Page 8 - TN Public WorksJan-Feb 2014 Vol. 31 No. 6
P. 8
Knoxville Employees Prevent Tragedy
The Knoxville area is frequently cited from a parked pickup
in national surveys as a quality place in truck. Closer inspection
which to live. The University of Tennes- showed the truck bumper
see calls Knoxville home, making an array on fire, and even worse,
of educational and cultural opportuni- it was parked within two
ties available to area residents. Afford- feet of the house.
able housing, health care costs below the Joe jumped out of his
national average, a low crime rate, and a truck and grabbed the fire
pleasant climate with lakes and mountains extinguisher while Fred
nearby are factors which make Knoxville ran to the front door of
an attractive place to settle. the house. Joe could see
However most people, in choosing a that the two-foot flame
place to live, never think about the qual- had caused the front
ity of the public works services that city bumper of the truck to
employees provide to citizens on a daily warp and drip melted
basis. The employees of the Knoxville plastic, but the fire was Joe Toole and fred Wagoner were looking for leaf piles when they saw a
Public Service Department go above and quickly extinguished. blaze coming from a parked pickup truck.
beyond required service. Fred’s persistent knock-
Tuesday, November 19, began as usual ing woke the resident, John Sharp, who Joe and Fred said they were glad they
for Joe Toole and Fred Wagoner. Joe was was astonished at the sight of the damage came along when it was most needed.
driving a leaf collection truck for the city and very grateful for their quick thinking Public Service employees become familiar
of Knoxville’s Public Service Department which prevented a possible tragedy. Upon with a neighborhood’s appearance since
on Laurinda Rd off Buffat Mill Rd, and closer examination, Mr. Sharp saw that they patrol the streets daily and can
Fred was in the passenger seat looking for the electrical connection used to plug and quickly see when something is amiss. This
leaf piles. Suddenly, Fred told Joe to stop, warm his diesel truck’s motor block on incident had a happy outcome due to a
because he thought he saw a blaze coming cold mornings had shorted out. couple of observant city employees.
8 TPW January/February 2014
The Knoxville area is frequently cited from a parked pickup
in national surveys as a quality place in truck. Closer inspection
which to live. The University of Tennes- showed the truck bumper
see calls Knoxville home, making an array on fire, and even worse,
of educational and cultural opportuni- it was parked within two
ties available to area residents. Afford- feet of the house.
able housing, health care costs below the Joe jumped out of his
national average, a low crime rate, and a truck and grabbed the fire
pleasant climate with lakes and mountains extinguisher while Fred
nearby are factors which make Knoxville ran to the front door of
an attractive place to settle. the house. Joe could see
However most people, in choosing a that the two-foot flame
place to live, never think about the qual- had caused the front
ity of the public works services that city bumper of the truck to
employees provide to citizens on a daily warp and drip melted
basis. The employees of the Knoxville plastic, but the fire was Joe Toole and fred Wagoner were looking for leaf piles when they saw a
Public Service Department go above and quickly extinguished. blaze coming from a parked pickup truck.
beyond required service. Fred’s persistent knock-
Tuesday, November 19, began as usual ing woke the resident, John Sharp, who Joe and Fred said they were glad they
for Joe Toole and Fred Wagoner. Joe was was astonished at the sight of the damage came along when it was most needed.
driving a leaf collection truck for the city and very grateful for their quick thinking Public Service employees become familiar
of Knoxville’s Public Service Department which prevented a possible tragedy. Upon with a neighborhood’s appearance since
on Laurinda Rd off Buffat Mill Rd, and closer examination, Mr. Sharp saw that they patrol the streets daily and can
Fred was in the passenger seat looking for the electrical connection used to plug and quickly see when something is amiss. This
leaf piles. Suddenly, Fred told Joe to stop, warm his diesel truck’s motor block on incident had a happy outcome due to a
because he thought he saw a blaze coming cold mornings had shorted out. couple of observant city employees.
8 TPW January/February 2014
