The Chatham County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 3 proclaimed October 2025 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the county and presented a second proclamation designating October as Fire Prevention Week.

Suzanne Cooler, president of the board for Safe Shelter Savannah, accepted the domestic-violence proclamation on behalf of the organization's CEO (who had an emergency). Cooler said the issue affects residents across demographics and told commissioners that "last year alone, in our community in Chatham County, we had over 6,000 domestic disturbance calls to police." She introduced Dr. Karen Denise Austin, CEO and founder of For the Jewel in You, who described a new 12-week survivor education program called "The Shield" that begins Oct. 18 and will include collaboration with the Savannah Police Department to support survivors and promote healing.

Chair Chester A. Ellis then read a Fire Prevention Week proclamation and introduced Chief Vickers, who emphasized fire-safety outreach focused on lithium‑ion batteries. "Lithium ion batteries ... are in everything from your smoke alarms to your cell phones to cars now," Chief Vickers said, calling them "one of the fastest growing fire risks" and urging public education, outreach and engineering solutions.

The proclamations were placed into the meeting record and certificates were offered to the presenters.