Jackson Dean Godsmark Irwin is an impressive and most inquisitive young man – and “young” is the operative word. Young as in 20. For two years, he has been a full-time firefighter for Rural Metro Fire, working out of its headquarters Station 41 on Campbell Station Road in Farragut on Squad 211.

Paramedic Jackson Irwin

Let’s not bury the lead any longer. How can Irwin, at such a young age, be this week’s Our Town Hero? Well, earlier this month, he graduated from Roane State Community College’s year-long Paramedic Technical Certificate Program to become a licensed and certified paramedic. His class included 17 other new paramedics.

After graduation, Irwin also had to pass a Tennessee State Skills Examination and the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) Cognitive Written Examination – and it’s a tough exam. The first-time pass rate for EMTs averaged between 60% to 75% in 2021.

Let’s add a sprinkling of perspective to this — he’s the youngest paramedic in the history of Knox County Rural Metro Fire. And the Knoxville Fire Department has never had a 20-year-old paramedic in its history.

Paramedics bring a wide array of skills to the job. Here’s how Irwin describes his job: “Paramedics have a deeper and more advanced education, not just on skills they perform on scene, but also a better understanding as far as what’s going on in the body and why. That, as well as the fact that over the course of the schooling, you get more education and experience in managing a high-caliber patient care team.”

Irwin lives in West Knoxville with his two homeschool teachers – parents, Cindy and Eddie Irwin. Cindy is a licensed mental health professional, and his father is an accountant at Knoxville’s Community Development Corp. (KCDC). He has a biological brother and sister – Quin, 18, and Ella, 16 – and three adopted siblings – Maggie, 11, Marion, 10, and Trevor, 8. In a major understatement, Irwin spills the beans: “Things are always busy at our house.” Ya think!

David Blevins is the director of EMS Education for Roane State and knows our young paramedic quite well. “Jackson is one of those students from time to time that we’d like to clone into every student,” he said. “He understands things very quickly, is very passionate, and he has a strong internal desire to succeed and be the best at whatever he’s doing. He is very inquisitive and always asking why.”

Including the clinical, laboratory and lecture aspects of the program, Blevins says the year-long learning consumes 1,250 hours of instruction.

Irwin is not a first-year rookie at Rural Metro. He joined its Explorer Post in 2019. And he’s more than just a paramedic. He’s a certified firefighter, levels 1 and 2; a hazardous materials technician; a swiftwater rescue class grad; an EMT (emergency medical technician); and an EMT-advanced. And in two years will begin classes and training to take the next step to become a critical care paramedic.

He was hired full-time in 2023 and spent 10 weeks at Station 36 to prepare for the Rural Metro Fire Academy. After graduating from the academy in 2024, he was assigned to Station 16 and was there for a couple of months before moving to Station 41 a year ago.

Squad 211’s leader is Capt. Robert Bratta. Engineer Jonathan Souther is the driver, and Irwin rides in the back seat. During his homeschooling, he was able to work weekend shifts at Rural Metro and during other breaks from school. Irwin did complete his high school degree requirements two years early and hopes to begin taking college courses in psychology, sociology and business administration/ finance.

Considering his age, one question we asked was this: “What made you decide on this career, and is it one you’d recommend to other young people?”

“It was the realization that someone has to do this work, to serve the public, to make sure we’re there for those dealing with what may be the worst day of their life. It’s a challenging job, and you never know what will hit you when the day begins,” he explained. “My Christian faith is a big part of this. It’s bringing light and hope to people and families. There’s a lot of passion I put into this work.”

Irwin and the entire family worship at Immanuel Church in Hardin Valley.

He continued: “From Day 1, I was hooked. It’s been everything and more than I could ever have asked for. It’s fulfilling. I love serving the people in our community. There is a real sense of camaraderie and family at Rural Metro. It’s physically challenging, like playing hockey. This will be my career. That’s my plan, but plans can change. I don’t think mine will.”

And he added this: “It’s a fact of life that I feel compelled to serve. I’m not here for me … I’m here for them. I live my life understanding that God has it all in his hands and there is a plan, and it’s not up to me … or to others. Helping others overcome hardships is what I love. As long as I can do that, I’ll do this work.”

Close to 80% of Rural Metro’s calls county-wide are for medical emergencies – strokes, heart attacks, falls, wrecks and accidents, drug overdoses, shootings, accidents at home and then the fire calls. “I’ve seen a couple of fatalities already, and it changes your perspective on things. People die, both the old and the young, and it teaches you quickly how real life is. It can happen to anyone at any time, and you begin to understand that people always think they have more time here than they do.”

Irwin is a big fan of Rural Metro and does not hesitate to tell other young people that his career is one for them to consider. “For anyone, especially younger people out there, looking for something that offers both fulfillment and belonging, as well as a fun and challenging environment, I would absolutely recommend getting into the fire service. There’s always something to get out of it; no two days are the same. Some of the best days, memories and relationships will come out of it.”

Away from work, he has a list of what helps him wind down: reading, writing, traveling, hiking, jogging and playing ice hockey.

And what about one interesting part of his full name – Godsmark? “Godsmark is my mother’s maiden name. She didn’t have a living brother, so Quin, my next brother, and I got Godsmark as a middle name,” he explained. Godsmark originated in the 13th century, and is an English surname meaning “God’s mark,” referring to a birthmark, a plague mark, or the tonsure (the bald spot on a monk’s head) of a priest.

For questions about Rural Metro Fire – about the Explorer Post or full-time work – or how you can partner to help keep the community safe, please call 865-371-7495.

Tom King has been the editor of newspapers in Texas and California and also worked in Tennessee and Georgia. If you have someone you think we should consider featuring, please email him at the link with his name or text him at 865-659-3562.

Our Town Hero is sponsored by Aubrey’s Restaurants.

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