Putnam County Emergency Management Agency

Putnam County Emergency Management Agency Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Putnam County Emergency Management Agency, 700 County Services Drive, Cookeville, TN.
(298)

The Putnam County Emergency Management Agency's mission is to mitigate the potential effects of the various hazards that might impact the county, to prepare for the implementation of measures which will preserve life and minimize damage

Continuing our team introductions for National Emergency Management Awareness Month.Meet Davis Roberts...Davis Roberts s...
08/31/2026

Continuing our team introductions for National Emergency Management Awareness Month.

Meet Davis Roberts...

Davis Roberts serves as our Geographic Information Systems Administrator. Davis has worked in this shared position with Putnam County 911 since 2025. Prior to that, he served as an intern with us in 2024. Davis, who also possesses the loudest keyboard known to man, takes care of all things mapping for us. His skillset has allowed us to make vast advancements in the technological ways we prepare for and respond to hazards and incidents within Putnam County. Davis came to Putnam County from Springfield, Tennessee. He attended and graduated from Tennessee Tech University. He is currently studying Meteorology at Mississippi State University and completed an internship with the National Weather Service after interning with us in 2024. This allows Davis to bring additional value to our team in the form of meteorological expertise. Davis has a passion for the work he does. That becomes extremely apparent from the very first moment you have a conversation with him. That passion shines brightly in the quality of work he consistently performs. He has been nothing shy of a great addition and fit for our team. Davis embraces the team mindset we have. “I love our team and comradery we share. Putnam County citizens can rest assured that their EMA team are not just coworkers, but friends, allowing us to support one another during high-stress events and work together to be the most effective team we can. When we work as a well-oiled machine, we provide the level of service our community deserves,” said Davis. Outside of work Davis loves doing anything in the outdoors. Particularly, with his wife and friends. You can find him hiking, kayaking, playing pickleball, or cooking up something delicious on one of the 6 or 7 outdoor cooking instruments he owns. Davis has a uniquely honed skillset. He has proven to be an excellent member of our team. We are blessed to have him as a part of our team serving Putnam County.

Exciting start to Tech Football!We were proud to play our part as Tech ushers in A New Era of Tech Football. Emergency s...
08/30/2026

Exciting start to Tech Football!

We were proud to play our part as Tech ushers in A New Era of Tech Football. Emergency services have planned for months to be ready for the Golden Eagle home opener with the new West Stadium.

Congratulations to the Golden Eagles on a great first win in the SOCON, and to all student organizations for a great first home event!

The collaboration and dedication of the following agencies created an environment for a safe and exciting experience this weekend for fans and the Tennessee Tech community.

Thanks to:
Tennessee Tech University Police Department
Cookeville Police Department
Tennessee Highway Patrol
Tennessee Department of Safety - Homeland Security
Putnam County EMS (TN)
Putnam County Rescue Squad
Cookeville Fire Department
Tennessee Department of Health

Today, we continue introducing you to our team during National Emergency Management Awareness Month.Meet Filip Bynum!Fil...
08/28/2026

Today, we continue introducing you to our team during National Emergency Management Awareness Month.

Meet Filip Bynum!

Filip Bynum is our Planning and Operations Chief. He has served in that role since 2023. Filip was born and raised in Putnam County. He did however, began his public safety career as a part of the Fernandina Beach Ocean Rescue team in 2018. In 2019 he came back home to begin volunteering for the Putnam County Fire Department. During this time he also worked for Tennessee State Parks and Cookeville Regional Medical Center. He is a licensed Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, and holds certifications in nearly every Fire/Rescue operations discipline you can think of. “My time under Chief (Tom) Brown at Putnam County Fire helped me grow a great deal professionally. However, after responding to the 2020 tornado I realized I wanted to find a role that allowed me to make a larger daily impact in our community. That is when God not only opened the door for this position at EMA, but pushed me through it.” said Filip. Filip, or Chippy, as many call him, is often the glue that holds our team together. Have a problem? Call Filip. Need a resource? Call Filip. Planning a public event? Most definitely call Filip. If you have attended any large public event in our towns or county you have undoubtedly benefited from Filip’s ability to assist event directors in keeping their events as safe as possible. Filip’s ability to plan and problem solve is topped only by his kindness and community-oriented mindset. He said “In my current role I get to work with so many great people. We see things behind the scenes that are incredible acts of kindness. Sometimes my job feels like I have a front row seat to watching angels work”. Outside of work Filip enjoys anything to do with the outdoors. He also enjoys training with the Putnam County Rescue Squad to continue honing his special operations craft. The knowledge, dedication to service, and kindness that Filip brings to our team is truly a blessing.

A test of the outdoor warning sirens will be conducted today at 10:00 a.m.
08/28/2026

A test of the outdoor warning sirens will be conducted today at 10:00 a.m.

Continuing on with National Emergency Management Awareness Month.Meet Brandon SmithBrandon Smith serves as the Director ...
08/26/2026

Continuing on with National Emergency Management Awareness Month.

Meet Brandon Smith

Brandon Smith serves as the Director of Putnam County Emergency Management Agency. Brandon is a lifelong resident of Putnam County. He grew up here in Cookeville watching ambulances come and go from Cookeville Regional Medical Center while inside his family’s business. Brandon has filled many roles inside Putnam County and abroad. Some of these include Rescue Squad Volunteer, 911 dispatcher, Paramedic, Flight Paramedic, Public Education Officer, and Assistant 911 Director. In 2020, Brandon was given an opportunity to join the team at Putnam County EMA. As Director, Brandon places a high priority on team mindset and servant leadership. He sets the example and standard daily for how our team operates. Brandon has a passion for helping and educating others. Specifically, those in Putnam County. This shines brightly in his day-to-day work. “I love that we get the opportunity to not only serve our community, but also the agencies and responders who serve our community. In EMA we are the support branch of the emergency services, and I love the relationships we have with the agencies we work closely with. This is the greatest community in the World. The people here truly care about each other more than themselves when it matters most,” said Brandon. Outside of work Brandon loves music. He plays multiple instruments and spends a large amount of his free time supporting band programs across Putnam County. If you catch him on the right day he might also do some woodworking or draw you a picture. Brandon’s commitment to leading our team and keeping Putnam County safe is unmatched. We are blessed to have him as a part of our team.

