911 Emergency Communications

Putnam County 911, in cooperation with the County's other public safety agencies, has created an Emergency Notification Network called "E-Alert." The system is unique in that it not only allows the notification of emergency personnel, but also the citizens of Putnam County in the case of a disaster, threatening weather, missing children, or other emergency situations.

The network allows several different notifications to happen nearly simultaneously.  We realize that every second counts in an emergency, and have created a system to get alerts out to citizens as fast as possible.

Read below for a breakdown of all aspects of our unique system.

Emergency Personnel - The system provides for all personnel to be notified automatically by text message and email in case of disaster. This will dramatically decrease response time and the time it takes to get off-duty personnel notified. Putnam County has some 500 personnel associated with EMS, Fire, Police, and Rescue agencies.

AM-FM Radio - The system will allow local radio stations to be interrupted with special emergency statements. The system uses "EAS" (emergency alert system) technology already in use by the National Weather Service. One emergency message is created and transmitted to all radio stations at the same time.  Persons traveling in and around Putnam County will be alerted to hazardous situations. This also allows descriptions of missing children and adults to be broadcast to the public to be on the lookout for these individuals.

Channel 22 TV - is the only local TV station to be broadcast over regular UHF antenna. This allows residents to receive emergency messages over portable battery operated units during power outages.  WCTE has generator backup for its transmitting facilities which allows broadcasting to continue during those power outages. The same "EAS" transmissions used for radio will also be used to break into local TV programming.

Cable TV - Our system allows for local cable TV to be interrupted with voice alerts.  No matter which channel a citizen may be viewing, the alert will override all programming to allow emergency messages to be heard.  Charter Cable has worked with emergency officials for several years to provide emergency broadcasts.

AM Transmitter - Putnam County has installed its own network of AM radio transmitters. These transmitters are located in Cookeville, Algood and Baxter. They allow the signal to cover Interstate 40, Hwy 111 and most of the major thoroughfares in these cities. The system broadcasts emergency messages to motorists traveling through the Cookeville area. Special alerts such as temporary road closures, weather warnings and emergency situations keep motorists abreast of emergencies in Putnam County. The transmitters broadcast on AM 1650.

Outdoor Warning Sirens - Putnam County has several outdoor warning sirens that alert citizens of severe weather warnings or other emergency situations.

Emergency Notification System - This enables us to notify residents by telephone of emergency situations. With this system, residents of a particular area can be notified by dialing each phone and playing a pre-recorded emergency message. The system allows for hundreds of calls to be made in a matter of minutes.

Special Signs - at major intersections in Cookeville, Algood and Baxter we have installed flashing signs that alert motorists to tune to our local AM radio statioin (1650 KHz) for special emergency information.

FM Warning System - dedicated receivers located in all schools, government buildings, hospitals, nursing homes, etc. allow us to notify these facilities of weather warnings or special emergency situations. The receivers allow for audible and scrolling warning messages.

Subdivisions in Putnam County must meet stringent regulations provided by the Regional Planning Commission. New subdivisions must be reviewed and pre-addressed by Putnam County 911 before receiving final approval by the Planning Commission. This means that each subdivision lot already has a house number and street address assigned to it. Corner lots on a plat may have two different addresses, depending on which way the house faces. Only one of these addresses will be ultimately used.  Please call us to verify the correct address. You may call 931-646-4357 and ask for Penny Foister to confirm a corner lot address.

TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT 911

9-1-1 is for EMERGENCIES. Teach children examples of an emergency and explain that each emergency requires a telecommunicator's full attention. Time taken away from an emergency for a prank call to 9-1-1, or someone who calls just to see what 9-1-1 sounds like can mean a delay in emergency responders arriving at the scene of true emergencies.

Make sure children understand that we are here to help.  Take care not to scare children about 9-1-1, simply help them understand that the 9-1-1 system is only for emergencies.

When you teach a child to call 9-1-1, many times they will get confused and think the number is "9-9-1", so it is extremely important to have your child repeat the emergency number ensuring that 9-1-1 is clearly understood.  It is good idea to practice all of the 9-1-1 steps regularly with your child.

