After 35 years in the fire service, including 28 with the Franklin Fire Department, Lieutenant David Metcalf will retire at the end of this week. Family, friends, and colleagues are invited to attend his retirement celebration on Friday, December 19, at 3 PM at Franklin Fire Station 8, located at 200 Front Street in Westhaven, where he has served as the A-Shift officer since late 2018.
Lt. Metcalf’s path to public service began early. A self-described “military brat,” he grew up in several states before his family settled in Pollock Pines, California. After graduating from high school, he followed in his father’s footsteps and enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving as a C-5 loadmaster at Travis Air Force Base. After his military service, he entered the fire service as a volunteer in 1990 with Bullion Fire, later becoming a paid/call firefighter with the Nevada County Consolidated Fire Protection District while also working in construction.
When his family relocated to Middle Tennessee, Lt. Metcalf followed in 1995, joining the Franklin Fire Department in 1997. Over the course of nearly three decades, he served at Stations 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8, spending 27 of his 28 years on A-Shift. He was promoted to engineer in 2006 and to lieutenant in 2015.
Lt. Metcalf is an Advanced EMT and has extensive experience across the department’s technical rescue disciplines, including swiftwater rescue. He oversees the management and maintenance of the Franklin Fire Department’s swiftwater equipment, including boats, personal protective equipment (PPE), and related resources. As part of this work, Lt. Metcalf was instrumental in outfitting FFD’s new sustainment trailer, required for deployments with Tennessee Task Force 2. Teams must be able to remain fully self-sufficient for 72 hours during deployments. The trailer houses everything from tents, sleeping bags, and cots to MREs, medical supplies, and basic necessities. “We’ve done things over the past few years to streamline what we need,” Lt. Metcalf said, noting that the trailer now supports rapid response readiness.
Throughout his career, Lt. Metcalf has received numerous awards, including:
• Engineer of the Year (2014) while assigned to Tower 1 at Station 1
• Officer of the Year (2018) while at Station 1
• Phoenix Award (2020) for lifesaving efforts
• Deployment Award (2021) for responding to flooding in Hickman and Humphreys counties
• Exemplary Service Award (2023) for providing exceptional medical care
• Stork Award (2024) for assisting in the delivery of a baby girl
Among his most memorable incidents was the very first fire he responded to, a mobile home fire where, in the excitement of the moment, he depleted the air in his self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) much faster than he should have. “I went through my bottle pretty quick,” he said with a laugh, adding, “It’s a good thing it wasn’t a big fire.” He recalls fighting other fires but notes, “I was just doing my job.”
Beyond emergency response, Lt. Metcalf made significant contributions to training and professional development. He took over the Explorer Program in 1998, growing it from just two participants into a structured, hands-on training program that helped several members earn their Firefighter I certifications and ride-along opportunities. He proudly notes that six of his Explorers later became career firefighters. He served on the Training Committee and played a key role on several apparatus committees that directed the design and specifications of new fire apparatus, including Tower 1, Tower 2, Rescue 3 (now part of the hazmat fleet), and Brush 7. Lt. Metcalf has also been an important part of the FFD Recruit Academy team, instructing in fire attack, SCBA, wildland firefighting, and safety. He is a member of the City’s Live Burn Training Team, formed six years ago to enhance consistency, safety, and NFPA 1403 compliance during live burn evolutions.
Reflecting on his career, Lt. Metcalf shared that the relationships formed at the fire halls have been the most meaningful part of his 28 years with FFD. “The relationships, the people I’ve worked with, have made it extremely easy to come to work for almost 28 years,” he said. One lesson has stayed with him throughout his career: “You can always be better.”
Lt. Metcalf resides in Mt. Juliet with his wife, Angie. Married for 24 years, they have three children, Stephanie (Chuck), Austin, and Hannah (Andrew), and four grandchildren: Charlie, Connor, Jack, and Isla. In retirement, he looks forward to traveling and spending more time with his grandchildren.
Fire Chief Glenn Johnson said, “We are deeply grateful for Lt. David Metcalf’s contributions and the positive impact he has had on our department and community for 28 years. His leadership, technical expertise, and commitment to preparing both the next generation and our team for complex incidents have made us stronger and better prepared to help people here at home and across the country. David has always focused on doing the job the right way and helping others do the same. As a driving force behind our swiftwater and deployment capabilities, his influence will be felt every time our team responds. We thank him for his hard work and dedication, and we wish him the very best in retirement.”
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