Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Promotes 11 Personnel

Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department said on August 4 that it promoted 11 employees into leadership and specialty assignments, a move the city said is meant to strengthen training, firefighter safety and front-line operations. The promotions cover two training coordinators, one health and safety officer, four captains and four engineers, according to a city news release. Chief Mark McCluskey said the appointments recognize experience and commitment across the department. The city said the changes will help the department meet Murfreesboro’s growing service demands. ### Who was promoted, and into which roles? The August 4 release named Andy Smithson and Benson Cothran as training coordinators. The city said Smithson joined Murfreesboro Fire Rescue on Oct. 8, 2007 and brings nearly 19 years of fire service experience, while Cothran joined on May 27, 2008 and has 18 years of service. Mitchell Whittenburg was promoted to health and safety officer. (murfreesborotn.gov) The city said Whittenburg joined the department on June 30, 2003 and brings 23 years of experience to the position. Four firefighters were promoted to captain: Kevin Defeo, Jeremy Morris, Matt Tidwell and Adam Ross. The release said Defeo joined the department on June 28, 2012, Morris on May 27, 2008, Tidwell on Aug. 24, 2015 and Ross on Aug. 22, 2016. (murfreesborotn.gov) Four more firefighters were promoted to engineer: Ryan St. Peter, Clay Sweeney, Nicholas Lanzafame and Seth Wright. The city said St. Peter is assigned to Engine 3A and joined on Aug. 27, 2018; Sweeney is assigned to Ladder 4B and joined on Feb. 1, 2021; Lanzafame is assigned to Engine 5B and joined on May 24, 2021; and Wright is assigned to Engine 5C and joined on Aug. 16, 2021. (murfreesborotn.gov) ### What did Chief Mark McCluskey say about the promotions? (murfreesborotn.gov) Chief Mark McCluskey said the appointments were earned through day-to-day performance inside the department. “These promotions reflect the dedication, professionalism, and leadership our personnel demonstrate every day,” McCluskey said in the city release. McCluskey also said the promoted firefighters had won the trust of colleagues and supervisors. (murfreesborotn.gov) He said each had “earned the confidence of their peers and supervisors through hard work and a commitment to excellence” and said he expected them to continue making a positive impact on the department and the community. ### Why did the department say these moves were needed now? Murfreesboro Fire Rescue said the promotions are part of its effort to build leadership depth as the city grows. (murfreesborotn.gov) The department said it is committed to developing highly trained leaders prepared to meet the community’s growing needs. The city release said the new assignments strengthen emergency response, firefighter safety, training and public service. (murfreesborotn.gov) Those are the functions most directly affected by the mix of positions announced on August 4, with the promotions spread across instruction, safety oversight and field command roles. That connection is an inference based on the roles listed in the release. ### What does this change inside day-to-day operations? (murfreesborotn.gov) Two of the 11 promotions went to training coordinator positions, giving the department additional senior personnel focused on instruction and readiness. One went to a dedicated health and safety officer role, and eight went to operational command and apparatus assignments as captains and engineers. The engineer promotions were tied to specific units — Engine 3A, Ladder 4B, Engine 5B and Engine 5C — which indicates where some of the staffing changes will take effect. (murfreesborotn.gov) The city did not announce a separate effective date in the release. ### Where can residents find the full list next? The City of Murfreesboro posted the full promotion announcement on its official news page on August 4, 2026, and WGNS Radio published the same list later that day. (murfreesborotn.gov) The release names all 11 employees, their new roles and, in most cases, their department start dates and current unit assignments.