Just before 9 p.m., a man called 911 for himself and two others after heavy rain left several inches of water inside their non-motorized boat during severe weather. The water continued to rise, and the callers did not know their location on the lake, according to James Matthews, a spokesperson for Nashville 911.

“It was a very hectic situation and that’s when she went into her dispatcher mode and got them the help they needed,” Matthews said.

The dispatcher used the Prepared 911 platform, which allows them to track caller locations and access live video streams of emergencies with the caller’s permission. The dispatcher sent a live video link to the caller, allowing her to assess conditions in real time, and used the What3Words app to pinpoint the group’s location. Fire dispatchers relayed updates to crews already responding in the field.

The dispatcher directed the caller to use his cell phone compass to stay oriented toward shore and instructed one member of the group to bail water while the others continued to paddle. Rescue crews located the group and brought them to safety.

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MCFD said crews were dispatched to Santa Fe Unit School just before 9:30 a.m. Thursday for reports of a person that was seriously injured in a fall.

“The first arriving unit found that a subcontractor working to install a new underground tank as part of the school’s septic system had fallen approximately 20 feet to the bottom of the tank,” MCFD said.

After assessing the situation, MCFD said the call was upgraded to a technical rescue and additional crews, including those who are rope-trained, were called to assist.

As two MCFD firefighters and a Maury Regional EMS paramedic entered the concrete vault to treat the victim, a ladder truck was maneuvered into place for an aerial high point.

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Fire Station 14 was the first station to house a motorized pumper in Nashville. Station 14 is also the oldest Nashville Fire Station, still in operation.

Station 14 opened October 1, 1914, at its current location at 1400 Holly Street in the East Nashville neighborhood of Lockeland Springs.

The station was designed by Nashville’s first municipal architect James Yeaman and is listed on the National Historic Register of Historic Places.

The new engine replaces the prior Engine 14, which has been in service since November 2012 and has responded to calls across Nashville for more than a decade, accumulating more than 112,150 miles. The outgoing apparatus will continue to support NFD operations as a reserve engine.

Because Station 14’s historic fire hall requires a smaller‑profile vehicle, the new Engine 14 was custom‑built to fit the station’s unique dimensions.

In addition to its compact design, the apparatus introduces several modern technological upgrades, including:

• A 360-degree camera system for enhanced safety and maneuverability
• Wireless headsets for all crew members, improving communication and providing advanced hearing protection

Engine 14 Key Specifications

• Length: 27 ft 7 in
• Height: 9 ft 6 in
• Width: 8 ft 4 in
• Foam Capacity: 20 gallons
• Engine: Cummins 450 hp L9
• Transmission: Allison 3000 EVS
• Fuel Tank Capacity: 68 gallons
• Total Cost: $953,859

The Nashville Fire Department remains committed to providing high‑quality service to residents through continued investment in modern equipment and technology. The addition of this new Engine 14 further strengthens the department’s ability to respond quickly, safely, and effectively to emergencies across the city.

City of Nashville

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With the help of a backhoe, firefighters were able to reach and free the driver, who was taken by ambulance to the hospital. Giles County E911 and Giles County office of Emergency Management also responded to the scene, with the latter looking into concerns of a possible gas leak into the Blue Water Creek bed.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

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The flames were kept to the original house, but one neighboring home sustained some damage. The home was unoccupied when the fire started, and firefighters did not report any injuries.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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The groundbreaking accomplishment highlights Grueber’s dedication, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to serving the local community. Department officials celebrated the achievement, noting that her milestone breaks long-standing barriers within the department while setting an inspiring precedent for future generations of firefighters.

Rather than resting on her laurels, Grueber is already pushing her career further. She has enrolled in the Fire Officer II program to continue sharpening the leadership skills needed to serve both her department and the citizens of Athens for years to come.

“We are incredibly proud of Heather for breaking barriers and inspiring the next generation of firefighters,” the department shared in a public statement, expressing eager anticipation for her future contributions to public safety.

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One crash required a response from the department’s technical rescue team because of difficult terrain at the scene.

Lawrence County Fire Rescue said crews also responded to multiple incidents happening at the same time on three separate occasions throughout the day.

