Rhea County Emergency Management

08/28/2026

🏈 RHEA COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL VARSITY FOOTBALL — GAME DAY TRAFFIC PLAN

This week, the Rhea County Sheriff’s Department will be trying out a new traffic control plan to help accommodate the increased traffic flow expected in the area on Rhea County High School varsity football game days.

This traffic plan will be used for all RCHS varsity football events and is designed to help maintain a safe and efficient flow of vehicle and pedestrian traffic before and after each game.

🚗 GETTING TO THE GAME

Traffic in the area is expected to be heavy on all game days. Visitors are encouraged to plan accordingly and allow additional time when traveling to Rhea County High School.

🚧 GAME DAY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS

The game day traffic plan will be implemented approximately 1½ hours prior to the start of each game. Normal traffic operations will resume until the end of the 3rd Quarter, at which time the post-game traffic plan will be activated.

Before the game:

Eagle Lane will remain normal two-way traffic prior to the start of the game.
Rhea County Sheriff’s Department deputies will begin traffic control at the intersection of U.S. Highway 27 and Eagle Lane approximately 1½ hours before kickoff.
Deputies will staff intersections in the immediate area before and after the event to assist with the safe movement of vehicles and pedestrians.
Traffic control operations will continue until approximately one hour after the game concludes, or until parking areas have emptied.

🏁 POST-GAME TRAFFIC

Following the conclusion of the game:

Traffic exiting the parking lots on Eagle Lane will be routed toward U.S. Highway 27 using two exit lanes.
At the railroad bridge, traffic will merge into the middle lane for northbound traffic and the right lane for southbound traffic.
Vehicles exiting the high school parking lot may also travel south on Back Valley Road.
The incoming lane will remain open for parents and others who need to access the high school for post-game pickup.

🚶 PEDESTRIAN PICKUP

Pedestrians walking or waiting for a ride MUST be picked up at the front entrance of Rhea County High School following the game.

Please do not attempt to pick up passengers along Eagle Lane or in other areas of the traffic flow.

🅿️ PARKING

There is absolutely NO PARKING along the shoulder of Eagle Lane.

Designated parking areas are available at:

Rhea Middle School
Rhea County High School

Anyone traveling to the area is reminded to obey all posted NO PARKING restrictions. Vehicles parked in restricted areas may be towed at the owner’s expense.

We appreciate everyone’s patience and cooperation as we try this traffic plan out this week. Our goal is to improve traffic flow while keeping students, athletes, families, spectators, pedestrians, and motorists safe.

📢 Traffic updates and any changes to the traffic plan will be posted on the Rhea County Sheriff’s Department page.

Please plan ahead, allow extra travel time, follow the directions of law enforcement officers, and drive safely!

08/08/2026

Traffic Alert:

Update (7:20 P.M.): Emergency Services have left the scene and the road has re-opened. Please use caution in the area as the cable company may still be working in the roadway.

Ogden Rd. (State Route 443) in the intersection of Lloyd Rd will be closed for an extended period of time while Dayton Electric repairs down power lines and poles in the area. This post will be updated when the roadway has been completely reopened.

08/03/2026

07/25/2026

Yesterday afternoon, Rhea County Emergency Management, Rhea County Fire and Rescue, the Rhea County Sheriff’s Department, and Rhea Ambulance Service responded to an emergency on Watts Bar Highway following reports of a person trapped beneath a mini-excavator.

Upon arrival, first responders located an individual pinned beneath the roll cage of an overturned mini-excavator. Due to the recent heavy rainfall and challenging terrain at the incident location, crews faced significant obstacles in stabilizing the equipment and safely lifting it from the victim. Through the coordinated efforts of all responding agencies, an extensive extrication operation was successfully completed.

Once freed, the patient was transported by Rhea Ambulance Service and transferred to UT LifeStar for flight to a regional trauma center for medical treatment.

Rhea County Emergency Management extends its sincere appreciation to the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Spring City Police Department for providing traffic control and ensuring the safety of responders and motorists throughout the incident. We also thank Bo’s Wrecker Service for their prompt assistance and specialized equipment, which played a vital role in the successful extrication.

This incident highlights the importance of interagency cooperation. The dedication of our local public safety partners in responding to complex emergencies, like this one, ensure positive results for our community.

07/18/2026

Happy Saturday all,

If you've noticed more posts about truck rebuilds, new equipment, and increased staffing- that's intentional.

Under the guidance of Emergency Management Agency Director and Fire Chief Brad Harrison, Rhea County is raising the bar on emergency response. We're rebuilding our fleet, adding critical equipment, expanding our team of paid firefighters and emergency management professionals to meet the rising needs of our county.

These improvements directly impact response times, operational readiness, and the safety of both our citizens and our responders. This is progress you can see - and we're proud to share it with you.

06/25/2026

06/11/2026

Rhea County Emergency Management Agency and Rhea County Fire Department are proud to share our newest 2 trucks. One of which was donated and the other one cost a fifth of the normal price for the same type of truck. These have been converted into mobile command/drone unit and wildland fire unit that have recently been placed into service to better support our community.

These additions strengthen our ability to respond safely, efficiently, and effectively during emergencies of all kinds.

We want to extend our sincere appreciation to EMA Director and Fire Chief Brad Harrison and for his leadership and dedication throughout this process. Their commitment to improving public safety continues to move our county forward.

As always, our mission remains the same: to serve the residents of Rhea County with professionalism, preparedness, and pride.

05/09/2026

05/05/2026

Our main goal is to keep the families of Rhea County safe. No new road closures today, but heavy foot traffic is expected in the area of Downtown Dayton near the walking track.

Also, remember that today is Election Day and areas around the polls and Election Commission may be busier than usual. Please plan ahead and remain alert.

The carnival is open from 6:00 P.M. until 11:00 P.M. tonight.

Tennessee Strawberry Festival Dayton, TN Chamber of Commerce Rhea County Emergency Management