SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - The Sevierville Fire Department opened a new headquarters to bring better fire service to the city.

The new 17,000 square feet facility cost $6 million to build, and is located on Dolly Parton Parkway in East Sevierville. The city fire chief said after noticing the need for a new fire station, they identified the east area of the city that needed better fire protection.

"We identified that this end of Sevierville, this east side, was our largest bedroom community, the largest residential population. So it made sense that we needed to cover this area," said Chief Matt Henderson.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on Friday, April 5 with a room full of 250 people from the community. Many in the community say they are very proud and excited to have this new headquarters in full operation. MORE

Turtle Plastics, a leading manufacturer of environmental, health, and safety solutions for firefighters and first responders, is inviting attendees at FDIC International in Indianapolis to meet television actor Jeremy Holm, co-star of the upcoming feature film “Silo,” at the Turtle Plastics Booth #3369 throughout the day on Thursday, April 11 and Friday, April 12.

The nonprofit Turtle Plastics Foundation is donating $5.00 per autograph by Jeremy Holm but not less than $5,000.00 in total for the Autograph Signing Event at the Turtle Plastics Booth #3369 during FDIC 2019.  All proceeds will be contributed to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. The promotion shall last April 11, 2019 thru April 12, 2019.  

Best known for his role as FBI Agent Nathan Green in the Netflix series “House of Cards” and as Mr. Sutherland in the USA series “Mr. Robot,” Holm stars as a volunteer fire chief in “Silo,” a new major motion picture scheduled for release in theaters in the summer of 2019.

Turtle Plastics designs and manufactures interlocking recycled plastic safety cribbing blocks used by first responders and fire trainers as stabilization tools as well as ergonomic, modular tiles for fire/rescue and industrial applications. The company’s patented Turtle Tube™ Grain Bin Rescue Sleeve (U.S. Pat. No. D809,210) is the most cost-effective grain rescue sleeve product on the market with the fastest deployment.

Filmmakers approached Turtle Plastics for technical and financial support because of the company’s expertise in grain bin rescue product development and its commitment to helping first responders prevent silo deaths. Turtle Plastics offers a grant program for farm bureaus and insurance companies wanting to buy Turtle Tubes and donate them back to financially strapped volunteer fire departments and rescue squads in the major grain states.

“Turtle Plastics is proud to support ‘Silo’ to bring awareness to the deadly dangers of grain entrapment and the heroic firefighters and first responders who are challenged with rescuing trapped individuals,” stated Liz Demetriou, President of Turtle Plastics. “In addition to supporting the film, we have been pleased to donate 50 Turtle Tubes to training programs and volunteer fire departments in need since 2017.”

About “Silo”

“Silo” is a feature film directed by Marshall Burnette and produced by Sam Goldberg. Based in part on a real-life incident in Illinois where three teenagers were entrapped in a grain bin on a family farm, “Silo” spotlights the very real struggles found in rural farming communities, where many volunteer fire departments and firefighters live and serve. Prominent actor Jeremy Holm stars in the film as a volunteer fire chief. New Hope, Kentucky Fire Department firefighters also appear in the cast. The film is scheduled for release in theaters in the summer of 2019. 

About Turtle Plastics

Turtle Plastics, a global leader in manufacturing, is deeply committed to environmental health and safety solutions that protect workers and ensure a sustainable environment. The company’s Dura Crib™ and Dura Stat™ cribbing and blocking products are made from 100% recycled plastic and are safer, cleaner, stronger alternatives to wood for shoring cribbing, vehicle extrication, material handling and heavy vehicle maintenance and repair. The company’s Turtle Tiles™ are versatile, ergonomic modular tiles used as compartment matting in fire trucks, and as flooring in commercial and industrial applications. The company’s Turtle Tube™ grain rescue tube is a life-saving, rapidly deploying sleeve for use in grain entrapment at food processing plants, breweries, elevators, and grain transport vehicles.

LOUDLABS NEWS - RIVERSIDE - Measure Z took effect April 1, 2017, and is anticipated to help restore many critical services eliminated in June 2016, and enhance other critical unfunded needs, such as first responder staffing and vehicles, road and tree maintenance, and building repair and maintenance. By increasing the City’s sales tax rate from 7.75% to 8.75%, Measure Z is estimated to generate approximately $10 million in revenues in Fiscal Year 2016-17, and over $50 million in FY 2017-18. 

The ceremony, scheduled to start at 10 a.m. at Fire Station 1, 3401 University Ave., will introduce 17 pieces of apparatus, according to a statement on the city’s website. That equipment includes eight engines, three tiller trucks, one straight truck, one brush engine, two water tenders and two squads. 

All of that material was approved by the city council in May 2017, six months after the department declared that it desperately needed to replace vehicles that were worn out and too expensive to repair. The equipment will be paid for over five years with revenue generated by Measure Z. Riverside voters passed that one-cent transaction tax in 2016 to help pay for critical city services, including road, tree and building maintenance and more first responders,