When the signal light on a radio tower in Habersham County went out recently, no one realized it until a four-year-old boy told them. Now, that young boy, Chandler Franklin, is being honored for his potentially life-saving observation.
Chandler lives with his family on the south end of Habersham. One day he mentioned to his dad, Clayton, that the tower light was no longer flashing at Old Mill Road and Crane Mill Road.
Clayton Franklin says at first he thought his son was mistaken; after all, tower lights are crucial safety mechanisms that warn aircraft of a tower’s position. He thought surely, there were systems in place to make sure the lights stayed lit. A few evenings later while walking in the yard with his son he noticed Chandler was right; the tower light wasn’t working.
Franklin notified county manager Alicia Vaughn and E-911 director Lynn Smith. His call set in motion a series of events.
Smith contacted the Habersham County Radio Administrator, Tom Purdy, to identify the tower owner. Once identified, engineers for the commercial radio station discovered there was an issue with the tower’s monitoring system and light beacon control board. They alerted the FAA and got the issue resolved, all thanks to a little boy’s watchful eye.
On April 17, the Habersham County Commission recognized Chandler Franklin with a certificate.
“When a young resident wants to get involved and help keep the county safe, we believe it’s important to just take a moment to publicly recognize them,” said Habersham County Commission Chair Ty Akins.
Chandler’s mom, Allyson, joined him and his dad for the presentation during the commission meeting at the Habersham County courthouse.
