Brownsville-Haywood County Central Dispatch
Caryvetta Maclin, Director started her dispatching career at Brownsville-Haywood County Central Dispatch in 2003. She was promoted to Team Leader in 2010 and Asst. Director in 2012. She later became Director in 2022 to present. She received Supervisor of the Year in 2017 @ Tennessee Emergency Number Association Conference.
Central Dispatch was established in 1991 as one of Tennessee’s few consolidated dispatch centers. This center is a joint venture between Haywood County, City of Brownsville and the 911 Emergency Communication District. As a consolidated center, we dispatch Police, Sheriff, Fire and Ambulance for the entire county, as well as, monitor the 911 phones for all calls for service. The mission statement for the dispatch center is as follows:
“Our mission at Brownsville-Haywood County Central Dispatch is to protect lives and property 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.”
Cindy Covington, Assistant Director started her career at Brownsville Haywood County Central Dispatch in June 2003 as a Dispatcher. She took the responsibility of Alt Tac (Alternate Terminal Agency Coordinator) in May 2012. She was promoted to Tac (Terminal Agency Coordinator) in 2015, being the liaison between TBI and our agency. In 2019 she was promoted to Dispatch Supervisor and in 2023 she was promoted to Assistant Director.
Central Dispatch Board
Central Dispatch is governed by a nine-member board. The members include Sheriff, Police Chief, EMS Director, Fire Chief, EMA Director, 911 Board Member, City of Brownsville Representative, Citizen and County Commissioner.
Haywood County Emergency Communications District
The Haywood County 911 Board consists of nine members of Haywood County.
The 911 surcharge is on your monthly telephone bill. The 911 equipment and maintenance are purchased and maintained from the surcharge money. Our goal is to have the best 911 equipment to serve Brownsville-Haywood County.
Requirements
The State of Tennessee, under Tennessee code Annotated 7-86-201, has established strict guidelines that all dispatchers must meet before being employed. This law states that all such persons shall:
- Be at least eighteen years of age
- Be a citizen of the United States
- High School graduate or equivalency
- Not have been convicted or plead guilty to any felony charge or to any violation of any federal or state laws or city ordinances relating to force, violence, theft, dishonesty, gambling, liquor or controlled substances
- Not have been released or discharges under any other than honorable or medical discharge from any of the armed forces of the United States
- Pass drug test
- Good moral character as determined by a thorough investigation conducted by the employing agency
Each dispatcher must also attend a course in TIES (Tennessee Information Enforcement System) techniques given in Nashville (TBI), 40-hour Telecommunicator class and 2-hour Missing kids class, and six to eight weeks on the job training.
Operations
Brownsville-Haywood County Central Dispatch operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is responsible for answering 911 and non-emergency phone lines. Our center serves as the vital link between the citizens and responders of Brownsville-Haywood County by providing emergency services in an efficient, courteous and professional manner. We strive for excellence and take pride in assisting our citizens and protecting the first responders.
Equipment
We have new equipment and all dispatchers are trained on Radio, CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch,) Map, NCIC, and 911 Telephone. Our PSAP answers all 911 calls, whether landline or wireless, in Brownsville-Haywood.
Contact
Caryvetta Maclin
100 S Dupree Ave.
Brownsville, TN 38012
731-772-7065 Office
731-772-4400 Fax
EMA
- Develop overall emergency preparedness training objectives to meet national standards and provide guidance and assistance to other local agencies, municipal governments and citizens.
- Provide guidance and assistance to affected local governments in disaster response.
- Coordinate disaster response and recovery actions of local agencies.
- Provide overall coordination of quasi-public and private disaster assistance.
- Maintain liaison with state and federal agencies.
- Inform individuals, local officials, and businesses of authorized disaster assistance and procedures for obtaining such assistance.
- Manage logistics operations during emergency operations.
- Manage the use of volunteers during emergencies/disasters.
- Provide guidance and assistance to the Brownsville-
- Haywood County Rescue Squad. “On call” for response to any type of disaster or major emergency, natural, man-made or technological.
- Provide and maintain outdoor warning system – sirens.
Contact
Robert Parks
EMA Director
111 N. Washington Ave.
Brownsville, TN 38012
731-772-1227
Brownsville-Haywood County Ambulance Authority
The Brownsville-Haywood County Ambulance Authority had its beginnings over 25 years ago when the state regulated the EMS system. The Ambulance Authority had two Cadillac hearse-style ambulances originally used by the Brownsville Funeral Home when it ran the service. During the early EMS days, patients were transported to the hospital as quickly as possible. In 1973, people were trained for three months in advanced first aid. Also in 1973, the authority placed into service two new 1973 Ford Type I ambulances, one purchased by the county, the other by a private citizen. Having obtained the stocked ambulances and running three shifts of trained personnel, the call volume increased to about 20 calls per month.
In 1976, Haywood County sent its first two EMTs to Shelby State Community College in Memphis to paramedic school, where they were trained to administer certain drugs, interpret heart rhythms and start IVs.
Under the direction of Jimmy Studdard, who has been with the authority for 36 years, the Ambulance Authority was classified as a Class A service by the State of Tennessee. The Brownsville-Haywood County Ambulance Authority currently has 20 full-time employees, 12 part-time employees, four ambulances and Hospital Wings in the same complex at 1601 Welch Street in Brownsville.
With three shifts, the Ambulance Authority operates four ambulances, one basic life support and three advanced life support units. The advanced units run emergency calls and are stocked with advanced monitoring equipment. The basic EMT-IV training currently takes one year. Paramedic training is currently an additional year of intense training with more invasive life-saving techniques which can make the difference between life and death. The call volume now runs in excess of 250 calls per month. The Authority also uses the services of about 60 trained First Responders in the community.
In addition to emergency medical care, the authority also offers several community services: First Responder classes, CPR classes, Health Fairs and lectures, blood pressure checks, and public service assistance for falls, and assisting with loading into and unloading patients from vehicles.
Contact
Jimmy Studdard, Director
1601 Welch Street
Brownsville, TN 38012
731-772-4979 or 772-9846
Emergency number: 911 or 731-772-4141
Rescue Squad
The Rescue Squad was formed in 1974 under the guidance of the Haywood County Sheriff’s Department until the Emergency Management Agency was formed under Mayor Joe Taylor with the help of Ray Ellington in the late 1970s. Today it remains under the umbrella of the EMA.
The Rescue Squad started with the following equipment: Command Post, five support vehicles, three four wheelers, one six wheeler and four boats, in addition to other emergency equipment such as chain saws, generators, etc., and it has increased and upgraded its equipment over the years. Members of the Rescue Squad serve on a volunteer basis, and there are about 43 members now, all from the Brownsville-Haywood County area. Leading the group is Captain Frank Fawcett . They meet every Tuesday night to perform maintenance duties on their equipment.
The squad is the search and rescue team for all of Haywood County and surrounding areas, and it also responds to mutual aide calls from neighboring areas and communities. These volunteers are some of the first to respond when there is severe weather that causes flooding and other natural disasters. They work with city and county officials and both law enforcement agencies in the community. They are the first to respond to calls from these agencies when roads need clearing. Some members are certified First Responders and EMTs.
The squad also volunteers to help with a number of community events, and for about 20 years, its members organize and coordinate the annual Christmas parade the first Saturday in December.