Franklin City Administrator Eric Stuckey announced that Interim Chief Glenn Johnson has been named the City’s new Fire Chief. Chief Johnson was chosen out of a field of approximately 100 candidates generated through a national search led by University of Tennessee Municipal Advisory Service (MTAS). Chief Johnson’s leadership has played a vital role in the achievements of the Franklin Fire Department over his 26 years with the department. He worked his way through the ranks, being promoted from firefighter to lieutenant, captain, Battalion Chief of Training, Assistant Chief, and most recently Interim Fire Chief.
“I have great confidence in Chief Johnson’s leadership, dedication, and care for the community and the men and women of the Franklin Fire Department,” said Stuckey. “Chief Johnson will lead the department well and serve the community he loves with great distinction. Most recently, Johnson’s leadership has been critical in the City’s COVID-19 response since March of this year.”
Chief Johnson serves as the chairman of Tennessee’s Homeland Security District 5 Team since 2009, which is comprised of emergency responders from seven Middle Tennessee counties, including Metro Nashville and Davidson County, that deploy nationwide to critical incidents. Additionally, he has been deployed as a member of the Middle Tennessee Incident Management Team to numerous hurricanes, the 2016 Gatlinburg wildfires, and other incidents. With his expertise in these areas he was instrumental in helping the City of Franklin to achieve National Incident Management System compliance.
Among other honors and accomplishments, in 2018 Chief Johnson received the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security’s First Responder Award, which is presented to emergency responders for outstanding and heroic actions while serving the people of Tennessee.
Chief Johnson is a Desert Storm veteran who began his firefighting career in 1990 while serving in the U.S. Air Force. Originally from Centerville, TN, he was hired by the Franklin Fire Department in 1994. Chief Johnson has numerous national and state firefighting, emergency medical, and emergency management certifications, as well as an A.S. in Fire Science from Volunteer State Community College.
He and his wife Ondrea, Director of Williamson County Animal Center, have five children and reside in Franklin.
