FAQ
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FAQ
New to Jasper Highlands? Check here for answers relating to fire safety, health, and awareness in our community.
Have a question not on the list? Email jhvfdauxiliary@gmail.com and we’ll get right on it!
Administrative
Life Force is Erlanger’s Air Medical Program. It began in 1988 in Chattanooga, and now includes six bases that serve southeast Tennessee, northern Georgia, western North Carolina, and northeast Alabama. More information can be found on their website, Lifeforceairmed.com.
AirMedCare is the membership program affiliated with Life Force which covers out-of-pocket expenses not covered by insurance should you need air transport. See AirMedCareNetwork.com for their current membership options and prices.
What is the ISO insurance rating?
A company called ISO (Insurance Services Office) creates ratings for fire departments and their surrounding communities. An ISO fire rating, also referred to as a fire score or Public Protection Classification (PPC), is a score from 1 to 10 that indicates how well-protected your community is by the fire department.
This information is mainly for new homeowners but may be for those that have been here a while. Did You know that our JHVFD has an ISO rating of 4? An ISO rating is used by insurance companies when they are determining your premium. A score of 1 is the highest a fire department can get so 4 is very good. Ask your insurance company to look at JHVFD’s ISO. Make sure they look at Jasper Highlands Fire Department as there are several volunteer Fire Departments in the area.
Each home and property owner pays an annual fee for operating costs for JHVFD, which includes the trucks, uniforms, fuel, insurance, training and other necessities.
The REAL ID Act of 2005 establishes minimum security standards for license issuance and production and prohibits Federal agencies from accepting for certain purposes driver licenses and identification cards from states not meeting the Act’s minimum standards.
Come fall 2020, every U.S. air traveler will be required to present a Real ID-compliant license, or another acceptable form of identification such as a U.S. passport, to board a domestic flight. The change, the last phase of implementation of the federal law, goes into effect Oct. 1, 2020.
The Jasper Driver Service Center issues TN driver’s licenses, including the TN Real ID. It is located at 4950 Main St, Jasper, TN 37347.
If you already have a TN driver’s license, you can just apply for a duplicate to change your license to a Real ID. The office has two iPads located straight through the front door on the back wall for this purpose. Check in using the iPads, pay the $8.00 fee, then they will call your name. At that time you will need to show them your proof of identity and residency. They will take your picture again, issue you a temporary, then send you the Real ID in the mail.
Proof of identity includes forms such as a certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate, U.S. passport, employment authorization document, permanent resident card, or foreign passport with an approved form I-94. Proof of your Social Security Number, such as an SSN card, W-2, or paystub with full SSN.
In addition, Real ID requires 2 documents showing proof of residency. Examples include your current driver’s license, vehicle registration, bank statement, or electric bill. Click here for a complete list.
As Jasper Highlands residents, we vote for federal, state and county positions, but not city (we are not within Jasper city limits).
You can request voter registration information when you get your Tennessee driver’s license, request it online (click here), or go to the Marion County Election Commission in Jasper. It is located at 109 Academy Street.
For early voting, we vote at the Marion County Election Commission, in Jasper. It is located at 109 Academy Street.
During the primary, you must ask for a Republican or Democrat ballot. Election Day for the primary for Tennessee is Super Tuesday.
On Election Day, our precinct (#10) votes at the Richard K. Lawson Building, 300 Ridley Drive, in Jasper.
Directions from Jasper Highlands: Drive to Jasper, turn left onto Betsy Pack Drive, right on Warrior Drive, and follow the signs.
Donations and fundraising monies go toward purchasing additional needed items for the Fire Department, and supporting other activities conducted by the Auxiliary. Click here for JHVFD’s current needs list.
Defensible Space
Defensible space is the area between your home and an oncoming wildfire where the vegetation has been modified to reduce the wildfire threat. This space ensures that your home can survive on its own without extensive effort from either you or the fire department. Defensible space also provides room for firefighters to “make a stand” in protecting your home.
Defensible space is divided into zones. Zone 1 is the area within 30 feet of your home, detached garage, or other structure. Zone 2 extends 70 feet, and Zone 3 continues to your property line.
In Zone 1, dead leaves, branches and other flammable debris should be removed regularly. It is recommended planting native plants to Tennessee whenever possible. Also, consider plant flammability when selecting plants for landscaping. All plants and organic mulches burn under dry conditions, but some plants are more flammable than others.
According to BurnSafeTN.org, more-flammable plants should not be planted in Zone 1, and less-flammable plants should be spaced no closer than 6 feet apart.
Yes! The following plants are MORE flammable, and should not be planted in Zone 1:
- Arborvitae
- Bald Cypress
- Eastern Red Cedar
- Hemlock
- Hollies
- Leyland Cypress
- Pines
- Azaleas
- Boxwood
- Mountain Laurel
- Rhododendron
The following plants are LESS flammable:
- Crape Myrtle
- Flowering Dogwood
- Fringe Tree
- Ginkgo
- Hickory
- Magnolia
- Maples
- Oaks
For a complete list of plant flammability, click here.
General Fire Safety
Open burning includes brush, leaves, etc., and does not include fire pits. As a property owner or homeowner in Jasper Highlands, if you plan on conducting an open burn, please be aware of the following procedure and tips regarding open burns:
First, obtain an Outdoor Burn Permit from the State of Tennessee Department of Forestry online or by calling 423-942-3665 for Marion County. Burn permits cover brush piles 8 feet by 8 feet or smaller in size and are issued when conditions allow.
