Sharps Chapel VFD Receives Pumper/Tanker from Pennsylvania

Sharps Chapel VFD is excited to announce that a fire apparatus has been donated to the department. The West Penn Fire Company Inc., located in New Ringgold, Pennsylvania, donated a 1983 Spartan Pumper/Tanker. A few members from the Sharps Chapel VFD made the trip to Pennsylvania earlier this week. After visiting with the West Penn Fire Company members at their station on Tuesday, January 3, 2017, Sharps Chapel members started the long trip to Tennessee with the apparatus. After a 617 mile trip, members backed the new addition in its new home in the early morning hours on Wednesday. The truck is now being worked on to get our equipment and lettering on and hope to have it in service within the next few weeks. This apparatus will be used to respond to fires in our area as well as assist other local departments with mutual aid calls. This truck will be very beneficial in our community, especially in parts of our community with no fire hydrants. The apparatus holds 2,000 gallons of water. Stay tuned for updates on this apparatus. We will post more photos once the work is complete on the truck and is placed in service.  

On behalf of the members at the Sharps Chapel VFD, we would like to thank Fire Chief Dennis Fritzinger Jr. and all of our brothers and sisters at West Penn Fire Company Inc. for their hospitality and generosity. We are very grateful for the apparatus and equipment and will be a great asset to our community.

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Merry Christmas from Sharps Chapel VFD

The Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department would like to wish everyone a safe and very Merry Christmas!! Below are a few photos from the 2016 Union County Christmas Parade.

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Structure Fire on Lakeview Boat Dock Rd.

Sharps Chapel VFD was dispatched to a structure fire on Lakeview Boat Dock Rd. just after 7:00 A.M. this morning. Engine 51 and Engine 52 both responded to the fire. Engine 51 arrived on scene to find heavy smoke coming from the mobile home and flames coming out of a window on the front of home. Fire crews attacked the fire with an interior attack and extinguished the blaze. No one was in the home at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported. Thanks to Northeast Union, Paulette, Maynardville, and Luttrell VFD’s for their assistance.

 

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Sharps Chapel VFD Responds to Brush Fires

Sharps Chapel VFD responded to a couple brush fires over the weekend. The first was on Friday, November 4, 2016. It occurred behind Rhonda’s Market & Deli on Sharps Chapel Rd. Rescue 51 and Rescue 52 responded quickly and extinguished the fire before it got out of hand. Below are pictures from the fire.

The second brush fire was on Saturday night. Sharps Chapel VFD was dispatched to a fire along the side of the roadway on Edwards Hollow Rd. When Rescue 51 arrived, some homeowners in the area already extinguished the fire. Fire units sprayed some water to cool the area to prevent it from catching back. Please remember that the Tennessee Division of Forestry has issued a burn ban for our area due to the extremely dry conditions.

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Fire Safety Day at Sharps Chapel Elementary

Fire Safety Day at Sharps Chapel Elementary School was held on Wednesday, October 26, 2016.

Members from the Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department and Tennessee Division of Forestry were on hand to meet with all of the students and staff to discuss fire safety. A special visitor also stopped by to see the kids “Smokey The Bear”.

All classes from Pre-K through the 5th grade met in the gym to watch fire safety films and talk about fire safety. Students were reminded to have parents help them  with an escape plan at their homes in case of fire, how to call 911, discussion of smoke alarms, and many other issues of fire safety and other emergencies. Students were all issued fire safety packets with several items such as fire bracelets and their own red fire hats. Students then went outside to look at the fire trucks and equipment and then met with Smokey the Bear where forestry personnel talked with them about wildfires.

Sharps Chapel Fire Chief Chris Upton stated this program has been held each year at the school now for several years and he feels that it has been a great benefit to the children to keep them aware of the dangers and what to do in the event of an emergency. Upton said he would like to thank Principal Bryan Shoffner and the school staff for their support and allowing the program to be conducted each year.

Special Thanks to Forestry Officers Shawn Bull, Jason Brantley, Keith Stiner and “Smokey the Bear” and SCVFD Firefighters Chief Chris Upton, Assistant Chief Kevin Brantley and Lt. Adam Brantley for helping conduct the program.

