Sharps Chapel VFD was dispatched to a vehicle accident with unknown injury by Union County 911 dispatch on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 around 4:47 p.m. The accident happened on Leadmine Bend Road near Shoffner Road. The driver lost control and struck an embankment. SCVFD Engine 54 arrived on the scene to find a one vehicle accident, the driver was checked and found with no life threatening injuries. SCVFD units then checked the vehicle to make sure that no hazards were found. The driver was checked and refused transport by Union County EMS. The accident was investigated by the Union County Sheriff’s Department. The driver was arrested for traffic violations and transported to the Union County Jail. SCVFD stood by at the scene until the vehicle was recovered by the wrecker and the roadway was cleared.
The Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched by Union County 911 to a vehicle accident in the area of Edwards Hollow Road on Sunday evening, August 8, 2021 around 9:42pm. A SCVFD firefighter was first to arrive in his personal vehicle to find the one car accident on Leadmine Bend Road just past Edwards Hollow Road. Rescue 51 was in route to the scene, when advised the driver had crawled from the vehicle. Rescue 51 arrived on scene to find that a vehicle had lost control, ran off roadway over an embankment, and rolled on to it’s top in a field. Engine 54 was cancelled as the driver was found to have minor injuries. Union County EMS arrived and the patient was transported to an area hospital for injuries in the accident. The accident was investigated by Union County Sheriff’s Department and the driver is facing charges from the accident. SCVFD units stood by at the scene until the vehicle was cleared and returned back to service.
(Pictured above) SCVFD Members – Chief Chris Upton, Asst. Chief Kevin Brantley, Captain Adam Brantley, Lt. Dustin Ray and Firefighters Bret Pursel, Jonathan Blanton and Matthew Dykes. UCRS Members – David Lusk and David Collins with TARS Instructor Stephen Whaley.
Several members of the Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department along with a couple members from the Union County Rescue Squad took a weekend long Low Angle Rescue Class taught by a Certified Instructor through the Tennessee Association of Rescue Squads.
The SCVFD was able to obtain equipment such as rescue ropes, harnessses, a basket and other gear through a grant this past year to enable the department to provide low angle rescues.
This equipment is very expensive and without the help of a grant most volunteer departments could not afford the equipment.
SCVFD Chief Chris Upton said he was very proud of all the members who took the certified class to enable SCVFD to provide this type service to the community in the event one of these type emergencies take place.
Upton said in the past couple of years we have saw more emergencies in our area where low or high angle rescues have had to be conducted. In the past we have had to call on emergency services outside the county to assist with these type calls. Upton said with this new equipment and training most of these type rescue can be handled within our county in a safe and timely manner without having to wait on out of county help to arrive.
The SCVFD and UCRS have plans to hold another class later this Fall in order to get more of their members trained. UCRS is looking into purchasing some of the equipment also as both departments plan to work and train together in forming a team here in the county to assist with these type emergencies.
The Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department recently purchased two newer model Philips AED Defibrillators to be carried on our trucks. The newer units will replace older units that were in need of repair and one that was out of service. The SCVFD is requested by Union County 911 dispatch often to assist the Union County EMS with medical emergency calls in our district. If a med unit (ambulance) is not close by the area or at level zero meaning all of the current units are on other calls. SCVFD is called out to assist until an ambulance is available to respond to the emergency. SCVFD has some Emergency Medical Technicians, Emergency Medical Responders and all members are trained in CPR. Chief Chris Upton said the new units were greatly needed and plans are to purchase more in the near future in order to have one on each of our emergency vehicles. Time is a very important factor of a cardiac emergency and proper CPR along with the AED gives a greater chance of saving lives. Upton also said the department currently has a certified CPR Instructor and plans to offer CPR classes through the American Heart Association to the community in the near future.
Shown above are Sharps Chapel VFD Firefighter’s Rich Zerbey and Jonathan Blanton set up for the fire department during the event.
On Saturday afternoon, May 29, 2021 the Sharps Chapel Fire Department was invited to attend a Block Party held with the folks at Waterside Cove and with the folks from Lost Creek RV Park who were also in attendance. Our guys had a great time and look forward to getting together again in the future. We would like to thank everyone who gave donations and those who purchased Fireade bottles.
The Members of the Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department and Northeast Union Volunteer Fire Department here in Union County, TN and Clear Fork Area Volunteer Fire Department in Rugby, TN would like to give a Huge Thank You to Queenstown VFD and Kent Island VFD in Maryland for the Equipment, Gear and Tools that that they recently donated to assist their friends in the South.
