Clarkesville weighs fire department consolidation

By: Brian Wellmeier

A county takeover of Clarkesville's Fire Department does not appear imminent, even as Habersham County continues to examine consolidation of fire services across its municipalities.

Talks of consolidation between Habersham County and its municipalities began in 2024. That discussion continued during a Monday, March 2 work session, where members of the Clarkesville City Council emphasized their confidence in the city’s ability to maintain independent fire and EMS operations.

The conversation also comes amid a broader county review focused on whether merging fire services could enhance efficiency and potentially improve the county’s Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating – a critical metric that directly affects insurance premiums. The city of Demorest entered into an agreement with Habersham County to combine fire services on Jan. 1.

Councilwoman Angelia Kiker and Councilman Brad Coppedge have been closely involved in the assessment of the consolidation proposal and recently have attended county-led presentations over the matter, although both signaled reservations about whether Clarkesville should pursue a similar arrangement.

“There’s not a large amount of incentive,” Councilman Brad Coppedge said during the work session, noting Clarkesville’s fire department operates on a tighter budget than other municipalities in the county.

Councilwoman Angelia Kiker echoed that perspective, stating she does not see consolidation as advantageous at this time.

“(ISO) keeps our insurance rates low,” Kiker said. “But I don’t think it would be a good move for residents.”

Clarkesville currently maintains an ISO rating of 3, compared to a rating of 5 for Habersham County. 

ISO scores, which range from 1 to 10, evaluate a department’s capacity to safeguard lives and property, with lower numbers reflecting stronger fire protection. ISO functions as an independent auditing organization for insurance providers, and its ratings play a direct role in determining policy costs for cities and counties. Officials have said recent changes to ISO have spurred the need for such reevaluations. 

County leaders have publicly set a target of achieving a countywide ISO rating of 3, and consultants have advised that consolidation may help standardize staffing levels, equipment, and response protocols in pursuit of that goal. Improving ISO ratings requires, among other criteria, maintaining at least four firefighters on duty and meeting established water pressure (PSI) benchmarks.

No official action was taken by the Clarkesville council Monday night as city leaders continue evaluating the potential for consolidation.

Of Habersham's cities, Mt. Airy currently relies on Cornelia and Alto on Baldwin for fire services.