County firefighters honor Brooks for contributions to the department

Knox chaplain explains state organization, benefits for volunteers

By Michael R. Moser / mmoser@crossville-chronicle.com

Over the past several years Assistant Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Linda Brooks has helped obtained several grants for the Cumberland County Fire Department. Saturday night at the department's annual banquet, Brooks was surprised with thanks, recognition and a plaque for her hard work.

County firefighters, their spouses and families filled the dining hall at the Clyde M. York 4-H Camp to enjoy a banquet-style meal followed by an introduction to the state chaplain's association and the services it assists with, and to recognize the department's top poster winners and the top responders.

Brooks has served with the Cumberland County EMA office for the past eight years, serving as assistant to Director Keith Garrison. She has assisted the county fire department in obtaining grants to purchase equipment like a Polaris Ranger, two enclosed trailers, a generator for the main station and extrication equipment.

She also helped organize the program that provides firefighters stuck on the scene of a major emergency events with hot coffee, cold drinks and food when the situations called for this assistance.

Keynote speaker this year was Chaplain Paul Trumpore who is a public fire education officer for the city of Knoxville and a volunteer on the Seymour Volunteer Fire Department. He is also regional director for the Federation of Fire Chaplains, representing eight southeastern states. In 2002 Trumpore founded the Tennessee Federation of Fire Chaplains which has trained over 140 chaplains who deal with natural disasters, line-of-duty and civilian deaths and emergency situations involving other emergency response agencies.

Chaplains also assist with making funeral arrangements, coordinating the Critical Incident Stress Management teams and with providing guidance and expertise in filing federal claims for line-of-duty deaths.

Dodson recaps year

County Fire Chief Jeff Dodson gave the annual summary for the past year and noted that 2007 just missed being the busiest year in the history of the department, 2001, falling short of the record for number of responses by one emergency call.

The year ended with county firefighters responding to 1,140 total calls, compared to 1,095 last year and the record of 1,141 in 2001. Sadly, the county also recorded two fire deaths — one in March and another in April.

While house fire responses were up in 2007, from 51 to 62, mobile home fires dropped by six when the fire department only responded to 18 in 2007. This year there were 57 vehicle fires and 207 grass and forest fires. False alarms were down by four, down to 113 calls.

Dodson said that over the past year the department organized an honor guard and that the honor guard participated in paying respects to Bledsoe County volunteer firefighter Theresa Lynn, a member of the Luminary VFD who died in a traffic accident while responding to a crash scene. Members include John Hall, Kenneth Carey, Terry Potter, Kenny Kilgore, Trevor Kerley, Terry Carter, Jeremy Newcome, Jeremy Whitcomb, Barnie Earhart and David Earhart.

Top responders

•First place, James Threet, 275; second place, David Morgan, 190; third place, Shawn Aytes, 179; Fourth place, Thomas Smith, 178; and fifth place, Jeremy DeRossett, 164.

Top district responders

Central, Casey Worsham; Homestead and Alloway, John Withers; Genesis, Clyde Winningham; Peavine, Mike Findley; Tansi, Jake DeRossett; Midway, Justin Wyatt; Big Lick, Robert Stith; Crab Orchard, David Patterson; Westel, Tim Boyd; Hebbertsburg, Bryan Edmonds; Plateau, James Wattenbarger; Rinnie, David Cooper; Mayland, David Earhart; Pleasant Hill, Gerald Kutchey; and Taylor's Chapel, Jim Bob Barnes.

New members

Volunteers who joined during 2007 were introduced. The stations and their names are listed here.

Central Station: Terry Long and Scott Woodard. Homestead: Robert Kehrman. Genesis: Randall Bilbrey, Joe Baisley and Craig Goss. Big Lick: Joshua Stamps, Jimmy Stith and Daniel Coleman. Plateau: Dayton Greer. Rinnie: Robert Presley. Pleasant Hill: Jimmy Wallfer and Donny Stone. Taylor's Chapel: John Frazier and Travis Cole.

Poster contest winners

Winners included John Neal of Stone Memorial High School, who has won first place in the county for every grade since he began entering the fire prevention contest in kindergarten. He is also a past state winner. There were a recored 541 posters turned in for judging with Brown Elementary School sending in the most entries.

Winners, their grades and their schools are:

•Kindergarten: Pearson Seals, Brown Elementary.

•First grade: Haley Chesser, Pine View Elementary.

•Second grade: Walter Adamski Jr., Brown.

•Third grade, Amber Fripp, Christian Academy of the Cumberlands.

•Fourth grade, Allyna Kerley, South Cumberland.

•Fifth grade, Andy Carey, North Cumberland.

•Sixth grade, Brooke Golden, Brown.

•Seventh grade, Lauren Thompson, Brown.

•Eighth grade, Allysa Kerley, South.

•Ninth grade, Aubrey Zannini, Stone Memorial (also state winner).

•Tenth grade, no entries.

•Eleventh grade, no entries.

•Twelth grade, John Neal.

Years of service

The following received certificates for years of service to the department.

•20 years: Raymond Smith, James Wattenbarger, Jesse Iles, Lannie Green, Mike Findley, James Collins and Robert May.

•10 years: Monte Garrett, Clyde Winningham, Tim Sapp and Jamie Iles.

•5 years: Roy Kilby, Barney Earhart, Eric Matthews, Todd Kemmer, Dustin Parker, Colt Pattersons, Gabe Hoover, Kevin Baldwin, Al Seitner, Stephen Hamby, Ben Allred, Jeff Baldwin, Alan Griffin and O.J. Rollins.

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