April 14th -April 20th is our National 911 Officer Appreciation Week. This week is dedicated to those who preserve public safety by being the answering point in need. This week honors those are behind the scenes and recognizes those who strive to keep not only the public safe, but the officers they serve as well.
We dispatch police, fire and medical calls for the entire county including the city of Greeneville and the corporations of Baileyton, Mosheim and Tusculum. The medical calls are for EMS (ambulance) and the fire calls are for the 15 volunteer fire depts and the Greeneville Fire Dept. We can also transfer to the Hwy Patrol, other surrounding 911 centers, poison control and mental health center. Depending on the emergency, we also dispatch the Greeneville Rescue Squad, Highlands Air Rescue, Emergency Management and Homeland Security, Haz Mat and other various agencies.
We have 20 full time and 7 part time dispatchers. We are open 24/7, 365 days a year. Greene County 911 is comprised of many hardworking, intelligent, highly trained, dedicated, multi-tasking and caring individuals whose sole purpose is to ensure the safety of the citizens of Greeneville-Greene County and all emergency responders. Each one of our 911 Officers brings a unique set of skills and experience that is unmatched by any other.
In the course of emergencies, 911 gets left out a lot of times, but we are the base for emergencies, we are the true first responders. We are not out visibly on the scene in the public eye; our work is behind the scenes. We don’t see what is going on we have to picture it the best we can. We hear the frantic callers, the panic in a mother’s voice when her child is choking or the frightened woman in a domestic situation who Is being threatened or harmed. We hear the distraught caller whose house is on fire. But all in all, it is a satisfying job, to know that we have done what we can to save a life or property.
Let’s take the time to honor and give thanks to all emergency responders.
