After 33 years in the fire service, including 27 years with the Franklin Fire Department, Captain Thomas Chaffin has announced his retirement. A celebration in his honor will take place on Monday, December 22, at 2:00 p.m. at Franklin Fire Station 1, located at 500 New Highway 96 West.
A graduate of Franklin High School, Chaffin began his fire service career in 1992 as a volunteer firefighter in Bowling Green, Kentucky, while attending Western Kentucky University. After graduating, he returned to Franklin, joined the Williamson County Rescue Squad in 1994 as a volunteer firefighter, and was hired by the Franklin Fire Department in 1998.
Chaffin progressed steadily through the ranks during his career, serving as a firefighter at Stations 1, 2, and 3; as an engineer at Station 3; as a lieutenant at Station 2; and as a captain at Station 1 since 2006. He was named Franklin Fire Department Fire Officer of the Year in 2022.
Throughout his career, Chaffin responded to several significant incidents. In 2010, he received the Medal of Valor for helping rescue an injured firefighter from a Westhaven house fire. That same year, during the historic Middle Tennessee floods, he earned a Meritorious Service Award for fighting two side-by-side house fires in waist-deep water. In 2013, he received a second Meritorious Service Award for his role in a complex extrication involving a vehicle that struck a building, leaving patients trapped. Additional honors include two Phoenix Awards for lifesaving efforts in 2019 and 2022, a Stork Award in 2014 for assisting in the delivery of a baby girl, and the EMS Star of Life Award in 2019 from the Children’s Emergency Care Alliance of Tennessee for his role in saving the life of a patient in cardiac arrest.
Chaffin also served on three disaster deployments: to South Carolina in 2018 during Hurricane Florence, to Florida in 2019 during Hurricane Dorian, and to Hickman and Humphreys Counties in 2021 following severe flooding.
He is certified in all technical rescue specialties and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Western Kentucky University, as well as a Master of Science in Leadership from Grand Canyon University.
Throughout his career, Chaffin valued the relationships built within the fire service above all else. He credits many colleagues with shaping his career, noting that everyone he worked with contributed in some way to his growth as both a firefighter and a leader, particularly the late Gentry Fox, a retired battalion chief, and retired Captain Harry Reed.
When asked about his most memorable moments, Chaffin points to the camaraderie of the firehouse and the practical jokes that helped crews cope with both the challenges and rewards of the job. He also reflects on the significant changes he has witnessed in both the City of Franklin and the fire service, including rapid growth, increased call volume, and evolving fire behavior. “The materials in homes and businesses burn very differently today,” Chaffin said. “At one time, firefighters could still see in a smoke-filled building based on what was burning. That is no longer the case.”
Chaffin considers one of his proudest accomplishments to be maintaining a strong family life throughout his career. He and his wife, Mindy, have two children, Alyssa (20) and Aaron (15). He also takes pride in continuing his education late into his career, attending classes even during his final month of employment to model lifelong learning. The family resides in Thompson’s Station. Chaffin looks forward to “our family’s adventure” of what comes next.
Fire Chief Glenn Johnson said, “Captain Chaffin represents the very best of the Franklin Fire Department. Over nearly three decades, he consistently demonstrated courage, professionalism, and an unwavering commitment to both his crew and this community. His leadership, technical expertise, and calm presence during some of our most challenging incidents have left a lasting impact on this department. While we will miss him greatly, we are grateful for his service and wish him and his family nothing but the best in the next chapter.”
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