FRANKLIN FIRE DEPARTMENT

FIRE STATION 7

Our community is supported in so many ways by the men and women who serve as firefighters, paramedics, and police officers. First responders’ duties place them in harm’s way daily, but those who serve in these roles find it extremely rewarding and satisfying and truly have a servant’s heart. Firefighters in Franklin train for endless hours to ensure they are prepared to handle all types of emergencies that occur. We want to take this opportunity to introduce some of the firefighters and paramedics with the Franklin Fire Department (FFD) who were on duty at Fire Station 7 when we stopped by.

Battalion Chief Jonathan Jenkins and Fire Chief Glenn Johnson

PHOTOS BY KATHY FOX

Fire Station 7 is the newest and first fire station to include an Emergency Medical Service (EMS) wing, which was funded by Williamson County and staffed by Williamson Health EMS. When you are out and about and see a first responder, take a moment and thank them for their assistance and community service. They will certainly be grateful. Thank you for your service we appreciate everything you do for the community!

FIRE CHIEF GLENN JOHNSON

Let us first introduce Fire Chief Glenn Johnson, a 28-year veteran of the department, who has been the Fire Chief since October 1, 2020. As Fire Chief, all three divisions of the FFD report to him including Operations, Fire Prevention, and Administration. Before being named Fire Chief, Johnson was second in command serving as Assistant Fire Chief of the Operations Division from 2014-2020. As commander of the Operations Division, he was responsible for the daily operations of more than 150 firefighters at eight stations, overseeing fire suppression, special operations, emergency medical services, training, and more.

Johnson, a Desert Storm veteran, began his firefighting career in 1990 while serving in the U.S. Air Force. Originally from Centerville, Tennessee, he was hired by the FFD in 1994 and began working his way through the ranks, being promoted from firefighter to lieutenant, captain, Battalion Chief of Training, Deputy Chief, Assistant Fire Chief, and finally Chief.

Over the years Johnson has had an exemplifying career. He has received numerous national and state firefighting, emergency medical, and emergency management certifications. The list of honors is also very impressive and quite long. During the flood of May 2010, Johnson earned a Meritorious Service Award from the Franklin Fire Department, in 2019 a Phoenix Award for saving the life of a patient in cardiac arrest, an Exemplary Service Award for saving the life of a choking patient in 2019, and in 2018 Chief Johnson received the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security's First Responder Award, which is presented to emergency responders for outstanding and heroic actions while serving the people of Tennessee. He was named Officer of the Year in 2006, honored with the Hope Award in 2008 by the Full Life Assembly of God for being an outstanding inspirational emergency responder, and has received multiple deployment awards. Johnson also has two undergraduate degrees, a B.S. in Fire Administration from Columbia Southern University and an A.S. in Fire Science from Volunteer State Community College.

In addition to his duties in Franklin, Johnson is very involved at the state level. Since 2009 he has chaired Tennessee’s Homeland Security District 5 Training and Exercise Committee, which is comprised of emergency responders from seven Middle Tennessee counties

who deploy nationwide to critical incidents. Johnson has been deployed as a member of the Middle Tennessee Incident Management Team to various hurricane recovery efforts in Florida, Texas, the Carolinas, and Louisiana, as well as the Gatlinburg wildfires and Klondike fire in Oregon. With his expertise in these areas, he was instrumental in helping the City of Franklin achieve National Incident Management System compliance.

Johnson considers himself lucky to have the community support here in Franklin, in turn, he knows the men and women that serve at the FFD will do everything possible to make the community a safer place. Johnson and his wife Ondrea, who is the Director of Williamson County Animal Center, reside in Franklin with their five children. He also is a co-owner and founder of the Franklin Cattle Company, which is a local wholesale distributor of 100% Certified Angus beef and when he is not on duty Johnson turns into a true cowboy.

BATTALION CHIEF JONATHAN JENKINS

Battalion Chief Jonathan Jenkins has been at Station 2 since being promoted to Battalion Chief in January 2020. In this position, he oversees the A-shift battalion, comprised of 51 firefighters at eight stations. Before that, he was a Captain at Station 1.

Jenkins is also a coordinator of the Williamson County Interagency Swiftwater Rescue Team, which last year was designated a Type II Swiftwater Flood/Search and Rescue Team by the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. This means the team is available for deployment nationwide and they have been deployed around the country. It is comprised of personnel from the cities of Franklin and Brentwood and the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.

When Jenkins was in kindergarten, a firefighter came to visit his class and that is when he knew he wanted to be a firefighter. And to this day Jenkins said, “Helping people and the team atmosphere are what I like most about working for the fire department.” Jenkins shared two memorable firefighter calls where the first call was helping to deliver a baby at Station 1 in 2002 a little girl Lauren Grace Pine. Lauren and her family have stopped by the station to visit over the years, and one of her brothers is now a firefighter.

The second unforgettable call on July 28, 2004, was much more lifethreatening. Firefighters made their entry to fight a house fire in the Founder’s Pointe subdivision, but they didn’t realize the flames were beneath them in the crawl space. They were in the kitchen when the floor collapsed under Jenkins, sending him plunging and disappearing into the fiery crawl space below. Despite heavy smoke and zero visibility, two other firefighters located him and helped pull him out. Jenkins escaped serious injury but suffered seconddegree burns to his face and body. One of the other firefighters involved in the rescue also sustained burn injuries.

