Several Grassy Cove residents, including Wendell Wilson, 6th District county commissioner, voiced concerns at a recent emergency services committee meeting about the lack of cellular phone service in the cove.
“This is a potentially dangerous situation because people are relying on their cellphones for emergency communication. When US Cellular owned the tower in Grassy Cove we had service. It was adequate service. It wasn’t the best, but it was adequate. Now, apparently after T-Mobile purchased US Cellular the tower was decommissioned. The only cell service we have is [when] you’re on WiFi at your house. Now, if the power goes out, you’re without it and we have nothing. We need help,” Wilson said.
Wilson talked to Cumberland County Mayor Allen Foster about the situation and Foster’s office sent a letter requesting representatives from T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T to attend the meeting.
However, T-Mobile was the only business that sent a representative.
Foster, who attended the meeting, asked which county emergency service responders were having issues.
Foster has since filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission over the matter. Wilson said several Grassy Cove residents have filed complaints also.
Trevor Kerley, Cumberland County fire chief, said, “We lose our AVL [automatic vehicle location] system in the cove.”
He added portable radio communication was spotty.
Chris Miller, Cumberland County EMS director, said the same.
The representative from T-Mobile said they were working on the tower to restore communications through the 800 megahertz bandwidth but they didn’t expect it to be complete until November.
One resident, Pat Kemmer, said their family was using walkie talkies to communicate with each other when one of them is out on the farm working.
“I’m afraid if there’s an accident or emergency that we’re not going to be able to get a hold of 911 because there’s no service,” she said.
Wilson said you would just about have to drive up out of the cove in order to get cell service.
“Sometimes you can get one bar of service if you drive in front of the community center but it doesn’t always work … Folks, something’s got to be done about this,” Wilson said.
Terry “TJ” Williams, operations director of the Cumberland County E-911 Emergency Communications District, suggested the use of temporary communication towers until the permanent solution is made.
Williams also reminded those at the meeting that E-911 communications center has text to 911 capability and sending a text message to 911 could possibly help in an emergency.
Cumberland County Attorney Philip Burnett suggested the county pass a resolution urging the company to rush completion of the project and to send a copy to all of the state officials including the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency.
Foster said he would include it on the agenda for the Cumberland County Commission’s July meeting.
The resolution is on the agenda for the county commission to consider at its July 20 meeting. The meeting is at 6 p.m. in the large meeting room on the third floor of the Cumberland County Courthouse.