Graham County Emergency Services

08/25/2022

Maggie Valley - Brennan Clay Mehaffey, 36 died peacefully of natural causes and went to be with his Lord and Savior on Wednesday, August 24, 2022. Brennan was born on July 29, 1986, to Carroll and Nancie Guge Mehaffey.

Brennan was a 2004 graduate of Tuscola High School. He became a volunteer firefighter with the Maggie Valley Fire and Rescue at the age of 16. Brennan received an associates degree from HCC in Building Construction Management and then received a Certificate in Basic Law Enforcement Training. He began working in law enforcement in 2007 with the Maggie Valley Police Department. In 2018, Brennan began work for the Haywood County Sheriff's Office. There is a comradery among law enforcement officers that is very strong. This was very evident in the relationships Brennan had with his fellow officers. He was well loved and respected by his fellow law enforcement officers, EMS workers, and dispatchers.

Brennan had a servants heart. He was a giving person and never expected anything in return. Brennan loved the Lord and would often share his testimony when the opportunity arose.

Brennan enjoyed the outdoors, his dogs, fishing, hunting, and going to deer camp with his Dad. He was a skilled marksman and would spend many hours target shooting. Most of all Brennan loved his family.

In addition to his parents, Brennan is survived by multiple aunts, uncles and cousins.

𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝟰:𝟬𝟬 𝗽𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟴, 𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗰𝗵 𝗕𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵, 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗳 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿, 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗞𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗦𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗵, 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝘆𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗳'𝘀 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟮-𝟰 𝗽𝗺 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵.

𝗜𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘂 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗠𝗲𝗵𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝘆 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗟𝗘𝗧 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝘆𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 , 𝟭𝟴𝟱 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗖𝗹𝘆𝗱𝗲, 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝟮𝟴𝟳𝟮𝟭.

The Mehaffeys would like to offer a word of thanks to everyone who brought food, messaged, visited and most of all prayed for us through this time of grief.

08/25/2022

Last night around 9:00 p.m. Graham County EMS responded to a medical emergency that required the patient to be airlifted from the Graham County EMS base. While the medical helicopter was at the EMS base, it was discovered that someone was operating an Unmanned Aircraft System commonly known as a "Drone" in a close proximity to the medical aircraft and to the EMS base helipad. PLEASE DO NOT FLY YOUR DRONE NEAR OTHER AIRCRAFT OR NEAR THE EMS BASE!!!!!

This not only endangers the safety of the flight crews, EMS crews, ground team members, and the patient but operating a drone in this manner will delay patient care. The medical helicopters will not enter the area if it is known a drone is present.

If a drone makes contact with the other aircraft, no matter how slight, the medical aircraft will be grounded until the safety and airworthiness of the helicopter can be guaranteed.

Drones are fun. Drones are neat. But please remember "IF YOU FLY THEN THEY CAN'T"!!!

07/18/2022

05/14/2022

Ally Williams presented Graham County EMS with a little gift for all of our EMS. She is in the Honors program at A.C. Reynolds high school. And writes about Graham County. Her Grandmother and Grandfather (Frank and Brenda Deyton) live here in Graham County.

04/23/2022

News release from Great Smoky Mountains National Park:

Great Smoky Mountains National Park received emergency assistance from the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NC DPS) and their Helo-Aquatic Rescue Team (NCHART) to rescue a sick hiker from the Appalachian Trail on Friday, April 22.

At approximately 10:28 a.m., the park’s Emergency Communications Center received notification that a 74-year old male hiker from Newville, AL, was experiencing severe chest pains while hiking the Appalachian Trail north from Fontana Lake. NCHART along with emergency responders from the National Park Service, Graham County EMS, Swain County Search and Rescue and the North Carolina Forest Service conducted a complex rescue operation by evacuating the injured hiker from his backcountry location.

First responders performed a litter carry out down to a location where NCHART could hoist the patient to their helicopter. The patient was brought out to a landing zone and was transferred to the Mountain Area Medical Airlift (MAMA) who transported him to Mission Hospital in Asheville, NC for treatment.

01/14/2022

Cheoah Ranger District 2022 Seasonal Road Closures

ROBBINSVILLE, NC (Jan. 12, 2022) – The Cheoah Ranger District of the Nantahala National Forest has implemented seasonal road closures on roads listed below. Closing roads to motorized vehicles seasonally helps reduce road maintenance costs. It also reduces wildlife disturbance so they can conserve energy while food is scarce. During long bouts of adverse weather, additional roads may be closed to protect public safety.

The following roads close January 2 through April 1, 2022:

Big Fat (FSR 62)
Farley Cove (FSR 407)
Tatham Gap/Long Creek (FSR 423)
Long Hungry (FSR 2586)
Santeetlah Creek (FSR 81)

On all Forest Service roads, emergency closures due to weather or resource conditions can occur at any time. For current road conditions and status, contact the Cheoah Ranger District at 828-479-6431 Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

01/13/2022

01/13/2022

(En Espanol) Winter storms can bring snow, sleet, and freezing rain across the entire United States and its territories. Even Hawaii gets snow in its Big Island, and major cities as far south as Atlanta and Dallas have been paralyzed by snow and ice. Blizzards occur when strong wind causes blowing s...