In his spare time, Jenkins enjoys spending time with his family, volunteering for the Centerville Volunteer Fire Department, which he has done for the past 25 years, and working on his family farm.

LIEUTENANT LLOYD “RIP” BAXTER

PHOTOS BY KATHY FOX

LIEUTENANT LLOYD “RIP” BAXTER

Lieutenant Lloyd “Rip” Baxter has 31 years of firefighting experience, including 22 with the Franklin Fire Department. He served in the U.S. Air Force and upon returning home he joined the Columbia Fire Department, where his uncle had served for 42 years, and then came to Franklin.

Baxter has been at Station 7 since just before the permanent station opened in 2021 and enjoys the comradery of the fire service. Before the new building opened, there was a temporary station on the site, established in 2014, that consisted of a doublewide trailer for living quarters and a pole barn for the apparatus.

There are many stories Baxter can share from his years of service. “The most memorable calls are the ones with positive outcomes, such as saving a person’s life,” he commented. Baxter has earned four Phoenix Awards for saving the lives of patients in cardiac arrest.

On his days off, he enjoys spending time with his family.

LIEUTENANT TODD STAPLETON

PHOTOS BY KATHY FOX

LIEUTENANT TODD STAPLETON

Lieutenant Todd Stapleton is currently at Station 3 in Cool Springs and has been at that station four separate times during his career. He opened the station as a firefighter, worked as an engineer there, and now is on his second assignment there as a Lieutenant. “Making a positive difference in the city and bringing compassion and calm to people who are experiencing possibly the worst event in their lifetime is why I serve,” Stapleton said.

Stapleton started in the fire service in 1989 after a good friend, who was a volunteer firefighter, suggested he try it. After consideration, Stapleton thought it was something he would enjoy and following a few years of volunteering, he decided that was the career path he wanted to follow. His career now spans 34 years with almost 29 years at the FFD.

When Stapleton has time off he likes to read, spend time with his friends and family, ride his motorcycle, and collect LEGO bricks.

FIREFIGHTER-PARAMEDIC QUAID LEDINGHAM

Firefighter-Paramedic Quaid Ledingham has been with the Franklin Fire Department for 10 years and has been assigned to Station 3 for the past three years. Before joining the FFD he was a paramedic and wanted to get on with a fire department. After moving to Tennessee, he was able to get a job with the Franklin Fire Department and has never looked back.

As a firefighter and paramedic, Ledingham likes helping people and enjoys the challenges the job brings. “It’s a unique job that brings something different every day,” he stated. Ledingham enjoys spending time with his family, camping, building things, and being outside on his days off.

FIREFIGHTER-PARAMEDIC QUAID LEDINGHAM

PHOTOS BY KATHY FOX

FIREFIGHTER-PARAMEDIC CODY ROBINSON

PHOTOS BY KATHY FOX

FIREFIGHTER-PARAMEDIC CODY ROBINSON

Firefighter-Paramedic Cody Robinson has been at Station 7 for eight months now but has been a firefighter for four years in total. Before moving to Franklin, he lived in Corpus Christi, Texas, working for a fire department there. Robinson decided to become a firefighter because he wanted to have a career that gave him a sense of purpose. “I wanted to feel like I was making a difference,” he said.

During his career, Robinson has been on many calls and explained, “Unfortunately, many times when we go on a call it is because someone is having a very bad day. Our job is to show up and try to make the situation a little bit better. Of course, the best feeling is when you see someone whom you made a call on and they have recovered fully.”

What Robinson likes most about being a firefighter is the comradery and teamwork. “The fire department really does become your second family,” he said. When he is not at the fire station he enjoys spending time with his fiancé, doing physical sporting activities, and traveling.

FIREFIGHTER ROB THOMAS

Firefighter Rob Thomas has served with the Franklin Fire Department for 15 years and has been at Station 1 in downtown Franklin his entire career with FFD. His path to becoming a firefighter started as a volunteer firefighter with Kingston Springs. While driving in his hometown of Kingston Springs he rolled up on a wreck where a car had caught fire with two teens still inside. Thomas didn’t hesitate and immediately helped get the teens out of the burning car. The volunteer fire department was the one that responded and when the call wrapped up, the firefighters encouraged Thomas to join the department, and he did!

One of the most impactful stories Thomas can think of was a house fire in Westhaven that happened on October 3, 2010. Thomas was one of the four firefighters injured, including another firefighter who was knocked unconscious and had to be rescued, fighting a massive house fire. The fire resulted in a backdraft smoke explosion, but luckily none of the firefighters’ injuries were serious, but it certainly could have had a much different outcome.

FIREFIGHTER ROB THOMAS

PHOTOS BY KATHY FOX

Thomas has also served on multiple hurricane and major incident deployments with Tennessee Task Force 2, an urban search and rescue (USAR) team. Additionally, he is part of Franklin’s Swiftwater team and helped outfit FFD’s Technical Rescue truck (Technical Rescue 5).

In his spare time, Thomas enjoys hunting, fishing, and spending time with his family. He is also very proud that his oldest son has followed in his footsteps and now volunteers for the Kingston Springs Fire Department.