Doug Griffin, a DJ with 94.1 FM, served as master of ceremonies.  Mayor Ken Moore, Chief Rocky Garzarek, Battalion Chief Jimmy Jennings and firefighter recruit class spokesperson Brandon Robinson joined him in recognizing the honorees. 

The evening kicked off with a traditional firefighting bagpipes and drum band, courtesy of special guest Major Maria Roberts of the Lexington (KY) Fire Department, and Battalion Chief Joe Polenzani.  The Franklin Fire Department Honor Guard posted the colors, which included Firefighter-Paramedic Brian Brandon, Firefighter-Paramedic Kirk White, Firefighter Austin Cooper and Firefighter Cory Swenson.  Lt. Ricky Cotton provided the invocation, and Capt. Michael Pardue led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Here is a complete list of the honorees:

Achievement Award

Assistant Fire Marshal Geoff Woolard was honored for graduating from the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program.  Lt. Woolard is the department’s first member to graduate from the four-year program, based in Emmitsburg, MD.

Appreciation Awards

Williamson County Ag Expo Park

The Williamson County Ag Expo Park received an appreciation award for providing the Franklin Fire Department with a temporary, emergency fire station inside their facility following the deadly I-65 tanker crash and explosion on August 15, 2014.  That incident resulted in the destruction of an overpass bridge at the Goosecreek Bypass-Peytonsville Road interchange.  The loss of the bridge meant the loss of a critical emergency response connection.  The Ag Expo Park’s accommodations allowed the Franklin Fire Department to seamlessly continue providing emergency services to the southeastern area of Franklin.  Without their hospitality, emergency response times would have been significantly delayed.  Instead, their provisions actually enabled the department to improve response times to the area.  Ag Expo Park Executive Director Kenny Wallace accepted the award on behalf of his team.

Michael Fletcher

Williamson County Schools Director of Safety and Security Michael Fletcher received a standing ovation and was honored with an appreciation award for his role in educating young people of the dangers and consequences of playing with fire as the featured speaker in the Franklin Fire Department’s 5^th grade Fire Facts program.

Stork Awards – Firefighters helped deliver babies on two occasions in 2014.  A highlight of the evening was the baby born on January 22, 2014, Brayden Marie Jameson, was there with her family to help present the award.

• January 22, 2014 – Capt. Thomas Chaffin, Engineer Richard Havrilla, Firefighter-Paramedic Kristopher Bull, Firefighter-Paramedic Brandy Demastus and Firefighter Rob Thomas.
• June 27, 2014 – Capt. David Kolak, Lt. Jerrol Coats, Lt.-Paramedic Michael Henderson, Engineer Billy Lampley, Firefighter-Paramedic Andy Hackford and Firefighter-Paramedic Quaid Ledingham.

Phoenix Awards – for saving the life a patient in cardiac arrest (four of the six Phoenix Awards occurred in November 2014, and two took place on the same day).

• March 2, 2013 – Lt. William Fitzgerald, Firefighter-Paramedic Brian Brandon, Firefighter-Paramedic Michael Henry, Firefighter Dale Lott and Firefighter Greg Tucker.
• March 26, 2014 – Battalion Chief Joe Polenzani, Lt. Charlene Forehand, Engineer Eddie Pratt, Firefighter-Paramedic Trenton Zorn and Firefighter Daniel McDow.
• November 7, 2014 – Lt.-Paramedic Max Cook, Lt. Andrew Ivey, Firefighter-Paramedic J.D. Fotopoulos, Firefighter-Paramedic Wes Bryant and Firefighter Jeremy Martin.
• November 15, 2014 – Capt. David Kolak, Lt.-Paramedic Michael Henderson, Lt. Jerrol Coats, Engineer Billy Lampley, Firefighter-Paramedic Andy Hackford and Firefighter-Paramedic Jerry Thomas.
• November 17, 2014, 1:02 p.m. – Lt. Matthew Stout, Engineer Larry Woody, Firefighter-Paramedic Daniel Donegan, Firefighter-Paramedic Matthew Eley, Firefighter Doug Bowman and Firefighter Austin Cooper.
• November 17, 2014, 3:12 p.m. – Lt. Jeff Moss, Lt. Todd Stapleton, Engineer David Edge, Firefighter-Paramedic Seth Frost, Firefighter-Paramedic Pete Jones and Firefighter Dennis Nealy.

Meritorious Service Award

On May 2, 2013, an employee of the Drive Now Franklin car dealership was seated on a bench outside the office when he was struck by a vehicle as it crashed into the building.  The patient was dragged and trapped beneath the vehicle when it stopped inside the structure.  A second patient who was inside the business was also struck.  The following firefighters were recognized for the role they played in the rescue of both patients:  Deputy Chief Todd Horton, Capt. Thomas Chaffin, Lt. Lloyd Baxter, Engineer-Paramedic Shawn Donovan, Firefighter John Balitsky, Firefighter Geoff Manfre and Firefighter Rob Thomas.

Exemplary Service Award

On October 24, 2014, Engine 2 was on the scene of a medical emergency in a private residence.  While administering care to an individual, another member of the household began choking.  These firefighters immediately recognized the emergency and successfully treated the choking patient:  Capt. Greg Wild, Engineer Richard Hasley and Firefighter-Paramedic Alex Enochs.

Personnel of the Year Awards

• Officer of the Year – Capt. David Currie (Station 6)
• Administrative Staff Member of the Year – Capt. Jonathan Jenkins (Training)
• Engineer of the Year – Engineer David Metcalf (Station 1)
• Firefighter of the Year – Firefighter-Paramedic Aaron Sherwood (Station 1 )
• Support Personnel of the Year – Mr. Frankie Nall, Senior Fleet Maintenance Technician (City of Franklin Fleet Maintenance)

Promotions – Firefighters who had been recently promoted were presented with their new badges which were pinned to their uniforms by a family member or friend.

• Deputy Chief of Administration and Emergency Management Todd Horton
• Deputy Chief of Operations Glenn Johnson
• Deputy Chief of Fire Prevention and Strategic Initiatives Andy King
• Battalion Chief of Training Jimmy Jennings
• Battalion Chief of A-Shift Joe Polenzani
• Lt.-Paramedic Michael Henderson
• Engineer-Paramedic David Dodd
• Engineer-Paramedic Shawn Donovan
• Firefighter-Paramedic Jerad Eisler
• Firefighter-Paramedic Matthew Eley
• Firefighter-Paramedic Alan Fulwood
• Firefighter Nick Riley

Recruit Firefighter Graduates – Ten individuals, including nine from the Franklin Fire Department and one from the Brentwood Fire Department, were recognized for successfully completing the Franklin Fire Department’s 10-week firefighting training program, which began April 10, 2015.  Their loved ones pinned the new firefighters with their badges.

Franklin Fire Department

• Firefighter-Paramedic Matthew A. Anderson
• Firefighter-Paramedic Daniel A. Kelly
• Firefighter-Paramedic Blake Lobel
• Firefighter-Paramedic Brian Peters
• Firefighter-Paramedic Daniel Willems
• Firefighter Don Crouch
• Firefighter Kyle McMahon
• Firefighter Brandon Robinson
• Firefighter Sharon Yates

 Brentwood Fire Department

• Firefighter Jeremy Keof

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