Chatham County Fire Department (CCFD) is pleased to announce the implementation of the next phase of its Automatic Aid agreement with the Garden City Fire Rescue (GCFR), a significant step forward in regional cooperation and service delivery.

Effective immediately, one CCFD engine company and one CCFD battalion chief will be automatically dispatched to assist Garden City Fire on designated incident types within their Station 202 response area. In return, Garden City Fire will dispatch an aerial apparatus and a battalion chief to assist CCFD on those same incident types in the Station 312 and Station 310 response areas.

Automatic aid resources are deployed in addition to existing departmental response units, not in place of them, ensuring that communities on both sides benefit from increased staffing, specialized equipment, and enhanced command support on emergency scenes.

Strengthening Coordination and Relationships

To support seamless field operations, both departments are planning joint meet-and-greet opportunities and regular training initiatives. These efforts are designed to strengthen working relationships, improve coordination, and ensure a unified response approach when resources cross jurisdictional boundaries.

Residents may see apparatus from either department operating in neighboring response zones, this is expected and reflects the operational expansion of the agreement.

A Regional Commitment to Service

This expanded agreement represents a historic and positive milestone for both agencies and underscores a shared commitment to professionalism, collaboration, and service to the region. By working together, CCFD and GCFD are enhancing response capability, improving efficiency, and strengthening the collective ability to protect the communities they serve.