Age is just a number for one East Tennessee volunteer fire department
Published October 26, 2023; 8:32 p.m.

Tellico Village Volunteer Fire Department; image submitted

LOUDON, TN - Meet the Tellico Village Volunteer Fire Department: A remarkable team of senior residents in East Tennessee, where the median age is 68 – a whopping 30 years older than the national average age. for a firefighter. These senior heroes are shattering age stereotypes in firefighting.

Why are these firefighters in their senior years? Because Tellico Village uses only residents to serve the community in which they live.

Tellico Village Volunteer Fire Department Chief, Jerry Dougherty, said there are 34 active members. Of that number 4 are EMTs, 28 are EMRs and two are in training. Plus, their average response time is 4 minutes across the 11 miles of Loudon County that they cover. This response time is nearly two minutes lower than the national average.

“Our goal is to be at the front door of a resident in need in 5 minutes or less with a medical bag, AED and do the initial assessment of the patient,” Dougherty said.

These first responders work hard throughout the year to keep up to standards. A member of the Tellico Village Volunteer Fire Department spends 1,400 hours a year in training throughout the year training and making numerous medical and fire calls.

Dougherty says other agencies in the county know they can rely on the support from TV VFD when they need help since often those on the staff are retired and can get up and go at any time of day to assist.

“We pace ourselves and we know the capabilities of all of our members.”

For more information on the Tellico Village Volunteer Fire Department, please visit www.tellicofd.org.