As we continue through National Emergency Management Awareness Month, we continue to introduce you to the members of our...
08/24/2026

As we continue through National Emergency Management Awareness Month, we continue to introduce you to the members of our team.

Next up… Tyler Smith

Tyler Smith currently serves as the Deputy Director for Putnam County EMA. Tyler has served our agency and Putnam County for approximately 40 years. He led the agency as Director from 1996 until 2023. Tyler is a lifelong resident of Putnam County. For Tyler emergency management has always been a way of life. Tyler succeeded his father Sam as Director of our agency after his death in 1995. Tyler’s career has been marked with a number of great accomplishments. He completed his CEMP (Certified Emergency Management Professional) in September of 2009. This is a certification granted by the Emergency Management Association of Tennessee (EMAT) to those who have displayed an outstanding set of skills in a wide variety of emergency management skills. He has served on the Governor’s Homeland Security Council, was President of EMAT from 2002 – 2003, Chairman of the EMAT CEM (Certified Emergency Manager) Committee from 2008 – 2010, served on the EMAT Executive Board from 2001 – 2010, and was a Charter Member of and served on the State Homeland Security Council from its inception in 2002 until 2010. He is a member of the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), the Hazard Mitigation Planning Team, a Charter member of the Upper Cumberland Emergency Preparedness Advisory Committee, served on the Upper Cumberland Healthcare Coalition, and served the Putnam County Rescue Squad for many years. The list of Tyler’s accomplishments are a great example of the quiet confidence, expertise, and desire to help people. “I simply love to help others in their time of crisis” said Smith. Tyler’s favorite part of his job is weather monitoring. If inclement weather is affecting us in any way, you can guarantee that Tyler has been monitoring and planning for it well in advance. Outside of work Tyler loves to spend time with his family while fishing, kayaking, and camping. Tyler has dedicated his life to emergency management. He has spent the last 30 years particularly building on the legacy left by is late father. We are blessed to have him on our team.

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTEDSevere Thunderstorm WarningNational Weather Service Nashville TN650 PM CDT Sat A...
08/22/2026

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Nashville TN
650 PM CDT Sat Aug 22 2026

The National Weather Service in Nashville has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
Southeastern Overton County in Middle Tennessee...
Cumberland County in Middle Tennessee...
Eastern Putnam County in Middle Tennessee...
Southwestern Fentress County in Middle Tennessee...

* Until 745 PM CDT.

* At 650 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Monterey, or
13 miles east of Cookeville, moving southeast at 40 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage
to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...
Cookeville, Crossville, Fairfield Glade, Algood, Monterey, Crab
Orchard, Pleasant Hill, Grimsley, Cumberland Mountain State Park,
Slate Springs, Lake Tansi, Indian Rock Lake, Clarkrange, and

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTEDSevere Thunderstorm WarningNational Weather Service Nashville TN622 PM CDT Sat A...
08/22/2026

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Nashville TN
622 PM CDT Sat Aug 22 2026

The National Weather Service in Nashville has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
Overton County in Middle Tennessee...
Southeastern Jackson County in Middle Tennessee...
Eastern Putnam County in Middle Tennessee...
Southwestern Fentress County in Middle Tennessee...

* Until 700 PM CDT.

* At 621 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 8 miles southwest
of Livingston, moving southeast at 40 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage
to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...
Cookeville, Livingston, Algood, Monterey, Clarkrange, Crawford, and
Rickman.

600 PM CDT Sat Aug 22 2026..A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN OVERTON...JACKSON...SOUTHWESTERN CLAY AND CEN...
08/22/2026

600 PM CDT Sat Aug 22 2026
..A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN OVERTON...
JACKSON...SOUTHWESTERN CLAY AND CENTRAL PUTNAM COUNTIES THROUGH 645
PM CDT...

At 600 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Gainesboro, moving southeast at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and half inch hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.

Locations impacted include...
Cookeville, Gainesboro, Algood, Monterey, Whitleyville, Rickman, and
Cummins Falls State Park.

This includes Interstate 40 between mile markers 285 and 304.

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTEDSevere Thunderstorm WarningNational Weather Service Nashville TN532 PM CDT Sat A...
08/22/2026

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Nashville TN
532 PM CDT Sat Aug 22 2026

The National Weather Service in Nashville has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
Overton County in Middle Tennessee...
Western Pickett County in Middle Tennessee...
East central Putnam County in Middle Tennessee...
Fentress County in Middle Tennessee...

* Until 630 PM CDT.

* At 531 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Byrdstown,
moving southeast at 40 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage
to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...
Livingston, Jamestown, Byrdstown, Allardt, Grimsley, Clarkrange,
Crawford, Pall Mall, and Standing Stone State Park.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.

Address

700 County Services Drive
Cookeville, TN
38501

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 4pm
Tuesday 7am - 4pm
Wednesday 7am - 4pm
Thursday 7am - 4pm
Friday 7am - 4pm

Telephone

+19315287575

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Putnam County Emergency Management Agency posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share