There are four things we teach children to be prepared to tell an emergency communicator when they call 9-1-1:

1. Name
2. Address
3. Phone Number
4. What Happened

Name - so that the telecommunicator can call the child by name, which reassures children in a crisis.

Address - It is important to know where to send help to in an emergency, and the address of the emergency is key.  In events where children do not know the address of a business or church, teach them the name of places they visit frequently.

Phone Number - Some emergencies require telecommunicators to call back and ask questions or help guide responders to the scene.  In these situations, children should confirm the phone number where they can be called back.

*Caregivers should make sure every phone has the appropriate phone number displayed on it in places children frequently visit.

What Happened - If the 9-1-1 telecommunicator does not know the nature of the emergency, then they will not know who to send. This can delay adequate resources reaching a critical scene and affect the outcome of such incidents.

*Teach children never to hang up until they have been told to hang up by the 9-1-1 telecommunicator.

COULD WE FIND YOU?

Think about your home...

Is your address clearly posted where emergency responders can find you in the middle of the night or in a thunderstorm?

Here are a few tips to help you get up to code:

1. Post your address numbers in numbers at least 6" in height. They should be posted on both sides of your mailbox, and on your home.
2. Post numbers on your home on the side of the building which faces the road it is addressed to.  This helps responders know they are at the right location.
3. Make numbers reflective.  It is very important that responders can see the numbers on your home in darkness.  By use of headlights and spotlights responders can illuminate reflective numbers just like it is daylight!
4. If your home sits back off the main roadway, post your numbers on a stake or post at the entrance to your driveway.  If there are multiple homes on a single driveway make sure each home is clearly marked from the driveway as well.
5. If you have the option of calling from a home (landline phone) or a cellular phone, use a landline phone when possible. This routes the important number and address information directly to the 9-1-1 center, where cellular phones are not able to give exact addresses.  This is especially useful in populated areas and in apartment buildings or a business complex.

BUSINESS AND 9-1-1

Often, business owners do not think about posting their address.  In Putnam County it is a regulation that businesses post their address.  Business owners should be aware that every customer that visits their business means a potential for a life-threatening emergency to occur in their business.  Proper address posting can mean the difference between someone's life being saved or lost.

Business owners should consider that if there are multiple entrances to their building, each entrance should be marked plainly on the outside of the door with a logo or business name, as well as a specific door number to allow responders to easily identify the closest entrance to the emergency.

Putnam County 9-1-1 will be happy to visit your business and walk with you through the steps of making your workplace a safer place for everyone who works in or visits your business.  

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

The Putnam County 911 system provides the opportunity for special a "Life Safety Note" to be assigned to a 9-1-1 caller's landline telephone. These notes will appear anytime 9-1-1 is called from the number, and can alert emergency responders to special circumstances which could protect a life.

Examples of a "Life Safety Note:"

• Persons with medical history or handicap that would make them unable to escape a fire or criminal assault.
• Elderly or handicapped persons living alone that would list an emergency contact number for a caregiver in the event of an emergency.
• Information about a hidden key for family or emergency responders to gain access to elderly or handicapped citizens.
• Children with special needs who will require special ambulance equipment or personnel.
• Businesses which store hazardous materials.

** Please note that this information is not available to the public, and is only accessible to authorized emergency communicators in the event 9-1-1 is dialed from the specified telephone number.

CONTACT US

Putnam County 911 would love to send an educator to your next school, church, or public event.  We offer programs for children, teens, adults, and seniors.  We can also customize a program especially for your group.

To schedule an educator to visit your event, or to schedule a business safety visit contact Joshua Womack, Assistant Director, at jwomack@putnamcountytn.gov.

