Home Spared Major Fire Damage Thanks to Alert School Bus Driver (VIEW VIDEO HERE)

October 23, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

A South Mountain Street home was spared major damage Tuesday after a school bus driver passing by on his route noticed smoke coming from the residence and reported it to 911.

Deputy Fire Chief Hoyte Hale of the Smithville Fire Department said the call came in at 4:21 p.m. of a fire with smoke coming from the eaves and attic of the home at 912 South Mountain Street, the residence of Cathy Stanley.  Firefighters arrived on the scene and found that no one was home. They made entry and found a fire in the living room area near a cabinet model gas furnace.  The fire had spread up the wall and burned through the ceiling into the attic. To gain better access to the attic, firefighters used a ladder to climb onto the roof to knock down the fire.

Fire damage was minimal but smoke spread through the home. The cause of the blaze is undetermined.

The Smithville Police Department and DeKalb EMS were also on the scene

IMG_2116 from dwayne page on Vimeo.

October 23, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb County School District has been awarded $83,570 in grant funding from the state dedicated to school security.

Gov. Bill Haslam has announced all 147 school districts in Tennessee including DeKalb County have completed a first-ever statewide assessment of school facilities and safety procedures.

Haslam and Commissioner of Education Candice McQueen said that those schools will now receive allocations from a $35 million fund for school security.

The money will be used to fund security and safety needs identified by the schools in the assessment, including enhanced door locks, shatter-resistant glass and funding salaries for school counselors and child psychologists.

In DeKalb County the money will be used to purchase more surveillance cameras at all schools to monitor activity inside and outside the buildings; school staff will be provided with more walkie talkies for better communication; safety sphere bollards will be placed near entrances to the elementary schools as barriers to prevent anyone from using an automobile to crash into the front of the buildings; and at the high school a card swipe reader entry system will soon be installed.

Participating in the schools assessments locally were Director Patrick Cripps, Federal Programs Supervisor Dr. Danielle Collins, Attendance Supervisor Joey Reeder, Smithville Police Chief Mark Collins, Sheriff Patrick Ray, Smithville Fire Chief and Emergency Management Agency Director Charlie Parker, and Alexandria Police Chief Chris Russell.

All schools in the state were eligible to apply for two grants from the school security funding.

Separately, the Department of Safety and Homeland Security is currently working to develop a statewide school safety mobile app to allow students, faculty and others to anonymously report suspicious behavior.

October 23, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

The 911 Emergency Communications District has three new board members

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, County Mayor Tim Stribling announced to the county commission that he was appointing Sixth District Commissioner Jeff Barnes and Second District Commissioner Sabrina Farler to the board along with Smithville Alderman Brandon Cox, who is the city’s representative on the Board.

Fourth District Commissioner Scott Little moved that the commission support Stiblings appointments. First District member Julie Young offered a second to the motion. The commission signaled its approval on a voice vote.

In a letter to County Mayor Stribling, the 911 board had requested that former County Commissioner Wayne Cantrell be appointed as a citizen member along with Cox and Farler. But Stribling said he felt the county commission needed more representation on the board.

“In the past on the Emergency Communications District Board, we have had several commissioners on there. At one time we had four or five, which is probably too many, but I think with what we (county) contribute to the communications district including the building and the insurance, I would like to see us have another commissioner on the board. I would like to appoint, Brandon Cox, Sabrina Farler, and Jeff Barnes. Both Farler and Barnes will represent the county commission on the 911 board.

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