First Responders within Hamilton County is provided by the Volunteer Fire Departments and several municipal fire departments. The Chattanooga Fire Department responds to 9-1-1 calls within the Chattanooga city limits. The cities of Red Bank, Signal Mountain, Lookout Mountain and Soddy Daisy have municipal fire departments and respond to 9-1-1 calls in their districts. 9-1-1 calls outside the city limits relies on the Volunteer Fire Department agencies. First Response is provided under the oversight of Hamilton County E.M.S, while adhering to the State of Tennessee Guidelines. Each responder must complete a course and pass a State test before they receive their certification. They must be affiliated with an emergency agency and be part of a First Responder program.

Each volunteer fire department provides first responder coverage within their response district. Most first responder calls are at a Basic Life Support level, although, Soddy Daisy Fire Department provides full Advance Life Support coverage. Each of the volunteer agencies participates in active Quality Assurance, Mutual Aid meetings, First Responder meetings, annual training and coordinating questions in conjunction with the Medical Director.

Medical equipment and supplies are provided by the individual agencies and replaced through the Hamilton County E.M.S. Supply Division. Inspections of the individual agency vehicles are performed on an annual basis through H.C.E.M.S. Records of personnel, level of licensure, and patient contacts, are maintained through the response agency and the H.C.E.M.S. Training Division.

First Responder criteria is based on the type of emergency need, the severity of injury, and the response time of the E.M.S. unit assigned to the call. Radio coordination of all assigned units on each response is through several talk groups on the County 800mhz radio system. Units responding on each call are tasked with changing to the assigned talk radio channel for coordination for response and pertinent patient information.

Hamilton County Volunteer Fire Departments

Chattanooga-Hamilton County Rescue

Dallas Bay Volunteer Fire Department

Flat Top Volunteer Fire Department

Hamilton County Hazardous Materials Team

Highway 58 Volunteer Fire Department

Mowbray Mountain Volunteer Fire Department

Sale Creek Volunteer Fire Department

Sequoyah Volunteer Fire Department

Special Tactics and Rescue Services (S.T.A.R.S.)

Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department

Volunteer State Water Rescue

Walden’s Ridge Emergency Services

Municipal Fire Departments within Hamilton County

Chattanooga Fire Department

Lookout Mountain Department of Public Safety

Red Bank Fire Department

Soddy Daisy Fire Department

Signal Mountain Fire Department

Communications

The Staff of the Communications Division of Hamilton County Emergency Services are the FIRST first responders to your call for help. 

Located in the 911 Center on Amnicola Highway, we utilize the latest in skill and technology to respond rapidly to any call for help, realizing that in an emergency seconds may make a difference.

Our staff consists of 24 highly trained and dedicated Telecommunicators all of whom are certified Emergency Medical Dispatchers (EMDs).  An EMD is specifically trained to calm, focus and aid callers reporting medical emergencies.  The EMD is also able to provide valuable, life-saving instructions over the telephone, helping you help the patient until skilled rescuers arrive.

Communications Staff:

Chief Tony Reavley Hamilton County Emergency Services treavley@hamiltontn.gov	Captain Dot Vick, Communications Supervisor Dvick@hamiltontn.gov	Sergeant Wayne McCormick, 1st Shift Supervisor WmcCormick@hamiltontn.gov
Sergeant Tami Chamberlain, 2nd Shift Supervisor Tchamberlain@hamiltontn.gov	Sergeant Wayne Cox, 3rd Shift Supervisor wcox@hamiltontn.gov	Sergeant Jeff Carney, Training Officer Jcarney@hamiltontn.gov

A typical shift in Communications consists of the following assignments:

• EMS Dispatcher
• Fire Dispatcher
• EMD Call taker

During known high call volume times we staff an additional position known as the Tactical Dispatcher.  This individual is used to back-up other team members and can be assigned at the discretion of the Shift Supervisor.

We provide dispatch services for the following agencies:

• Hamilton County Emergency Services
• Hamilton County Emergency Medical Services
• Hamilton County Hazardous Materials Team
• Chattanooga-Hamilton County Rescue
• Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department
• Dallas Bay Volunteer Fire Department
• Mowbray Volunteer Fire Department
• Highway 58 Volunteer Fire Department
• Sequoyah Volunteer Fire Department
• Sale Creek Volunteer Fire Department
• Volunteer State Water Rescue
• Hamilton County STARS (Special Tactics and Rescue Services)
• Flat Top Mountain Volunteer Fire Department
• Walden’s Ridge Emergency Services
• Hamilton County Command Post Coordinators
• Hamilton County Emergency Operations Center
• Red Bank Fire Department
• East Ridge Fire Department

All combined these agencies respond to almost 40,000 calls a year.

What happens when you dial 911?

• Your call is answered by the police agency having jurisdiction in the area the call is made from.
• If you are reporting a fire or medical emergency your call is transferred on the 911 system to us.
• Our EMDs will determine where you need help.
• We will obtain a callback number from you in case we are disconnected or need to contact you again.
• We will ask detailed questions concerning the nature of the emergency.
  • These questions are used to discover the severity of the emergency and to determine what you can do to help the patient / situation until skilled assistance arrives.
  • These questions are NOT to determine if you qualify for a response, in most cases help has already been dispatched while you talk to the EMD.
• As soon as the location and type of emergency is known the call is entered into our Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system.
• While our EMD call taker assists you on 911 the dispatcher is already sending help to you.  Our standard is to have help on the way in less than 60 seconds.
• In case of a serious problem or unstable condition our EMD call taker may stay on the line with you until help arrives.  In most cases the call is ended once all the necessary information is obtained.

What can you do to help?

• Call from a landline (non-cellular) phone if one is readily available.
• Know the address where help is needed.
• Stay calm and listen to the EMD call taker.
• Answer the EMDs questions.  These questions are not an interrogation, they are designed to determine what type and how much help to send, the severity of the call, and what instructions to give.
• Follow the EMDs instructions.  They are meant to help the patient.
• Don’t hang up until the EMD says you can. 
• If the situation changes before help arrives, call back.