degrees.

Please hydrate and keep water with you.
Check the coolant in your vehicle.
Don't leave lighters, aerosol cans or sodas in your car, they can explode. Lighters can catch fire.
Keep medications out of heat and direct sunlight, many of them can be damaged that way.
Make sure pets have plenty of water they can't spill and have good shade.
Limit outdoor activity to morning and evening.

09/01/2026

08/31/2026

It's International Overdose Awareness Day.
In 2025 nearly 70,000 people died of drug overdoses.
Narcan is an antidote for opioid overdose. If you need Narcan, check https://nextdistro.org/ncgate (We are not sure if this program is still funded).

Here are the signs of overdose:

Face is clammy to touch and has lost color
Blue lips and fingertips
Non-responsive to one’s name or a firm sternum rub using the knuckles
Slow or erratic breathing, or no breathing at all
Deep snoring or a gurgling sound (i.e., what would be described as a “death rattle”)
Heartbeat is slow or has stopped

Narcan sprays are effective on opioid overdose, but not all drugs. Narcan can be bought in most pharmacies without a prescription. The following video shows how to use the nasal spray.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9Sv64FJPhg

While NCHRC would like to distribute free overdose rescue kits to everyone, the realities of a limited budget require our agency to prioritize people with a high risk for overdose. Overdose rescue kits are only available to the following groups of people: Current and former drug users, people engage...

08/30/2026

It’s going to be a very hot week folks.
Stay hydrated.
Check the coolant level in your vehicles.
Be prepared in case you break down.
Do outdoor work early or late, avoid peak heat hours of 10-4.
Make sure animals have plenty of water they can’t spill.
Remember the pavement can burn your dog’s feet.

08/28/2026

What do you do in landslide? For most people, it's going to be stay inside on an upper floor or on top of counters if you suspect a slide is coming. If you live in a slide prone area, monitor conditions and flash flood watches and warnings. Consider leaving early for somewhere else until the risk passes.

Don't drive through areas prone to slides after heavy rains or where there has been repeated rains.

08/27/2026

Isolated thunderstorms possible from 3-10 PM tonight. Wind and hail are possible but the overall threat level is Marginal.

08/26/2026

As little as 3 inches of rain in 24 hours can trigger landslides.
Landslides often happen 24-48 hours after heavy rain when the saturated ground weakens and comes loose.


Landslide Awareness Week NC