Franklin— The permanent promotion of Greg Baltimore to Assistant Fire Chief of the Franklin Fire Department was announced by City Administrator Eric Stuckey and Fire Chief Glenn Johnson.
Baltimore, who has 35 years of firefighting experience, including 28 with the Franklin Fire Department, has served in this role on an interim basis since June. In this position he is second in command of the department, overseeing the Operations and Training Divisions. The Operations Division is comprised of 150 on-shift personnel who provide emergency response, including fire suppression, emergency medical services, hazardous materials mitigation, rescue operations, and more.
Hired in 1992, Baltimore has been a key departmental leader who has held varying supervisory roles for the past 20 years. He was promoted from firefighter to engineer, then lieutenant, captain, and battalion chief, a position he held for 13 years, prior to his recent appointment.
A native of Ripley, TN, Baltimore returned to his hometown after graduating from Tennessee State University with a B.S. in business, where he began his firefighting career. He was the first African American firefighter to be hired by the Ripley Fire Department. Five years later he relocated to Nashville after being hired as a firefighter at the Nashville International Airport. He served there for two years before joining the Franklin Fire Department.
Over the years he has commanded numerous large-scale incidents and fire scenes. He holds numerous certifications and has received multiple awards, including Fire Suppression Officer of the Year in 2008.
Baltimore succeeds Glenn Johnson, who was promoted to Franklin Fire Chief in October. Johnson said, “Chief Baltimore has been a trusted leader and member of our department for 28 years. His skill, knowledge, expertise, and experience with our department and community, combined with his care and concern for both the public and our personnel, are invaluable. I’m proud and confident to have him as second in command.”
“Chief Baltimore has served in this position since June. In this role and in his many years with the Franklin Fire Department, Chief Baltimore has demonstrated leadership and a commitment to service of the Franklin community and the Franklin Fire Department team,” said City Administrator Eric Stuckey. “He is an important part of the department’s and City leadership team.”
