Oct. 14, 2022
Fire chief announces promotions
Johnson City Fire Chief David Bell recently announced three recent promotions within the department, which become effective Oct. 22.
Steve Alexander has been promoted to district chief and will remain assigned to A Shift. A 19-year veteran of the Johnson City Fire Department, Alexander has served as a firefighter, driver/engineer, and as a lieutenant. He holds Tennessee Certifications as a Fire Officer III, Fire Inspector, Fire Instructor, Incident Safety Officer, Haz-Mat Technician, AEMT, and CPR Instructor. He has served on numerous committees and teams during his career including the Medical QA/QI and Rope Rescue Team. District Chief William Sanders will move to C Shift.
Avery Knapp has been promoted to lieutenant and will be assigned to A Shift. A 10-year veteran of the Johnson City Fire Department, Knapp has served as a firefighter and, for the past three years, a driver/engineer. He holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing and is a nationally registered paramedic. Knapp holds certifications in Fire Officer II, Fire Instructor I, and Incident Safety Officer. He is the program manager for the Emergency Medical Services section of accreditation and co-leads the department’s Emergency Medical Services Quality Assurance and Improvement Program.
Kevin Haynes has been promoted to lieutenant and will be assigned to A Shift. A 23-year veteran of the Johnson City Fire Department, Haynes has served the department in a variety of roles including on the grant writing committee and the department's honor guard. He holds certifications in Rope Rescue, Haz-Mat Specialist, Advanced EMT, and is certified through the State of Tennessee as Firefighter I & II, Fire Instructor I, Fire Inspector I & II, Fire Officer I & II, and Incident Safety Officer. Haynes is attending Walters State Community to earn a degree in fire science.
Zach Hughes has been promoted to lieutenant and will remain on B Shift. A 15-year veteran of the Johnson City Fire Department, Hughes was most recently assigned as interim lieutenant at Station 7. He has also served as firefighter and driver/engineer. Hughes holds certification as an AEMT and Fire Instructor I and is completing the process of becoming a Haz-Mat Specialist.
Ricky Carter has been promoted to driver engineer and will be assigned to B Shift. Carter has served as a firefighter AEMT for three years. He holds certifications as a Swiftwater Technician and Tennessee Smoke Diver.
Jarred Tate has been promoted to driver engineer and will be assigned to C Shift. He is a five-year veteran of the Johnson City Fire Department.
Jonathon Shepherd has been promoted to driver engineer and will remain on B Shift. He has served the department for seven years as a firefighter AEMT. Shepherd has spent the last two years as a relief driver and is a member of the department’s Swift Water Team.
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