The Calm Voice in a Crisis

By: Lindsay McReynolds (a feature story of the Herald-Citizen)

VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER SAVES TEXAS MAN IN CARDIAC ARREST

(Putnam County Firefighter Waldo Vasquez)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday May 23, 2018

Release #: 180523a

VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER SAVES TEXAS MAN IN CARDIAC ARREST

PulsePoint app notifies local volunteer firefighter of cardiac arrest at local store

Cookeville, TENN – As Waldo Vasquez was walking into the Wal-Mart Supercenter last month, he never dreamed of how his visit would turn out. At the same time, a Texas man who was shopping in the store, stopped breathing. As he collapsed into his wife’s arms, she remembered the feeling of helplessness. “I have never felt so helpless. I remember holding him and watching him die. It was the worst feeling, not knowing what to do. Then, it was like Waldo (Vasquez) came out of nowhere and just took over. I was so grateful for him in that moment.” she recounted.

Vasquez, who was headed into the store to shop, was walking through the parking lot when he was first notified. "I was walking in and my phone started making noise. It was PulsePoint telling me that CPR was needed nearby, in the Wal-Mart Pharmacy,” Vasquez remembered. As Vasquez, a Putnam County Fire Department volunteer firefighter hurried to the Pharmacy side of the store, he saw the commotion. "I went over and could hear his wife screaming that he was having a heart attack. I got down on the floor and started talking to him while I checked his breathing and pulse. He was unconscious but tried to squeeze my hand at first," Vasquez continued.

As Vasquez continued to assess the patient, he felt his pulse fade away, so he immediately started CPR. “I felt his pulse fade away to nothing, so I started CPR and told someone to call 911 back and tell them CPR was in-progress. I had just done CPR training for the fire department, but I never thought I would use it while I was out shopping,” Vasquez explained.

The Texas man was cared for by Putnam County EMS and Cookeville Fire Department paramedics on the scene, where they regained a pulse after shocking him with the ambulance's defibrillator. What responders didn't know at the time was that the man was headed to East Tennessee to go camping with his wife and had been complaining of chest pain off and on throughout the day. He was transported to Cookeville Regional Medical Center, where he was treated and had 2 stints placed to correct the blockages in his heart.

“I am so thankful for Waldo, my angel sent from God, and for the PulsePoint App. This app notified him I needed help, and there is no doubt in my mind that the combination of the two saved my life. I wouldn’t be here today if PulsePoint hadn’t notified Waldo I needed him. He knew exactly what to do and saved my life!” the Texas man proclaimed.

Putnam County Fire Chief Tom Brown praised Vasquez for his work. “Our members are dedicated to the citizens and visitors of Putnam County, whether they’re on official fire department business or going through their daily lives. Waldo did exactly what he was trained to do, without hesitation. He is a fine example of what we expect of our volunteers, and we are thankful for him.”

PulsePoint is a smartphone app purchased in cooperation among Putnam County 911, the Cookeville Regional Charitable Foundation, Tennessee Heart, and the Mended Hearts Cookeville Chapter. The app runs in the background of the user’s phone and notifies CPR-trained citizens of an possible CPR event nearby that may need their skills. The app only notifies citizens of events occurring at a public location.

PulsePoint was launched in Putnam County in February. Officials are excited that only two months after launch, the app already paid off. “We were so happy to learn of the outcome for this visitor to our county, and we’re especially proud of Firefighter Vasquez for his incredible work. We are very fortunate in Putnam County to have men and women who volunteer to make our community safer,” stated Mike Thompson, Putnam County 911 Director.

Each year approximately 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside hospitals. One of the first proven keys to survival is early CPR, by trained citizens, providing crucial care in the initial minutes following cardiac arrest. To learn more about PulsePoint, or to get involved and download the app, visit www.putnamcountytn.gov and click on 911 Center for more information.

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About the PulsePoint Foundation

PulsePoint is a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Through the use of location-aware mobile devices, PulsePoint is building applications that work with local public safety agencies to improve communications with citizens and off-duty personnel, empowering them to help reduce the millions of annual deaths from sudden cardiac arrest. Learn more at www.PulsePoint.org or follow us at Facebook and Twitter. The free app is available for download on iTunes and Google Play.