Franklin Firefighter Recruits Graduate from Training

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After 12 weeks of intense training, seven recruits were welcomed into the Franklin Fire Department as full-fledged firefighters at a graduation ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 10. The graduates bring the number of on-shift firefighters in the department to 149.

The new firefighters include Paramedics Stephen Astalos, John Carolan, Tyler Chatham and Daniel Smotherman along with Emergency Medical Technicians Jayce Pickle, Justin Powers and Dustin Sinclair.  In keeping with fire service tradition, their loved ones pinned them with their official badges during the ceremony.

An eighth firefighter, EMT James Ruffin, who was hired in August and had previously completed the training, also received his badge during the ceremony.

The Franklin Fire Department’s in-house training program, which is approved by the Tennessee Fire and Codes Academy and the Tennessee Commission on Firefighting, is directed by Franklin Fire Battalion Chief Jimmy Jennings and Captain Michael Pardue.  Jennings explained that recruit firefighters complete 464 hours of both classroom and hands-on firefighting and emergency rescue training drills.  He said, “I’m very proud of these men and their accomplishments.  They’ve completed a rigorous professional training program and I’m confident they will be assets to the Franklin Fire Department.”

More about Franklin’s new firefighters:

Stephen Astalos – Paramedic who relocated from North Huntingdon, PA with 11 years of volunteer firefighting experience.

John Carolan – Paramedic whose wife Kim gave birth to twin boys while he was still in training.  Cade and Luke are now six weeks old and were at the graduation ceremony.  Carolan has six years of fire service experience.  He is a member of the Kentucky Army National Guard and has been deployed to the Middle East three times.

Tyler Chatham – Paramedic who relocated from Gwinnett County, GA.  Chatham has 10 years of firefighting, emergency medical and swiftwater rescue experience.

Jayce Pickle – Pickle has 11 years of EMS experience and is also a goat farmer in Berlin, TN.

Justin Powers – Served 12 years in the military with three deployments to the Middle East.  Currently serves in the Tennessee National Guard as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot.

James Ruffin – 10 years of fire service experience from Dickson, TN.

Dustin Sinclair – Spends his free time volunteering for the Erin Fire Department, the Middle TN Leatherhead Society providing firefighter training, and at his church as a musician.

Daniel Smotherman – Paramedic, Franklin, TN native and United States Marine Corps veteran.  Daniel Smotherman was pinned by retired Franklin Fire Captain Bill Witt.  Daniel grew up with Witt’s son and looked up to Witt and wanted to follow in his footsteps.

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