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Motorcycle Accident on Sharps Chapel Road

Sharps Chapel VFD was dispatched to a motorcycle accident on Sharps Chapel Road near Palmers Junction. The accident happened on 10/24/2016 around 3:00 PM. Rescue 51 and Engine 52 responded to the scene. Fire units arrived on scene and assisted Union County EMS with patient care on both patients and also set up a landing zone in a nearby field to land UT Lifestar near the accident. The roadway was shut down until the patients were transported to the hospital.

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Vehicle Accident and Residential Fire on July 4th

Sharps Chapel VFD responded to two calls on July 4th. The first call was a vehicle accident on Sharps Chapel Rd. at Cape Russell Rd. Fire units arrived on scene to find the vehicle over the embankment on its side. The driver got out of the vehicle and fled the scene. Sharps Chapel VFD stayed on scene to assit with traffic and checked for hazards.

Just before midnight, SCVFD was dispatched to a residential fire on Loop Rd. Engine 51 and Engine 52 responded to the scene. Once Engine 51 arrived on scene, the crew found smoke coming from the basement of the home. The homeowner and neighbor had a water hose extinguishing the fire. Firefighters made an interior attack into the basement to finish extinguishing the fire and check for hot spots. The home and vehicles in the basement received some heat and smoke damage. The home was ventilated to remove the smoke. After fire crews checked the home, fire units returned to service. The fire appeared to start in the area of where an ATV was parked. No injuries were reported and the occupants made it out safely.  Thanks to Maynardville VFD and Northeast Union VFD for mutual aid assistance.

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Grizzell Ridge Rd. Barn Fire on 5/7/2016

Sharps Chapel VFD responded to a barn fire on Grizzell Ridge Rd. on 5/7/2016. The fire started from a lawn mower that had been parked too close to hay bales. The heat from the muffler ignited the hay. Once Sharps Chapel VFD arrived on scene, the barn was fully involved. Fire units kept the fire from spreading into a nearby field and cooled the fire. Units from Northeast Union VFD and Maynardville VFD assisted with the blaze. The owner lost a lawn mower, tractor, and several bales of hay. No injuries were reported.

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Cape Russell House Fire

On Sunday, March 27th, the Union County Dispatch received a call of a residential structure fire. Sharps Chapel and Northeast Union Fire Departments was dispatched to the incident.

Sharps Chapel E52 arrived on the scene in 6 minutes with two crew members on board. E51 arrived shortly after with one crew member. Four other crew members responded in personal owned vehicles.

E52 arrived on the scene to find a mobile home trailer with flames through the roof. A fire hydrant was a short distance in front of the fire engine. E52 took command of the scene, deployed an 1 1/2 attack line, and set up water supply using the hydrant.

Fire crews used a defensive attack due to the roof of the structure collapsing. An exposure on the “B” side of the house was protected.

The fire was brought under control by using two 1 1/2 attack lines.

The homeowner was at the residence when the fire started.

Fire crews are not exactly sure what caused the fire but it was believed to of started in the kitchen/living room area of the mobile home.

Fire was extinguished with no injuries reported. All parties of the residence was accounted for.

Several Items in the house was able to be salvaged.

Thanks to NorthEast Union Fire Department for sending two apparatus and 3 personnel.

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Snow Hits Sharps Chapel on Valentine’s Day

 

Snow started falling in Sharps Chapel during the afternoon on Valentine’s Day. Road conditions deteriorated quickly. Sharps Chapel VFD blocked the horseshoe bend at the request of law enforcement until the highway department could scrap and spread sand to help stuck vehicles gain traction. Sharps Chapel fire units were on scene for a couple hours to assist with traffic. The horseshoe bend is now clear of vehicles but road conditions are still very slick. Travel is not advised. If you have to travel, use extreme caution.

The photos are from an accident on Leadmine Bend Road at Johnson Hollow Road. The vehicle was traveling off of Johnson Hollow Road but was unable to stop at Leadmine Bend Road. The vehicle slid across Leadmine Bend Road and ended up off the embankment. No injuries were reported but the vehicle is unable to be pulled out until road conditions improve.

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