Lt. Dustin Ray and Firefighter Rich Zerbey attended the Sunset Bay Homeowner’s Association Annual Meeting and set up a booth for the Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department. The firefighters gave out fire safety materials to the homeowners and answered any questions they may have. Chief Chris Upton said he appreciates these local community groups inviting us out each year to meet with local residents.
During the early morning hours of Sunday, October 13, 2024 around midnight 30 units from the Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department were dispatched to a one vehicle accident on Highway 33 between the Sharps Chapel Road entrance and Highway 33 bridge.
SCVFD Engine 54 and Engine 51 responded to the scene to find a older model SUV that had lost control ran off the roadway and flipped over back into the road. The driver of the vehicle had crawled out of the wreckage and was evaluated at the scene by Union County EMS for minor injuries.
SCVFD units stood by on scene and cleared up fuel and oil leaks from the vehicle and assisted with traffic control with the Union County Sheriff’s Department.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol Investigated the accident. After the accident was cleared and the road reopened all SCVFD units returned back in service.
The Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to a trailer fire on September 4, 2024 around 9:24pm at 199 Homepark Road in the New Tazewell section of Union County, behind Rhonda’s Market and Deli.
While in route to the call firefighters were told they were unsure if anyone was in the home. The first fire units on scene reported heavy smoke and flames coming from the front door. The trailer was in between (2) two other trailers less than 20 feet apart. Attack lines were deployed at the front and rear of the trailer and the fire was quickly extinguished. before spreading to surrounding structures. Three pets, a cat and 2 dogs perished from the fire. The homeowner was not at the trailer at the time the fire started, but was visiting a neighbor when she heard other neighbors yelling about the fire.
Sharps Chapel Engine 51, 52 and 53 responded along with Command 5. Units from Northeast Union and South Claiborne Fire Departments assisted with fighting the blaze which would total the inside of the trailer with fire and water damage. Maynardville VFD had a truck staged on the scene until the fire was declared out and all units cleared from the scene.
The exact cause was not available and the American Red Cross was called in to assist the homeowner..
The Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department recently purchased four (4) new Scott Self Contained Breathing Apparatus’s and eight (8) new air bottles for their department.
The funds for the new equipment came from a state grant that the department applied for last year. Chief Chris Upton said the department was awarded approx. $38,000 through the grant to purchase the much needed equipment for the firefighters.
The SCBA’s are used by firefighters to wear while fighting fire to keep from breathing smoke and to keep the firefighters safe. Chief Upton said the department now has all of their SCBA’s matching on all of their trucks and they are all compatible with each other.
Upton also said their department is very grateful to receive these needed grants to help purchase equipment and gear for the firefighters. He said the firefighter equipment and gear they use is marked up with very high prices and it’s hard for small volunteer departments to afford to purchase things needed to operate with and keep the firefighters safe. These grants help a lot, Upton said.
On Sunday, March 31, 2024, at approximately 13:49 the Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to the address of 1231 lakeview Drive for a reported out of control brush fire. All other union County fire departments were dispatched for Mutual Aid. Engine 52, Rescue 51, and Quad 51 responded quickly and before arriving on scene a firefighter that had driven his personal vehicle reported to Union County E911 that the fire was in the middle of two homes. Sharps Chapel Fire Chief Chris Upton arrived on scene and advised to cancel all other fire departments and continue all Sharps Chapel Fire units to the scene. Engine 52, Rescue 51, and Quad 51 arrived on scene and begun to extinguish the flames. Engine 52 was used for structural protection and Quad 51 and rescue 51 were used to fight the brush fire. Units remained on scene for approximately 4 hours assuring the fire wouldn’t spread outside the fire line. All Sharps Chapel Units were released at 17:06 and returned to service.
On Wednesday, February 11, 2024 around 2:26 pm Union County 911 Center received a call that a male subject had fallen from a ladder while working on the roof of a home on Pearl Point in the Norris Shores Community of Sharps Chapel. The victim had reportedly fallen approx. 30 to 40 feet.
Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene to assist Union County EMS.
After arriving on the scene, EMS requested Lifestar due to the severe injuries of the patient.
SCVFD Engine 51 responded to the helipad in Sunset Bay where a landing zone was set up for Lifestar and the victim was transported there by Union County EMS. The victim was flown to UT Hospital and his condition was not available at the time of this reporting.
SCVFD units were dispatched to a one vehicle accident on Maynardville Highway between the Sharps Chapel entrance and Highway 33 Veterans Memorial Bridge. The accident took place on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 around 6:10pm. SCVFD Engine 54 arrived on scene and found all occupants of the vehicle were out with no entrapment, They were checked by Union County EMS with no transport.
Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department visited the students of Sharps Chapel Elementary on Thursday, November 16, 2023. SCVFD members talked with students about cooking and kitchen safety along with who to call in an emergency, knowing two escape routes, and checking and replacing batteries in smoke alarms. Smokey the Bear along with the Tennessee Division of Forestry were unable to attend this year due to working on brush fires in East Tennessee. However, students were able to watch a video on the history of Smokey the Bear.
After the fire safety presentation, students got to see a firefighter in his full gear and ask questions about firefighter personal protective equipment. Then, all classes went outside to view the inside and outside of a fire truck. We would like to thank Sharps Chapel Elementary for allowing us to visit each year. We always look forward to visiting the kids each year and teaching them about fire safety.
The SCVFD was dispatched along with other emergency agencies to 235 Oak Grove Road on October 18, 2023 around 12:50 pm. where 2 men were trapped under a small building out in a field.
When Rescue 51 arrived on scene rescuers found that a small building (Deer Hunting Blind) had fallen off the loading forks from the front of a tractor onto two men. Apparently the men were mowing the blind to another location by the tractor, when the strap came loose. They then got on each side of the blind trying to get it secured when the blind then fell over on them.
A local neighbor had brought another tractor to help lift the blind off the men while rescuers pulled them to safety. Union County EMS pronounced one of the patients dead on the scene and the other was loaded onto Lifestar Air Helicopter and transported to UT Hospital for serious leg injuries and unknown internal injuries at the time.
Union County Rescue Squad and Northeast Union VFD also had units respond to assist at the scene. Union County Sheriff’s Department investigated the accident.
Note : The victims were later found to be Wayne Ellison and Mike Hale both of Sharps Chapel and both serving as Board of Directors of the Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department. Fire Chief Chris Upton said he and the entire department would like to ask everyone to send their thoughts and prayers to Wayne Ellison’s Family. Wayne was killed in the accident. Our thoughts and prayers are also with Mike Hale and his family, as he was later released from the hospital with a leg injury, We wish him a fast recovery.
On Sunday, October 22, 2023 around 1:40pm the Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to a brush fire call on Russell Brothers Road near Nikki Street in the Sunset Bay area of Sharps Chapel.
Rescue 51 arrived on the scene to find that the homeowner had obtained a burning permit to burn some debris on his property, but the wind had caught up and caused the fire to get out of control.
The fire was contained by SCVFD and the State Forestry Division was called out to put in a safety line around the burned area to make sure the fire did not pose any further threat. Approximately 1 acre of area reported to be burned.
Chief Upton said even though burn permits were being issued currently by the State, He urges the citizens within the Sharps Chapel area to refrain from doing any outdoor burning at this time, due to the very dry and drought like conditions were are currently experiencing. Upton said ” If we do not receive any substantial rainfall soon, he would expect the State will put a burn ban in place.”
