Firefighter Geoff Manfre will retire next week after 26 years with the Franklin Fire Department and a total of 31 years in the fire service. The community is invited to celebrate his career on Tuesday, July 30th, at 3:30 PM at Franklin Fire Station 4, 2039 Fieldstone Parkway.
Manfre, originally from Alameda, CA, discovered his passion for adventure and service through his involvement with the Boy Scouts of America, beginning at the age of six. After high school, he continued his involvement with the Scouts, volunteering and serving as Aquatics Director at BSA’s Camp Cedarbrook in California. He also volunteered as a firefighter with the Alameda County Fire Department, aspiring to make firefighting his career. When a friend moved to Middle Tennessee, Manfre followed and joined the Franklin Fire Department in 1998.
Throughout his career, he primarily served on A-shift at Station 4 in Fieldstone Farms and Station 5 in the Polk Place subdivision. An EMT, he was also a member of the department’s Special Operations Team for many years. Manfre has been a vital part of the FFD’s member recognition and community engagement efforts. He served on the Awards Committee, acknowledging the hard work and achievements of his colleagues. He also played a key role in expanding the FFD’s public outreach, helping to establish and coordinate several long-lasting programs. One notable initiative is the Franklin Fire Department’s Family Safety House, an interactive educational trailer that has been used to teach children fire safety and survival skills in schools since 2005. Manfre was on the design and specifications and curriculum development team. He also helped establish the Fire Explorer program, giving young people ages 14-19 hands-on training and career development opportunities in firefighting. As a merit badge counselor with 40 years of Scouting experience, he led the FFD’s Scouting program, assisting countless Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts in earning Fire Safety, First Aid, Emergency Preparedness, Safety, and Search and Rescue Merit Badges.
Manfre earned several awards, including a Meritorious Service Award in 2013 for rescuing a person trapped beneath a vehicle after it crashed into a building. In 2006, he earned a Unit Citation for Valorous Conduct Award as part of a team whose efforts led to an aggravated arson conviction. He also received two Phoenix Awards, in 2008 and 2023, for the successful resuscitation of cardiac arrest patients who fully recovered. Manfre was one of the first recipients of the JD Fotopoulos Award, created in 2016 to honor substantial volunteer service by Franklin Fire Department members. He was recognized for his decades of commitment to the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America.
Fire Chief Glenn Johnson said, “Firefighter Manfre’s care for his fellow members and young people is evident. He has made significant contributions to our member recognition program and youth development and safety. These are through both his leadership roles in our organization and his volunteer efforts. His commitment to fostering positive influences and shaping future generations has greatly benefited our community and department. We are grateful for his dedication and service and wish him all the best in his retirement.”
Manfre resides in Franklin with his wife, Jennie, and their three children.
Please join our FREE Newsletter
