Pittman Center Volunteer Fire Department

09/02/2026

🥵 HEAT ADVISORY — STAY SAFE TODAY! 🥵

Dangerously hot conditions are expected across our area today, with heat index values reaching around 100–106° in portions of the region.

Please take the heat seriously:

💧 Stay hydrated and take frequent breaks.
☀️ Limit strenuous outdoor activity during the hottest part of the day.
👀 Check on children, elderly neighbors, and those who may be vulnerable to the heat.
🐾 Never leave children or pets in a parked vehicle, even for a short time.

If you’re working or enjoying the outdoors in our beautiful Smoky Mountains, slow down, stay cool, and know the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

09/01/2026

08/25/2026

Today, the Smoky Mountains feel a little quieter.

Our hearts here in Sevier County are heavy as we say goodbye to someone who was so much more than a world-famous singer, actress, entrepreneur, and icon….Dolly was ours.

She was a daughter of these mountains. A girl from Sevier County who grew up with very little, dreamed very big, and never forgot where she came from.

And perhaps that is what makes today hurt so much.

Because Dolly Parton didn’t just leave behind songs.

She left behind a legacy of love.

She gave children the gift of books through her Imagination Library—an idea that began right here in her hometown and grew into a worldwide gift of imagination, opportunity, and hope. More than 325 million books have now been placed into the hands of children because one little girl from these mountains believed every child deserved the chance to dream.

When Hurricane Helene devastated our region, Dolly didn’t simply watch the news from afar.
She came alongside her people.

She gave $1 million of her own money to Mountain Ways to help families affected by the disaster, and her businesses and foundation joined her with another $1 million. She used her voice to shine a light on the people and communities who needed help when they needed it most.

That was Dolly.

As a volunteer fire department serving Pittman Center and the surrounding Smoky Mountain community, we know what it means to serve the place you call home.

Dolly showed us that service doesn’t always come with a siren, a fire engine, or a uniform.

Sometimes it looks like a book arriving in a child’s mailbox.

Sometimes it looks like helping a family rebuild after a disaster.

Sometimes it looks like opening a door for someone who needs a chance.

Sometimes it looks like simply reminding people to believe in themselves.

Her impact will be felt for generations—in classrooms, libraries, homes, businesses, churches, mountain communities, and in the hearts of children who may never know just how much the woman who sent them a book cared about them.

So today, from our little corner of the mountains:

Thank you, Dolly.

Thank you for loving Sevier County.

Thank you for loving these mountains.

Thank you for never forgetting where you came from.

Thank you for showing the world that you can rise from humble beginnings without ever losing your humility.

And thank you for reminding all of us that the greatest thing we can do with what we’ve been given is give something back.

The mountains raised you.

But you spent your life giving the world a little piece of these mountains.

We will miss you, Dolly.

But your music will echo through these hills.

Your stories will continue in the hands of children.

Your kindness will continue through the people you inspired.

And your legacy will remain woven into the very fabric of the place you always called home.

08/19/2026

Tonight, Administrative Officer Travis Stuber came straight from work and headed to the firehouse to spend the evening training with a handful of our Pittman Center volunteers.

No big crowd. No special event. Just firefighters willing to give up their evening to learn, practice, and become better prepared for the next call.

Tonight’s training included hands-on time with Quint 72 and its aerial apparatus, taking advantage of the beautiful Smoky Mountain backdrop that we’re proud to call home. 🏔️🚒

This is the part of the fire service that you don’t always see—the hours after work, the evenings spent training, and the constant commitment to being ready when our community needs us.

A huge thank-you to our AO Travis for coming straight from work and giving his time and knowledge to our crew tonight, and to the volunteers who showed up ready to learn.

Volunteer fire service is more than answering calls. It’s preparing for them. ❤️‍🔥

08/19/2026

Show us the Smokes through YOUR lens. 📸
We love the area we protect and call home, and in honor of World Photography Day we’d love to see it through your eyes.
Drop a photo below of your favorite Smokies sunset, local wildlife 🐻, special restaurants, tourist area, vacation spot, you name it.
We love our area and more importantly… we love being able to protect this place we call home.

08/17/2026

⚠️⛈️ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH — SMOKY MOUNTAINS ⛈️⚠️

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for Sevier County and surrounding areas through 10:00 PM tonight.

Here in the Smokies, conditions can change quickly, especially with our mountainous terrain. If you’re visiting the National Park, camping, hiking, enjoying the river, or spending the evening outdoors, please keep an eye on the sky and have a plan to get to shelter.

🌡️ AND DON’T FORGET THE HEAT!

The heat index—what the temperature actually feels like when humidity is factored in—can make today especially uncomfortable and dangerous. High humidity can make it harder for your body to cool itself, increasing the risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

When thunderstorms move in, the combination of extreme heat + high humidity + sudden storms can make conditions change rapidly.

⛈️ WHAT TO WATCH FOR TONIGHT:
• Damaging wind gusts
• Large hail
• Frequent lightning
• Heavy rainfall
• Rapidly developing localized flooding
• Sudden changes in conditions while outdoors

08/16/2026

🔥🌡️☀️

08/12/2026

Attention Sevier County locals and visitors! ‼️

08/12/2026

⚠️ Heads up, Sevier County, in effect until 0200am Wednesday. Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms to develop. This is not a warning that severe weather is happening everywhere right now, but it IS the time to be prepared and paying attention.

With the heat and humidity across East Tennessee, storms can develop quickly and conditions can change fast.

⛈️ WHAT SHOULD YOU WATCH FOR?

💨 Damaging Winds
Strong straight-line winds can knock down trees, power lines, and branches — especially important here in the mountains where heavily wooded areas and narrow roads can quickly become hazardous.

🧊 Large Hail
Severe storms can produce hail capable of damaging vehicles, roofs, and outdoor property.

⚡ Frequent Lightning
Every thunderstorm produces lightning. If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck. Get indoors and stay away from windows.

🌧️ Heavy Rain & Flash Flooding
Storms can dump significant rainfall in a short amount of time. Our steep mountain terrain, creeks, streams, and low-lying roads can make flash flooding a serious concern. Never attempt to drive through flooded roads.

🌪️ Tornadoes
While not every severe storm produces a tornado, severe thunderstorms can sometimes produce brief tornadoes. If a Tornado Warning is issued for your location, take shelter immediately.

🏔️ WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR OUR AREA?

For those of us in Pittman Center, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and the surrounding mountain communities, storms can affect different areas very differently. One community may see only heavy rain while another nearby experiences damaging winds or hail.

And remember — a watch means BE READY. A warning means TAKE ACTION.

📱 Keep your phone nearby and make sure emergency alerts are enabled.
🌩️ Keep an eye on the sky and monitor trusted weather sources.
🏠 Know where you will shelter if a warning is issued.
🚗 If you’re traveling, be prepared for sudden heavy rain, reduced visibility, falling trees, and possible flooding.
🔦 Have flashlights and a way to receive weather information if the power goes out.

Don’t wait until the storm is overhead to make your plan.

Our firefighters and emergency responders are ready to serve our community — but the best protection is being prepared before severe weather arrives.

Stay alert. Stay informed. Stay safe. ❤️

08/09/2026

Atten: Visitors and Locals 🚨

Heavy rainfall over Sevier & Blount County have lead to runoff issues. Flash Flood Warning issued u til 7:15 p.m.