Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department

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.”

Two of the Sharps Chapel VFD members recently attend the Annual TARS Convention held in Pigeon Forge during the first week of October. Lt. Dustin Ray attended a 2 day class of Lost Person Behavior and Michael Walker a member of both the Sharps Chapel VFD and Union County Rescue Squad attend a 3 day Instructor Class in order to be able to teach Vehicle Extrication classes to our local members. Chief Upton said he appreciated both members taking the time off to participate in these classes which will benefit our department, Congratulations to both Ray and Walker.

Lt. Dustin Ray and Asst. Firefighter Sarah Brewer of the Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department attended the Sunset Bay Homeowners Annual Meeting this past weekend at their Clubhouse. SCVFD set up a booth for residents to learn about the fire department and fire safety materials were available. The department also had the new Quad 5 unit available for residents to look over. Chief Upton said he appreciated the hospitality the Homeowners Association gave to our members and the dinner provided for them.

SCVFD members recently responded to a vehicle accident on Timber Ridge Road in the Norris Shores area. When Rescue 51 arrived on the scene a Jeep was found to be over an embankment with two people in the Jeep and the only thing holding the Jeep was a tree and rock. SCVFD members used the winch from Rescue 51 to help stabilize the vehicle until both passengers were assisted to a safe location. SCVFD units stood by on scene until the vehicle was recovered by a local wrecker service.

On June 13, 2023, at approximately 18:15 the Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to the address of 402 Grizzell Ridge road on report of an out-of-control brush fire. Sharps Chapel Engine 52 responded a minute later at 18:16. Engine 52 arrived on scene at 18:18 and advised Union County Emergency 911 that the fire was out of control and requested mutual aid from the Union County Rescue Squad (UCRS) at approximately 18:24. Union County Rescue trucks 238, 235, and 236 responded at 18:29 to assist with the brush fire. Union County Rescue truck 236 arrived on scene at 18:36 and began helping firemen extinguish the blaze; other UCRS trucks 235 and 238 arrived shortly after. Engine 52 then requested mutual aid from the Northeast Fire Department at 18:39. Northeast fire Engine 31 responded at 18:44 and arrived on scene at 18:59 to assist other Fire and Rescue Units in gaining control of the brush fire. Engine 52 then advised Union County Emergency 911 to contact the Tennessee Forestry Division to come assist extinguish the fire. The Tennessee Forestry Division arrived on scene with their bulldozer and quickly established a fire line around the fire keeping it contained. At 19:33 Sharps Chapel unit 505 Lieutenant Dustin Ray advised the Union County Emergency 911 dispatching center that the fire had been contained. All other Union County Fire/Rescue personnel were released by Grizzell Ridge Command and Sharps Chapel units remained on scene to make sure the fire had subsided. All Sharps Chapel units and fire apparatuses returned to service at 20:10. 

Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department welcomes our “new to us” truck to the fleet. The new Engine 53 is a 1994 HME Ferrara pumper with 1,000 gallons of water, This truck replaces the older 1982 truck recently donated to Springdale VFD.

The Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department recently handed down an older Pumper Tanker Unit to Springdale Volunteer Fire Department in Claiborne County. This Engine was donated to Sharps Chapel from a department in Pennsylvania several years ago. The SCVFD had been saving funds for several years to purchase a newer model truck to better serve the community to replace this one and recently found the one they were looking for at a department in Ohio. The truck donated to Springdale will be used in a portion of their area without many fire hydrants.

The Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department recently was notified that they had been chosen as one one of several fire departments across the Country to receive free supplies from the Carney Strong Initiative grant.

The Carney Strong Initiative is a non-profit organization that assists fire departments across the country with occupational cancer prevention through education and the donation of decontamination supplies.

Shown in the attached photo with local SCVFD firefighters are the materials and supplies that were donated to the department.

Several boxes of Decontamination Wipes, Several Bars of Activated Charcoal Soap used to clean skin and lift away toxins, Bottles of CitroSqueeze Gear Cleaner and Firewipes used to clean gear and equipment.

Chief Chris Upton said that “Our Department is very grateful to the folks at the Carney Strong Initiative for picking our department to receive these much needed supplies”. Upton also said these decon cleaners are just another extra step in trying to keep our firefighters safe from occupational cancer.

The Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department was one of 147 fire departments chosen in the State of Tennessee for the Tennessee Fire grant this year.

The Sharps Chapel VFD asked for funding to obtain newer model SCBA units (Self Contained Breathing Apparttus) for their firefighters and for new Thermal Imaging Camaras to be used on fire scenes to identify hot spots and or find missing people at night time by detecting their body heat in a vast area.

Chief Upton said that before receiving the funds to purchase this new equipment, the department had 2 or 3 different type of older SCBA units and they would not interchange with each other. Upton said that now all of the trucks would have the same type units and they would be interchangeable. He also said that the department did only have 1 older Thermal Imaging Camera that was working and they now had a total of three which will be be very helpful at structure fire scenes and could even be used to help locate lost persons.

Chief Upton said that he and all of the members at SCVFD are very happy to have received this grant that helped purchase this much needed equipment for our department.

Shown in the attached photos are SCVFD members with the new SCBA units and members with the new Thermal Imaging Cameras.