Answering the Call - With local fire departments

Words by Emily Davis  |  Photography by Courtney Snyder

Residents and visitors love the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau for its unique topography and tranquil lifestyle. But in a remote location, safety becomes of paramount importance. In addition to stunning landscapes and a wealth of entertainment and dining options, the Plateau is blessed with abundant resources to promote the security and well-being of its residents. Among those resources are the fire departments of Cashiers, Toxaway, and Highlands, whose stations and substations are strategically placed throughout the area to ensure rapid responses to fires and other emergencies. 

The village of Cashiers welcomed its primary fire station on Frank Allen Road in 1967. Prior to that, the town’s fire truck was housed in the Shell station in town. Throughout the years, five substations were added in Sapphire, Glenville, and Yellow Mountain, at Blue Ridge School, and on Breedlove Road next to the Chinquapin development. This year, the completion of Station 7 near the Wade Hampton Golf Club will supply aid convenient to the south side of town.

 

With 11 full-time and 16 part-time firefighters, plus a roster of 25 volunteers, the Cashiers-Glenville Fire Department covers one of the largest fire districts in North Carolina at 135 square miles. Even still, plans for additional services and equipment are in the works. The department recently purchased land across the street from their current location in the heart of Cashiers, with hopes of constructing a new station in the near future. New budgets are determined every four years, and the next, in 2025, will decide the fate of a possible new station along with the addition of a twelfth full-time firefighter.  

The Cashiers-Glenville fire department works closely with the local emergency medical response team, the opposite-named Glenville-Cashiers Rescue Squad. Each service supplies aid to one another as needed. The construction of a new Rescue Squad building on Highway 64 will soon allow increased EMS presence in Cashiers. 

Fire Chief Randy Dillard, who has served in his current position for 38 years, shares a proud heritage with the town he calls home. His grandfather, Frank Allen, was once the sheriff of Jackson County and inspired the name of the road where the primary station was built. Born and raised in Cashiers, Dillard plans to retire here, too. 

“I wouldn’t trade this town for anything in the world,” he says. Cashiers-area residents truly are protected by one of their own. 

 

Although it lies in Transylvania County, the Lake Toxaway Fire Department offers automatic mutual aid to Cashiers, as well as covering a substantial area of their own (over 70 square miles). The Toxaway fire district extends from the Jackson County line east to Silverstein Road on Highway 64, north on Highway 281 to the Jackson County line, and south on Highway 281 to cover Gorges State Park. 

The primary Toxaway station and one substation employ four full-time firefighters, with 37 part-timers and volunteers providing additional assistance. The Toxaway department responds to calls for Cashiers, and vice versa, allowing for a breadth of services to protect residents and visitors of both districts. 

“Although Panthertown lies in Jackson County, there is one part of it that extends just slightly into Transylvania. So when a call comes in from Panthertown, we respond too,” Deputy Chief Bobby Cooper explains. “We also cover Gorges State Park, which encompasses 7500 acres, plus the US property around Rainbow Falls.” 

The department responds to all fires, but a portion of its work also focuses on incidents within the area’s numerous hiking trails and campgrounds. Ongoing training allows firefighters to develop the unique skills necessary for rescues within both house fires and wilderness emergencies.  In 2016, Transylvania County mourned a record six deaths due to accidents around waterfalls, and accidents occur near these landmarks annually.

With regard to personal safety in mountainous terrain, Cooper advises, “Let someone know where you’re going and when you’ll be back, and stay away from the tops of waterfalls.” 

 

To the west of Cashiers, the Highlands Fire Department serves a district roughly 70 square miles in size, including the township of Highlands and its surrounding rural communities. Eight full-time, two part-time, and 26 volunteer firefighters share a mix of training and specialties that allow the department to respond to medical emergencies, search and rescue operations, and, of course, structure fires. The department responded to 730 total calls in 2023.

“We even rescued a cat from a tree recently, just like on TV,” Chief Ryan Gearhart chuckles. 

Like all other area fire departments, the primary Highlands station and its substation on Cashiers Road provide automatic aid to other nearby districts, including Cashiers, Scaly Mountain, Cullasaja, and Satulah, for structure fires, brush fires, and other major incidents. 

In addition to securing the safety of Highlands’ citizens and visitors, Gearhart and his staff provide educational outreach to schools and daycares. Local children from preschool through third grade visited the brand-new fire station last year, demonstrating their fascination with the station’s six fire trucks and, of course, every child’s favorite — the fire pole. They learned fire prevention tips and what to do in the event of a fire, and many left with dreams of becoming firefighters someday.

Gearhart, who has served in his role as Chief for over ten years, shares his passion for the job. “When you need to call the fire department, it’s not your best day. Whether a house fire, a medical emergency, or a car accident, you’re experiencing a range of emotions, and you’re in need of assistance. My goal is to help in any way I can, from making sure you’re safe to helping preserve as much of your property as possible. I just want to help my community.”

Indeed, with three major fire departments providing mutual aid to one another, residents of the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau can rest assured in the knowledge that they benefit from thorough, expert protection. Diverse skill sets, ongoing training, and deep resources allow the firefighters of Cashiers, Toxaway, and Highlands to respond to any emergency promptly, while love for their community allows them to provide compassionate service at times the public needs it most. 

 

Cashiers-Glenville Fire Department

579 Frank Allen Rd, Cashiers, NC
828-743-9544

Lake Toxaway Fire Department 

850 Blue Ridge Rd, Lake Toxaway, NC

828-966-4900

Highlands Fire Department

322 Oak St, Highlands, NC 

828-526-3645

If you’re experiencing an emergency please dial 911.