Fire Department
Jonesborough’s Fire Department serves all of the Town of Jonesborough and the Washington County fire district around Jonesborough. Jonesborough’s Fire Department utilizes its resources to the fullest in many ways. including volunteers who assist with the fire protection,. They also assist with fire watch services during numerous Town events
Dial 911 for Emergencies
Contact
| Jeff White | Fire Department | 423.753.1053 |
Jeff White
We have a paid staff on duty twenty-fours a day, seven days a week that is supplemented with trained reserves. The Division employs seven career firefighters and ten pay-per-call firefighters. Each firefighter is certified by the Tennessee Fire Commission upon successful completion of an eight-week basic fire academy course. The Division’s career staff is comprised of three platoons, each with one Sergeant and one firefighter. Off-duty paid staff remains on-call for any fire within the city limits. All of Jonesborough’s police officers are trained firemen and operate as Public Safety Officers (PSO’s) with initial firefighting equipment in their vehicles. These officers are limited to calls within our city limits.
If you need information regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act Plan, Concerns and/or Complaints, or the process for filing, you may see that information: HERE. If you need additional help call 423.753.1030.
Shop with a Cop or Firefighter
Shop with a cop or firefighter: Every year Jonesborough Public Safety serves more than 200 children from low income families during shop with a cop or firefighter. Kids are served dinner and then can go on a ‘shopping spree’ with a Jonesborough officer.
For more information, contact 423.753.1073
Community Service
The Fire Division also undertakes many community service activities including fire safety prevention at schools, home, daycares, businesses, churches, and most any organization; pre-fire planning and fire hydrant maintenance for the county. The Fire Division is also responsible for fire inspections and the issuance of burn permits within the Town’s corporate limits. Information about these programs can be obtained by calling the Fire Department at 423.753.1053.
ISO
ISO stands for Insurance Services Office. It is not a government agency, but actually works for insurance companies who pay it to evaluate local fire defenses. ISO sets the public protection classification for Jones-borough, which directly impacts every person who purchases insurance on a structure. Simply stated, the lower the ISO rating, the less you will pay for insurance.
Factors that are considered during an ISO assessment include communications, the Fire Department, water supply, and divergence. Divergence is simply the difference in level of readiness between the Fire Department and the Water Department. Jonesborough currently has a Class 5 Rating.
Volunteer/Reserve Firefighter
The Town of Jonesborough will accept applications for the Reserve Firefighter program. This is a volunteer-based position. Must have a valid Tennessee Driver’s License and be 18 years of age.
This position includes duties such as structural firefighting, brush firefighting, and hazard materials incidents.
Once accepted Reserve Firefighters will then undergo 64 hours of training, CPR training, and EVOC training.
Questions can be directed to 423.753.1053, Terry Henry at thenry@jonesboroughtn.org, or at 123 Boone St.
Fire Hydrants
Fire hydrants are painted based upon their assigned classification. A Class AA hydrant has a rated flow capacity of 1,500 gpm or greater and is painted blue. A Class A hydrant has a rated flow capacity of 1,000 gpm to 1,499 gpm and is painted green. A Class B hydrant has a rated flow capacity of 500 gpm to 999 gpm and is painted yellow. A Class C hydrant has a rated flow of less than 500 gpm and is painted red. It is important for firefighters to know the rated flow capacity of a hydrant in order to calculate fire flow for suppression and to insure the fire truck does not collapse the water line during drafting operations.
Every fire hydrant on the Jonesborough water system is serviced twice a year by our firefighters. Each hydrant is flow tested, serviced, and is also painted if needed. Many homeowners like to landscape around fire hydrants. Homeowners need to be reminded that only low growing plants may be placed around hydrants and the plant material may be damaged during testing or in the event of a fire.
Fire Inspections
Business Fire Inspections – Inspections are conducted according to the 2012 International Fire Code and 2012 International Building Code. All businesses, apartments, nursing homes, and churches are inspected by code officials and firefighters in order to develop or update pre-fire plans to the structure and check for code compliance. This is critical to our ability to fight fire at a particular structure. The Pre-Fire Plan will contain valuable information, including but not limited to, floor plan, needed fire flow, nearest hydrant location, etc.
Records
The Records Office is open during normal business hours 8 am – 5 pm, Monday – Friday, at Town Hall, 123 Boone Street in Jonesborough. In an effort to better serve our residents, incident reports and accident reports are mailed to the victims of crime or to individuals involved in accidents. Reports are also mailed to property owners who sustain damage to their property as a result of an accident. If an individual wishes to obtain a copy of their report, they should contact the Administrative Assistant at 423.753.1053 in order to insure the report is available for release.
Fireworks
Jonesborough has an ordinance prohibiting the sale, possession, or use of fireworks of any description within the city limits, except through public displays supervised by the Public Safety Department.
Dispatchers
Dispatchers answer the phones at Town Hall twenty-four hours per day. Our dispatchers are highly trained and certified. After 5:00 pm, calls to the Water Department, Wastewater Department, Animal Control, and Town Administration are also handled by Police Department Dispatchers. Our Dispatchers will contact the appropriate town staff after hours as needed for problems such as water or sewer leaks, nuisance animals, dangerous road conditions, fallen trees, etc. Residents should call 9-1-1 in the event of a public safety emergency. The business line for the Department of Public Safety is 423.753.1053.
The Dispatch Division utilizes modern technology in providing professional service to its citizens. In-coming phone lines are recorded and have immediate play-back capability in the event the Dispatcher cannot understand the caller. The same feature is utilized with all of our communications to PSOs and firefighters.
The Division also utilizes National Crime Information Computer (NCIC) through the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations (TBI) TIES inlet. This system allows the agency to enter and check for missing persons, stolen property, vehicle owner and drivers license information, and as a means for updated information regarding dangerous weather conditions or matters of Homeland Security. Dispatch is also responsible for entering incident reports filed by the PSOs in the Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System (TIBRS). These reports are forwarded to the TBI monthly and are used to track crime within our corporate limits. The Dispatch Division utilizes a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) program. The CAD system assists officers being dispatched to a particular location and can warn of certain dangers to the responding officers at specific locations.
The Division also administers the “Are You Okay” program for elderly and house-bound residents of Jonesborough.
Burn Permits
Burn Permits are required for ANY open burning in the Town limits. If you have dry grass or material to burn, contact the Fire Department at Town Hall to get the required permit. Permits help avoid costly fire damage and allow firefighters to ensure a fire does not get out of control. Permits can be obtained from the Jonesborough Fire Department at Town Hall, 123 Boone Street during normal business hours, 8 am – 5 pm, Monday-Friday. Open burn permits may be obtained throughout the year; however, open burning bans may be enforced from time to time, depending on weather conditions. Permits are issued at no cost. Only brush and natural materials may be burned and the material must have been generated from the property. The Town collects brush and leaves on a regular basis and grinds them for composting. Therefore, the Town reserves the right to reject any burn permit application if it is determined that the brush or other “green waste” could reasonably be collected instead. Burning of construction material such as treated lumber, sheet rock, asphalt shingles, paint products, etc. is expressly prohibited. The individual obtaining the permit is responsible for such burning, as well as for the consequences of, or the damages, injuries, or claims resulting from such burning.
