News Releases

The Chattanooga Fire Department recognized a great group of first responders who saved a man’s life at Harrison Bay. On May 31, 2021 during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, there was a citizen at the Harrison Bay State Park Marina who found himself in dire need of help. An elderly gentleman, while walking on the dock, ended up falling into Chickamauga Lake. He had a bad cut on his hand and was disoriented. If not for the quick reactions of Lt. Christopher Newby, who was off-duty at the time, the man could have been in serious danger of drowning. Lt. Newby was able to hold onto the distressed citizen while officers from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Hamilton County Sheriff's Office - TN Marine Patrol Division responded with proper flotation devices. They were able to pull the citizen out of the water. Once he was out of the water, Rangers with the Tennessee State Parks tended to his wounds until Hamilton County EMS arrived on the scene. “The quick actions of the officers and the off-duty Chattanooga fireman directly contributed to the saving of a citizen in peril,” TWRA officials stated.

Fire Chief Phil Hyman commended everyone involved in the incident for their teamwork and dedication to helping citizens. Thanks to Lt. Newby for stepping up to help someone in a scary situation and to all those who responded from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Tennessee State Parks, TWRA and HCEMS, including: Corporal Steven Gaffin (HCSO), Detective Rick Wolfe (HCSO), Park Manager Don Campbell (Tennessee State Parks), Ranger Matt Vawter (Tennessee State Parks), Wildlife Officer Andrew Weber (TWRA), Wildlife Officer Kendall Fletcher (TWRA), Wildlife Officer Jarrod Coxey (TWRA), Wildlife Officer David Holt (TWRA), Paramedic Michael Bates (HCEMS) and AEMT Tim Joyce (HCEMS).

“I was just in the right place at the right time. I noticed him and rushed over to help. He had a bad cut on his hand and he was disoriented. I did what any other off duty firefighter would have done in that situation. I’m just glad that he’s alright,” Lt. Newby stated.

Chattanooga firefighters conducted a complicated rescue operation Tuesday afternoon to rescue the driver of a truck that had overturned and was hanging in a dangerous, unstable spot. It happened at 1:13 PM on South Crest Road and Shadowlawn Drive on Missionary Ridge. A 28-foot long box truck had flipped over and slid down the ridge. The driver was hanging upside down inside the cab and crews worked quickly to get to him and get him out. Squad 20, Squad 1, Squad 13, Engine 9, Battalion 1 (Blue Shift), and CFD Special Operations Division went to work. They were able to secure the truck with cable wenches using the fire trucks and then used rope systems to keep firefighters and the driver from falling. Firefighters cut the roof and windshield out of the way in order to remove the driver and lifted him up the side of the ridge using ropes. This took more than an hour, but the end result was a safe and successful rescue. The driver was transported to the hospital with relatively minor injuries. Yates Wrecker worked to lift the truck up and back onto the road. Great work by everyone involved in this response! 

Eight Chattanooga firefighters are spending their summer vacations building a home -- in only 12 days -- for an injured Army veteran in Oxford, Maine. Lt. Tyler Swindell, FF Jake Case, FFE Mark Coffman, FFE Joe Fuller, FFE Brandon O’Dell, FFE Britt Bradshaw, FF Josh Hixson, and FFE Keith Mosley are all supporting construction of a mortgage-free smart home for retired Army Sgt. Christy Gardner, a double amputee who was severely injured while serving as part of a peacekeeping mission in Asia in 2006.

Gardner, a Paralympian and former military police officer, suffered life-threatening injuries while on patrol, including skull fractures, internal injuries, two missing fingers, brain injury and spinal cord damage that caused leg paralysis below her knees.  Dozens of surgeries and hundreds of hours of grueling rehabilitation later, Gardner was medically retired from the Army in 2007 and returned to her native Maine for help from family in her recovery and care. After suffering from severe pain caused by nerve damage, Gardner made the decision to have both of her lower legs amputated. She has since gone on to compete in elite-level athletic programs, including the Paralympics and hopes to join the U.S. Paralympic Team for the 2021 games in Tokyo in August. Gardner also founded her own non-profit, Mission Working Dogs, to train purpose-bred dogs to aid individuals with disabilities so the handler can live a full and more independent life.

The home build is overseen by A Soldier’s Journey Home, a 100 percent volunteer-driven  non-profit that is made up primarily of firefighters and veterans from throughout the country.  The Chattanooga firefighters have been an integral part of ASJH builds for veterans since 2014, constructing homes in Tennessee, Illinois, Georgia, Ohio, and Texas in addition to Maine this year.     

 “A Soldier’s Journey Home is very grateful for the dedication and support provided by the Chattanooga Fire Department volunteers. They are an integral part of our organization and our builds and we are fortunate to have them with us each year.  It is the true meaning of brotherhood,” said ret. FDNY Lieutenant Paddy Neville, A Soldier’s Journey Home president.

 The home will be finished and the keys turned over to Gardner in a ceremony on June 19. A Soldier’s Journey Home is a service-driven volunteer organization primarily comprised of current and retired firefighters and veterans from across the country who focus their charitable efforts toward severely injured veterans. For more information, or to donate, visit:  www.asoldiersjourneyhome.org.

Press release from Sharon Holland with A Soldier's Journey Home. 

CFD officials report that there was a small fire on the second floor at Parkridge Medical Center Thursday evening. Companies responded to a fire alarm at the hospital on McCallie Avenue just after 9:30 PM. The fire was out on arrival, but there was a light haze in the hallway. Firefighters asked patients to shelter in place in their rooms while they worked to ventilate the smoke and get the sprinklers turned off. The fire appears to be accidental. A patient was trying to light a cigarette when she caught the hospital bed on fire, burning her. She was treated at the hospital. The extent of her injuries are not known at this time. Smoke was removed from the second floor by Chattanooga firefighters and crews assisted Parkridge with controlling water damage. Other patients have been moved to another part of the hospital. Engine 5, Engine 4, Engine 15, Quint 1, Ladder 13, Squad 1, Ladder 5, Ladder 1 and Battalion 1 (Red Shift) responded. "I just want to commend the firefighters and hospital staff for the great job they did working together to alleviate a potentially dangerous situation. The firefighters got in there quickly and found that the fire had already been extinguished. We appreciate the nurses and staff for the actions they took. We had to clear out the smoke and water damage created by the sprinkler system which absolutely did its job, keeping a potentially large fire small. The staff was tremendous in helping our crews with this incident,' Fire Chief Phil Hyman stated.