Roger Mays, Dispatch SupervisorOne office in the suites of offices for the Town of Centerville is equivalent to a central nervous system: Dispatch.

All public safety information gets routed through Dispatch. Here are some of the kinds of information that constantly flow through a team of employees who monitor an extensive communications network:

• 911 Emergency Calls.  Call 911 when a life is in danger, whether from bleeding, drug overdoses, attempted suicide or self-harm, dangerous mental breakdowns, severe injuries from accidents, or criminal activity.
• Non-Emergency Incidents.  Call the Dispatch Office at 931-729-5146. Examples of incidents include property damage, vehicle damage, burglaries, vandalism, accidents without severe injury, roving livestock, pet accidents, at-large dogs, and thefts where the perpetrator has fled the scene.

What Is Not An Emergency?

What's not an emergency? A cow in the road. The Dispatch Office knows which farmers have cattle that could be on the road; they know who to call, but it's not an emergency unless someone hits a cow and is injured in the accident. 

If you have a dog that appears dangerous, it's not an emergency until it attacks you. Call the Dispatch Office to have the Animal Control officer deal with a dangerous dog. Call 911 if you are injured.

If your electricity goes off, it's not an emergency. It's a matter for MLEC or Dickson Electric; call them.

If you have a gas leak, call the Maintenance Department. If it's after working hours, your call will be routed to the Dispatch Office.

If your water is shut off, it's not a matter for the Dispatch Office. Call the water department or pay your bill.

When You Call 911

Be prepared to answer the dispatcher's questions, which may include 

• Address. Tell the Dispatcher the street address of the emergency. Some phones may provide accurate location information, but many cell phones do not.
• Phone Number.  Provide the phone number you are calling from. Most phones may provide that information, but an active phone number is critical if the call gets dropped.
• Description of the Emergency. Describe the nature of the emergency, including a physical description of a person who may have committed a crime, a description of a burning fire, details about injuries, or other symptoms of a person having an emergency.

It is essential to give the dispatcher the correct information. In an emergency, the workers in the Dispatch office begin their work as information is gathered from your call. They work as a team to coordinate the efforts of all the types of emergency assistance that may be needed, with calls and messages going out even while your call is online. 

The dispatcher is trained to give you the correct instructions to get additional information, help you provide aid for CPR, and help you stay safe. Stay on the line until the dispatcher instructs you to hang up.

About the Dispatch Office

The office works continuously 24 hours a day, seven days a week; someone continually works to direct communications and help those who need it. The staff consists of 11 full-time employees and three part-time employees. Learning the job takes at least six months but requires continuous training, even for experienced and skilled workers. All workers must be appropriately trained and certified; it's essential.

The Dispatch Office connects to emergency services throughout the county, not just for the Town of Centerville. Those services include the Rescue Squad, the county volunteer fire departments, the Sheriff's department, the City Police, Emergency Management Services, and Ambulance Services. The office monitors the school buses and cameras in the schools and notifies the Highway Patrol when needed. They can push a button and get a Life-Flight Helicopter in the air. During September 2024, the office tracked 1957 calls for assistance. The Dispatch Office has cameras installed at critical places, such as the Town Square, where eyes are always on businesses and banks. Weather forecasts and news broadcasts play continuously in the office so workers can be prepared for any event.

The Dispatch Office manages all warrants, records with NCIC (National Crime Information Center), vehicle licenses, orders of protection, missing person notifications, and records of stolen vehicles, boats, weapons, and other property. For every call where assistance is needed, they create a record to track the response and ensure that the proper officer receives the information—a CAD card. They also provide information to insurance companies that need accurate information.

Animal Control Officer, Wilbur Lancaster

Wilbur Lancaster, Animal Control OfficerCenterville Police Department
102 E Swan St, Centerville, TN, United States, Tennessee
(931) 729-5146

The Town of Centerville maintains an animal shelter at the end of Industrial Drive. Wilbur Lancaster is the police department's Animal Control officer.

The shelter typically manages a few dogs and cats for their temporary stay until owners retrieve them or the animals are adopted out. A veterinarian must examine all animals for adoption, worm them, give them shots, and neuter them if necessary. Lancaster urges adopting people to have the animals micro-chipped so it's easy to locate the owner if the animal becomes lost. The cost of adopting an animal depends on the types of services required to prepare the animal for adoption.

Lancaster With Rescued & Adopted PuppyUnfortunately, many animals are abandoned by their owners, so the city must care for them. When owners mistreat their animals by failing to provide proper food and shelter, the animal control officer will generally give the owner a warning. Dog owners must not allow their animals to roam at large, or Lancaster will catch the dog and place them in the animal shelter. In severe cases, Lancaster will confiscate the animal and issue a citation to the owner, who must appear before the city judge to face charges of animal cruelty and related crimes.

Adoptions

Lancaster attempts to get all unclaimed animals adopted. For those who are too old or ill for adoption, he takes them to the Horse Plus Humane Society at Kimmons near the Lewis/Hickman County line on Hwy 48. While the Centerville Animal Shelter is a no-kill facility, Horse Plus has the needed animal health staff to care for sick animals and euthanize those who cannot recover.

THE MAIN CENTERVILLE FIRE HALL

The Centerville Fire Department is an all-volunteer organization comprised of approximately thirty Centerville citizens who share a mission to provide skilled, professional, and caring lifesaving services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The department's motto is “Dedicated to Serve.” The Department offers fire protection and rescue services to the community of Centerville, Tennessee, and those who travel through it.

Services

SWIFT WATER BOATThe Centerville Volunteer Fire Department provides multiple services, including, but not limited to:

• Fire Suppression
• First Responder/Emergency Medical
• Technical Rescue
• Hazmat
• Fire Prevention/Fire Codes
• Public Fire Education
• Swift Water Rescue. The Centerville Volunteer Fire Department is the only unit equipped and trained for service throughout the county.

About the Volunteers

Eleven of the 30 members are trained, full-time professional firefighters employed in Nashville, Brentwood, and other nearby cities. The Departments operate on a schedule where employees are stationed at the fire department 24 hours when they are immediately available. After their tour, they are off for 36 hours. Some departments work a 48/96-hour schedule. The scheduling means trained professionals are usually in Centerville on their off days.

When there is a significant event, Baltz says that 24 members are typically available, and mutual aid agreements provide additional personnel and resources via mutual aid agreements.

Training

All firefighters require extensive, continuous training. For new volunteers, at least 16 hours of training in the Firefighter One class. Following that training, volunteers receive training as Emergency Medical Responders. The force has qualified trainers, but most training is provided through the Tennessee Fore Codes Enforcement Academy. Seven of the professional members are trained paramedics and certified trainers. 

Erik Hassell, Public Works Director

Erik Hassell oversees all city street maintenance, plus the installation and maintenance of all water, sewer, and gas lines. The Town of Centerville extends its utility lines well beyond the city limits. 

Phone:  (931)729-4246, extension 121, or his secretary, at extension 122.

The City Maintenance Department maintains all city properties, easements, and utility connections for residents of Centerville and parts of the surrounding area. Its offices and work areas are in the City Maintenance Building on North Central Avenue, which formerly housed the Merriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative.

The normal trash pickup schedule is explained in the article entitled "Sanitation" and the dates have been entered in the Community Calendar in this website.  We are providing the image of the schedule for your convenience: