The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners has approved an automatic aid agreement between Cherokee Fire & Emergency Services and the Woodstock Fire Department, ensuring the two agencies will cover for each other as needed.

The departments, staff said in a report to commissioners, determined it benefits each of them to render "supplemental fire suppression, protection, emergency medical response, and rescue to the other party ... and take part in joint training exercises.”

If its station is closest to a call, Cherokee Fire will be automatically dispatched to incidents in the Woodstock Automatic Aid Area of Woodstock Fire Stations 10 and 14. Likewise, Woodstock Fire will be automatically dispatched to incidents if closest to calls in the Cherokee Automatic Aid Area of Cherokee Fire Stations 1, 7, 19, 20, 23 and 24.

The agreement replaces a prior pact approved in 1998. Information: https://bit.ly/3lvlO4P