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    Sevier County fire departments will now be better equipped to handle gas leaks, thanks to a donation of gas meters.                                   

   The Sevier County Emergency Management Agency and the Sevier County Utility District used grants to purchase the meters and donated them to the Sevier County Fire Chiefs Association. Each fire department in the county will receive a meter. The meters are able to detect four different gases and are the same kind used by SCUD. The previous meters measured generic levels of toxic gas, not specific gases.

   “Now when a fire department responds to a broken gas main, they will be able to relay exact information directly to SCUD, saving time in an emergency,” said John Mathews, Sevier County EMA Director. “With all the fire departments using the same meters, this will help with training and large incidents were mutual aid will be needed." 

From left are Sevier County EMA Director John Mathews, Fire Chiefs Association President Jeff Nichols, Sensit Technologies Representative Brett Jones, and SCUD Safety Coordinator Bob Trentham with the new gas meters.

     The meters, from Sensit Technologies, are able to detect oxygen, natural gas, propane and carbon monoxide.

   “No matter how many fire departments are on the scene all of them will have the knowledge to use each other’s gas meters because they are the same,” said Matt Ballard, SCUD President. “SCUD is pleased to partner with Sevier County EMA to help make our county safer.”

   “The Fire Chiefs Association is thankful to SCUD and Sevier County EMA for this donation,” said Jeff Nichols, Pittman Center Fire Chief and Sevier County Fire Chiefs Association President. “Often a fire department is the first to arrive at the scene of a gas leak. Now we will be able to better communicate with any department to better assess the situation.”