The department said members of its technical rescue team were already together for an eight-hour training session when the call came in, allowing them to respond immediately to the crash requiring specialized rescue efforts.

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Roane State said this is the first fire science program of its kind in the area. It was created for students who want to pursue a career in emergency services or build on experience they already have.

“That’s our goal: to get firefighters out into the workforce,” said Johnny Jones, the Roane State Fire Science Program Director.

The new program features more than two dozen courses designed to help meet the growing demand for firefighters.

“It has been lean years as far as trying to find applicants or people that really want to get into this type of work anymore. I think it’s a career that’s kind of fell to the wayside,” explained Chief Matthew Crabtree with the Rockwood Fire Department.

The program will train future career, combination, and volunteer firefighters.

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NFD Director Chief William Swann and Mayor Freddie O’Connell presented each graduate with a certificate of completion.

Deputy Director Chief Tim Henderson and Chief Training Officer Moses Jefferies IV presented the new firefighters with their official badges.

Family, friends and fellow NFD personnel celebrated Battalion 92’s accomplishment during and following the graduation ceremony.

Battalion 92 completed more than 1,000 hours of an intensive curriculum, including classroom lectures and hands-on training. Their hands-on training included live fire training, swift water rescue training and high angle rescue techniques.

During the ceremony the NFD awarded Battalion 92 Recruit Paul Mitchell as Valedictorian with an overall grade of 96.9%.

City of Nashville

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Upon arrival, first-in units encountered heavy smoke and fire conditions coming from inside the facility. Firefighters determined that much of the fire was originating from a transport trailer positioned just inside the building’s doorway.

Crews quickly deployed 1¾-inch handlines from Engine 2 to attack the fire and prevent further extension into the structure, particularly where flames were impinging on the roof assembly.

Tower 1 was positioned to utilize elevated master streams, which assisted firefighters in bringing the fire under control.

Personnel from West Main Recycling assisted operations by attaching a tractor to the trailer involved and removing it from the building, allowing firefighters to fully extinguish the fire.

Once conditions were deemed safe, crews re-entered the structure to extinguish burning roof members and conduct overhaul operations.

The Greeneville Fire Department responded with six fire apparatus and 17 personnel. No injuries were reported.

Following an investigation by Greeneville Fire Marshal Weems and department personnel, it was determined that a trailer containing recyclable materials had become lodged in the facility doorway.

Investigators believe that while workers were attempting to remove roof members using a cutting torch, hot embers ignited combustible materials inside the trailer, resulting in the fire.

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The Algood Police Department was already at the scene, and officers helped the residents evacuate safely. One resident required treatment at the scene but was later cleared, according to Algood Fire.

Firefighters attacked the fire from the inside and managed to contain the flames to the room of origin, the report states.

Most of the damage was kept to that room, and the efforts of the firefighters likely saved the rest of the unit and the complex. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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“You really never think it is going to happen to you,” owner Mary Ann Coulter said.

Coulter opened the Cozy Nook Cafe with her twin sister last fall. She said the business had just recovered from an ice storm when the fire forced them to pause operations again. She estimated a closure of three to four weeks.

For many of the firefighters who responded, the call was personal. Hendersonville Fire Engineer Matthew Cole said the cafe is a regular stop for department members.

“They are a big part of us. A lot of our guys stop there daily. A lot of us stop there on the way home or way to the station so we want to see them back up and running as always,” Cole said.

The Cozy Nook Cafe recognizes first responders through a VIP program that offers a special discount on each visit. Coulter said supporting that community is important to her.

“It’s not easy being a firefighter or police officer, there’s a lot behind it that people don’t understand,” she said.

Coulter and her twin sister previously served as firefighters in New Jersey before moving to Tennessee. She said being on the receiving end of support Wednesday was a different experience.

“It’s definitely humbling. We were on the other end of it fighting fires, and then it comes and happens to us,” Coulter said.

Coulter said she and her sister became firefighters as a family decision, pursuing the career after losing their father — a fire chief in their hometown — to cancer when they were 18.

“He was a fire chief in our hometown,” she said.

In addition to continuing the first responder discount, Coulter said the cafe is planning a dinner to honor the firefighters who helped save the store.

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