This much needed and greatly appreciated equipment will help these local East Tennessee VFD’s in better serving their communities.
On Friday afternoon, May 28, 2021 around 2:32pm, Units from the Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department were dispatched to a two vehicle motor vehicle accident on Highway 33 near the bridge.
SCVFD Rescue 51 arrived on scene and found that two vehicles had clipped each other head-on in the curve on the north side of 33 bridge. Engine 52 also responded to the scene.
One of the vehicles, a Ford Winstar Van had one occupant. He was transported by Union County EMS to an area hospital to be treated for injuries sustained, The other vehicle was a GMC SUV that had five occupants, two of those were transported by Union County EMS to be treated for injruies from the crash.
SCVFD stood by at the scene until all patients were cleared and all hazards were removed, the roadway was shut down for a short period of time, The Tennessee Highway Patrol worked the accident.
At the time of this report, the status of the patients were not available.
On Saturday Evening, February 6, 2021 at 8:30pm the Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to a residential fire at 167 Shelby Loop in New Tazewell. Union County 911 advised that no one was in the residence according to the caller. A mutual aid callout from the other county departments was dispatched by protocol.
Sharps Chapel Engine 51 and 52 arrived on scene within 7 minutes to find the single wide trailer over half involved with flames and three (3) other structures within close proximity. Firefighters quickly pulled attack lines and knocked down the fire. Rescue 51 and a Engine crew from Northeast Union VFD and other SCVFD members arrived on scene to help finish knocking out the blaze, while the other county departments were cancelled and placed on standby.
The Bishop family who had been living there lost most all of the belongings to the blaze and the Red Cross was called to assist the family. Luckily no injuries were reported and at the time of this release the cause was listed as under investigation.
Union County 911 dispatched SCVFD back to the scene at 11:04pm to check on a rekindled hot spot in the portion of the trailer. Command 5 and Engine 52 responded to the scene of the earlier call to find a small hot spot as they quickly extinquished the blaze and pulled the debris from the area to prevent any further flareups. All units then returned back in service.
The Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to a vehicle accident on Leadmine Bend Road near Shoffner Road on Saturday, January 30, 2021 around 4:52pm.
Rescue 51 arrived on the scene to find a car off the steep embankment with a elderly female driver in the vehicle. When other units arrived on the scene to assist, the driver was extricated from the car and placed on a stokes basket in order to get her back up the steep embankment. According to reports at the scene another vehicle was involved in the accident, but no physical contact was made during the accident.
The driver was transported by Union County EMS to the hospital to be treated for complaints of back injury.
SCVFD units stood by at the scene until the vehicle was safely recovered by the wrecker service.
The Union County Rescue Squad also assisted on this call and the accident was investigated by the Union County Sheriff’s Department.
Union County 911 operators received a call from a local hunter around 11:40pm on Sunday evening January 17, 2021 requesting help. According to the caller, he had been out with his coon hunting dogs and they had been in pursuit of a coon. The dogs, while in hot pursuit, followed the coon into a drain pipe at a residence on Leadmine Bend Road in Sharps Chapel. The caller said he had tried effortlessly to get the dogs out, but they were in a long underground small drainage pipe and were unable to get free. Units from the Union County Rescue Squad responded to assist the man with freeing the dogs and requested assistance from the Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department. Once rescue units arrived at the scene and evaluated the situation they decided to dig down to the pipe and cut a hole in order to get to the dogs. After about 2 hours of digging and cutting, both dogs had been freed and were grateful to be back with their owner. The dogs were not injured and were happy to return home. The rescuers were happy to help and glad all turned out well. A big Thanks to our local volunteers for all you do to help our community in times of need.
In need of a smoke detector? Call Station 51 at 865-278-3231. If no answer, please leave a message. We will get back with you ASAP.
Union County E911 Dispatching Center
Any non-emergency calls can be directed to our dispatching center located at 130 veteran Street, Maynardville, Tennessee 37807. Our dispatching center is open 24/7 365 and is happy to assist you with any questions you may have.
Contact Tennessee Forestry Division at 865-278-3348 for burn permits or visit their website at BurnSafeTN.
Think Before You Burn
PLANNING CAN MAKE YOUR DEBRIS BURNING SAFER
Checklist
-Obtain A Burn Permit
-Call your local TN Division of Forestry Office to get a permit between October 15 and May 15.
-Notify Your Neighbors
-Establish Firebreaks
-Watch The Weather
-Control The Fire
-Stay With Your Fire
-Don’t leave your fire until it is completely out and cold.
