Marion Emergency Services, Thornton agree on fire protection goal

Nov. 03--JASPER, Tenn. -- The issue of Jasper Highlands residential development lacking fire protection wasn't solved Monday night, but members of the Marion County Emergency Services committee and developer John "Thunder" Thornton agreed the ultimate goal was to protect the mountaintop property owners.

"It comes down to doing the right thing," Thornton said.

The issue arose in recent weeks after a Jasper Highlands property owner's car caught fire and no fire departments responded to the call. When the property owner, Edward Moriarty, went before the Marion County Commission in late October to complain, he learned the fire department that was thought to be serving Jasper Highlands actually was not.

"Doing the right thing" means fire protection, but the question of who will provide is still up in the air, at least until Thursday when Foster Fall Volunteer Fire Department holds a board meeting that Thornton plans to attend.

Foster Falls leaders voted last summer not to serve Jasper Highlands, officials said. No representatives of Foster Falls attended Monday's meeting.

"I can't understand why they would cut it," Thornton told committee members Monday. "We thought everything was fine."

Thornton contended neither he, his staff nor property owners were notified of a change in fire service coverage. A few years ago, Thornton purchased a fire truck for Foster Falls when the department's previous truck burned, and he said he assumed Jasper Highlands would be protected with the fire truck he bought.

Thornton said he went to the state Department of Commerce and Insurance and Fire Marshal's Office in Nashville earlier Monday to find out what state records show as Foster Fall's service area. The state's service area map on record in Nashville, which Thornton copied and enlarged for the meeting, traces Foster Falls' service area to include Jasper Highlands.

Committee chairman Matt Blansett and Thornton discussed whether the fire department's original charter had been formally revised and what weight changes would have if they hadn't been submitted to the state.

Thunder Enterprises president Dane Bradshaw said he believed Foster Falls should cover Jasper Highlands at least until the matter is settled. Bradshaw said Marion County E-911 director Jerry Don Case's records showed Foster Falls providing fire services to the development.

Thornton said he plans to establish a volunteer fire hall at the development and a construction building already standing could hold a fire truck he plans to buy.

"That was the plan from day one," Thornton said. But until there are enough residents to man a new fire hall, Jasper Highlands needs fire protection.

Blansett said he would contact Foster Falls officials to ask about fire service coverage for the time being while a solution is sought.

Blansett, Thornton and Bradshaw said they planned to attend the Thursday meeting at Foster Falls.

Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or twitter.com/BenBenton or www.facebook.com/ben.benton1 or 423-757-6569.

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