Life threat · Water emergency · Serious trauma
Call 911 before choosing a distant hospital
Chest pain, stroke signs, severe bleeding, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, major head or spine injury, drowning, serious burns and a suspected venomous snakebite belong with 911. Give dispatch the exact address, road, nearest ramp, marina, bridge or park area. Do not spend critical minutes comparing Nashville and Cookeville from a search result.
Emergency medical services can assess the patient, begin care and choose the appropriate destination. Save the lodging address and an offline map because “somewhere near the lake” is not a usable location.
Smithville · Hospital care · Open continuously
The closest 24-hour emergency department
Ascension Saint Thomas DeKalb, 520 West Main Street in Smithville, publishes a 24/7 emergency department. Phone: 615-215-5000. Open directions ↗.
This is an emergency department, not a walk-in convenience clinic. For a life-threatening event, call 911 rather than driving past available help while trying to select a larger hospital yourself. Confirm current Ascension information ↗.
Minor cuts · Sprains · Illness · Extended hours
When urgent care is the better tool
Cookeville Regional Urgent Care, 340 North Cedar Avenue, publishes daily hours of 7 a.m.–11 p.m. and treats non-life-threatening illness and injury, including minor cuts that may need stitches, sprains, minor burns, fever and infections. Phone: 931-783-5353. Open directions ↗.
A hook near an eye or major vessel, uncontrolled bleeding, severe allergic reaction, serious fall, breathing problem or altered consciousness is not an urgent-care errand. Use 911 or an emergency department. Check CRMC’s current hours and scope ↗.
No tourniquet · No ice · No cutting or suction
Snakebite: move away, stay calm and get help
Call 911 and do not drive yourself. Move away from the snake, keep still, remove rings or watches before swelling, and cover the bite with a clean dry dressing. A photograph from a safe distance may help; trying to capture or kill the snake creates another patient.
The CDC says not to wait for symptoms, apply ice, use a tourniquet, cut the wound or try to suck out venom. Read the CDC first-aid guidance ↗.
Call first · Cookeville · Do not promise walk-in 24/7 care
The pet plan has a weekday and weekend gap
Animal Clinic of Smithville is the local daytime starting point; confirm hours at 615-597-6880. For Cookeville emergency care, Copeland Veterinary Hospital, 821 East 10th Street, tells owners to call 931-528-1111 before arriving and publishes after-hours on-call service Friday through Sunday.
That is not the same as a staffed, walk-in emergency hospital every hour of the week. Call before loading the car, describe the emergency and ask where the animal can actually be received. Check Copeland’s current emergency instructions ↗.
Carry when possible · Keep calm · Veterinary care now
If a dog is bitten by a snake
Move the dog away from the snake, keep the animal calm and carry it if practical. Do not chase the snake or apply a tourniquet. Call the receiving veterinarian while another adult drives. A snakebite is not a wait-until-morning problem.
For suspected poisoning, ASPCA Animal Poison Control operates 24/7 at 888-426-4435; a consultation fee may apply. Save the official poison-control page ↗.
Address · Conditions · Medicines · Backup
Save one card before every outing
- Lodging address and county.
- 911 plus the Smithville emergency department.
- Urgent care address and current hours.
- Primary veterinarian, Copeland’s call-first number and pet poison control.
- Medication, allergies, insurance and emergency-contact information.
- An offline map and one agreed meeting point.
Use the offline field card for the compact version. Recheck hours before each trip; emergency coverage and on-call arrangements change.