Jeff Devlin has been promoted to fire chief of Rural Metro for Knox County, succeeding longtime Chief Jerry Harnish, who retired in January 2024. Devlin has been with Rural Metro for 34 years and has been serving as interim chief since January and was deputy chief of operations for the past five years.

Devlin, 53, joined Rural Metro in 1990 after moving to Knoxville in 1987 with his family. He has moved up through the ranks and has served in every position from firefighter/paramedic and now to the chief’s job.

He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Memphis in professional studies. He earned his master’s degree in emergency management from the University of Tennessee. He is a 2014 graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program and holds a 2015 Chief Fire Officer designation through the Center for Public Safety Excellence.

Rural Metro veteran Ken Tuggle is now serving as the acting chief of operations. Devlin hopes to have a permanent deputy chief in that position in August after a search process.

Rural Metro has 17 stations located strategically throughout Knox County covered by a firefighting staff of 140, plus 30 part-time firefighters and support staff. Station 41 at 160 Campbell Station Rd. in Farragut is Rural Metro Fire’s headquarters.

Rural Metro Fire provides fire and other emergency services to almost a quarter million residents in Knox County and the town of Farragut.  Its firefighter/EMTs and firefighter/paramedics answer about 18,000 calls for service annually. Rural Metro Fire began operation in Knox County in 1977 and is a component of GMR, the nation’s largest emergency services provider.

Devlin said becoming a chief was a career goal in one aspect only. “Having a position as chief allows me to have more influence and using it to do good and great things for our people and for the people of Knox County who we serve,” he said. “The men and women of Rural Metro Fire are some of the most skilled and dedicated emergency services personnel in the country. It is my honor to be their fire chief.”

Some 60% of all emergency calls involve medical-related issues, responding to vehicle accidents on state and county roads plus Interstates 40 & 75 in Knox County and calls from accidents people experience in their homes and properties. Rural Metro services include all emergency medical services, rescue, hazardous materials and fire suppression operations.

Devlin said he is going to be examining and evaluating operations in his first 60 days as chief. “We have to be mindful of the growth happening in Knox County and one of my early goals is to have our leadership team create a strategic plan to respond to this growth,” he said. “One area we are looking at is the Ritta community in East Knox County. They need a station.”

The Devlin family lives in Farragut. His wife, Dr. Joanne B. Devlin, is the associate director of the University of Tennessee’s Forensic Anthropology Center (The Body Farm) and a lecturer in the anthropology department. She is also a retired part-time Rural Metro firefighter. Their son, Liam, 20, is a pre-law student at the University of Tennessee and a member of the UT lacrosse team.

Devlin is very involved in the Farragut community. He coached for three years in the Farragut Youth Lacrosse League and now coaches the Webb Middle School lacrosse team. For the past eight years he has served on the town of Farragut’s Social Services Committee. He is also on the town’s Board of Zoning Appeals, is a member of the town’s Municipal Planning Commission and a member of the Rotary Club of Farragut.

Devlin is a candidate for the District 1 (North) seat on the Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen. The election will be Thursday, Aug. 1.

Rural Metro Fire will hold a Meet-n-Greet with the new fire chief on Monday July 29, 2024, 5-7 p.m. at the Farragut Community Center 239 Jamestowne Blvd.

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.