Second, please contact Rich Hahn, JHVFD Assistant Fire Chief at 908-208-2711. Rich will send out a text message to all firefighters on the mountain notifying them of your burn. That way they are all aware of the burn and its location, making them even more ready in the event of an escalation. Don’t be shy, just give him a call. We’re all in this together.
Follow these tips when it is safe to open burn:
- No unattended fires. If you cannot stay with the fire from start to finish, DO NOT BURN. Make certain the fire is properly extinguished.
- On the mountain, the wind is unpredictable and can change in a moment’s notice, so be prepared. DO NOT BURN on windy days.
- Clear an area at least five feet around the fire to bare soil.
- Keep a shovel and stretch a hose charged with water at the burn area.
- If using a metal burn barrel, cover with a 1/2″ mesh screen.
- Let your neighbors know you plan to burn.
- If the fire seems out of control, err on the side of caution and call 911 immediately.
On warm summer nights, it is always fun to hang out with family or friends around a fire pit. Whether you already have a fire pit, or plan to buy or install one, we have gathered some tips to help you stay safe and keep that fire…in the pit.
Step 1: Choose a safe location.
The fire pit should be at least ten feet from any structure. Leave room to walk around it, and clear the area of plants, trees, or shrubs. The area should be level, especially if using a portable pit. Surround your pit with non-combustible materials, such as crushed stone, brick, or sand.
Step 2: Prepare for the worst.
On our mountain, the wind is unpredictable and can change in a moment’s notice, so be prepared. If it is too windy, DO NOT BURN.
Before striking that match, always have the proper dousing items close by. Have a hose stretched to the pit area with the water turned on and the nozzle set to “spray.” A direct stream of water could spread the fire, not douse it. Also, have a fire extinguisher and bucket of sand on hand.
Step 3: Start the fire safely.
Place a layer of tinder in the center, then a layer of kindling over the tinder. Keep the sticks no more than three-quarters of the bowl’s diameter.
Use a match or multi-purpose lighter to ignite the tinder. Never use lighter fluid, gasoline or any other flammable liquid. Let the tinder and kindling burn well before adding your firewood. Choose hard, dry, seasoned firewood like oak or hickory. Soft woods, such as pine and cedar, produce more sparks and burn less efficiently.
Many fire pits come with a mesh cover that sits atop the fire bowl. These screens are highly recommended because they minimize stray sparks that might escape the fire pit. If you built your own fire pit and need a custom-made screen, see the advertisement below.
Step 4: Douse the fire.
The best way to extinguish the fire is to spread the ashes over a larger surface area and let them cool down. Then gently pour water over the ashes. Stir the ashes with a poker and pour more water. Don’t discard ashes in a trashcan until the next day. Instead, collect them in a metal bucket designated for ashes only and leave outside overnight.
HELP...In Case of Emergency
According to the American Heart Association, stroke is responsible for 5 percent of Tennessee deaths each year. Being prepared and acting quickly could save a stroke victim’s life.
How do you recognize the signs of stroke? Remember the F.A.S.T. acronym:
Beyond F.A.S.T. — Other Symptoms you should know — Sudden numbness or weakness of the leg, sudden confusion or trouble understanding, sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or loss of coordination and/or sudden severe headache with no known cause. Also, if the tongue is crooked, if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke.
By calling 911, you initiate the County Emergency Response System that will get you the fastest most effective emergency personnel for your situation.
Our fire department is a state-approved first response service. This means that we are dispatched simultaneously with the ambulance and provide initial aid until the arrival of Puckett EMS. This response can be extremely important as it decreases the time to care. Although our rescue vehicle looks like an ambulance, we are not licensed for transport services. If you are interested in participating in our medical response, please feel free to reach out to one of our leadership team. Our EMS Lieutenant is Richard Hahn.
Almost everyone will need to use a first aid kit at some time. The best place to keep a first aid kit is in the kitchen. Ready-made kits are commercially available, but you can also simply and inexpensively put together a kit yourself.
A basic first-aid kit should include:
- Adhesive tape
- Anesthetic spray (Bactine) or Calamine lotion (for insect bites)
- Gauze pads (for covering wounds)
- Ace bandages (for wrapping sprained joints, gauze pads, or splints)
- Adhesive bandages (all sizes)
- Benadryl (oral antihistamine for allergic reactions)
- Disposable gloves (for infection protection)
- Polysporin antibiotic cream (to apply to simple wounds)
- Pocket mask (for CPR)
- Tweezers (for splinter/stinger/tick removal)
- Ziploc bag (to store contaminates or to use as an ice pack)
- Triangle bandage (to use as a sling, towel, or tourniquet)
- Safety pins (for securing triangle bandage)
- Scissors
In addition, it should include a printout of family members’ basic medical information. Click here for a medical history form.
Parkridge West Medical Center Emergency Room is open 24/7. It is located 5.4 miles from Jasper Highlands Blvd. Take I-24 East to Chasey Simpson Rd in Jasper (Exit 155). Turn right and you will see the entrance to the hospital on your left.
Toto, we're not in the city anymore.
Across the state, the four venomous snakes are the timber rattlesnake, the copperhead, the cottonmouth, and the pygmy rattlesnake. Two subspecies of copperheads (northern and southern) can be found in Tennessee. They account for many snake bites in Tennessee, but are the least venomous of the four.
Dial 911, and try to keep still and calm. Then, as recommended by the CDC, apply first aid:
- Wash the wound with warm, soapy water immediately.
- Cover the bite with a clean, dry dressing.
- Keep the bite below the level of the heart.
For more information, see How to Prevent or Respond to a Snake Bite.
According to Bearwise.org, never run. Quietly back away and leave the area.
If the bear is on your property, remove what attracted the bear in the first place (bird seed, garbage, pet food).