There’s a new fire chief in town, in the East Tennessee rural hamlet of Seymour, population 17,000 plus a few more. Ted O’Neal Padgett has taken over command of the Seymour Volunteer Fire Dept. (SVFD) following the recent retirement of John Lisenbigler after seven years as chief and 30 years at the department that began operations 55 years ago in 1971.

Padgett, 63, has returned to his roots and is making the adjustment to the SVFD from his previous job. In 2021 he retired from the Dallas Fire-Rescue Dept. after 36 years. In his final eight years he was Asst. Chief of the Department and Chief of Staff.

The differences are stark – Dallas to Seymour – in facilities, budgets, and populations served. In Dallas he helped oversee 60 fire stations, approximately 2,100 firefighters-rescue personnel serving a Dallas population of 1.4 million and a metro population of 8.7 million. The department budget is $453 million in 2026.

Today, Padgett is managing SVFD’s 84 volunteers, 6 stations across a 126-square-mile response area in Knox, Blount, and Sevier counties with a population of 17,076 (2026 U.S. Census estimate). The census report says Seymour is currently growing at a rate of 2.31% annually and its population has increased by 10.51% since 2022. The department’s FY2026 budget is $946,447. But the new chief adds: “However, due to rising fuel prices and an almost 20% increase in run volume this year, I believe we will come in over the $1 million mark.”

Of the 84 volunteers, he says around 39 are “very active” and 33 are paramedics. Some 80% of their call responses are medically related – auto accidents, injuries people sustain in falls and other accidents. His paramedics are certified to administer drugs and IVs and assist the ambulance services staffs.

Padgett’s educational roots are clearly East Tennessee. In 1984 he earned a degree in business administration/ political science from Carson-Newman University and in 1990 a masters in human resources management from the University of Tennessee. You also can address him as “Dr. Padgett” with his doctorate in history from the University of Texas in 2002.

His father, Ted Sr., now 83, was a career U.S. Navy captain for 31 years and once retired he pastored Lyons Creek Baptist Church for three years before entering the seminary. After graduating he was the minister at Thorn Grove Baptist Church for 14 years. Padgett can still repeat the advice his father imparted to him many years back: “Education is not about learning statistics, facts, and trivial information; it is about learning how to think … asking the right questions, experimenting, drawing conclusions, and increasing your knowledge.”

Padgett and his wife of 37 years, Deborah, met in 1985 when she was an emergency room nurse at Parkland Medical Center in Dallas. His father married them in October 1987. Today she’s working as a part-time weekend school nurse at Baylor School in Chattanooga. Their daughter, Corley, is a senior human resources specialist at Advics Manufacturing Co. near Cincinnati.

Like many in the emergency services/first responder business, he remembers watching the old yet famous TV show “Emergency” (which is still in re-runs). That partly explains his motivation for his career: “Obviously, the “Emergency!” show. But, my Dad’s father was a battalion chief at the Columbia, South Carolina, fire department. I heard all the fire stories from him as a young kid. Then fast forward to my years at Carson-Newman and I worked as a paramedic on the weekends at Ober Gatlinburg (1980-1982) and I had middle and high school buddies from the Carter community who went to work for Rural Metro in 1984.”

But there’s more to this story. “When my Air Force active duty ended in 1987 I was driving home to East Tennessee and spent the night with a friend of my Dad’s in Dallas. He told me about his new job with the Dallas Fire Department and that he worked one day on, then two days off! I said what kind of job is that? Back then Dallas Fire gave a Civil Service exam every day of the week. I stayed a couple more days, aced the entry exam, then blew away the physical exam (best shape of my life from the Air Force) and I still had security clearance. So, I was hired immediately and began my career in Dallas on February 6, 1985. Only took me 2 ½ weeks to get a job!”

Today, 41 years later, he’s facing a plethora of new situations in this his second career job. He lists these as his top four priorities:

  • Increase Funding. Grants/state/ funds while only 12% of the community help fund SVFD with donations (it is a 501(c)(3).
  • Recruitment and Retention. Issues with recruiting and keeping young people.
  • Infrastructure – Apparatus, turn-out gear, and other changes.
  • Relationships with the three counties including mayors, commissioners and the public.

He is reorganizing the SVFD into four divisions – Fire Rescue & EMS; Administration and Support Services; Inspections and Life Safety Education; and Training and Career Development.  He also has named a young man with a familiar name as deputy chief – Adam Lisenbigler, the son of the retired chief, John. Adam’s full-time job is communications director at Seymour Heights Christian Church.  He’s also an EMT and the SVFD chaplain.

As for the retired chief who is maybe semi-retired. “I don’t know how John did everything he did. He’s still here, helping out and assisting me. He can be an executive administrator for us.”

Padgett’s also juggling a number of other issues, all important for SVFD’s future – opening a new station, possibly developing a new revenue stream, extending the SVFD brand and broadening what the agency offers the community in programs.

Completing their new Station 2 situated in the center of their service area will serve as the headquarters station. It should be open in either December 2026 or January 2027. To date they have raised $1.574 million from 618 donations for the $2.9 million project. It will have three drive-thru bays to accommodate six fire apparatus, including a wildland engine, a weather station, living quarters and showers for men and women, and a commercial kitchen.

If you would like to donate to this capital campaign project, you can click on this LINK.

Being discussed is SVFD eventually charging for its services, as do Rural Metro Fire and the Karns Fire Dept. “Our calls are up by 22% so far this year compared to last year and fuel costs are way up. We need to develop a reliable funding stream and this has to be considered,” he explained. “Seymour’s growth is going to continue and I have estimated that if every household contributed just $125 annually, the department’s operating costs would be fully covered ($2,750,000 annually).”

As part of growing and marketing the SVFD brand, Padgett says he wants to broaden its offerings. “We need to engage and train senior citizens about preventing falls at home or anywhere, and get into the community schools, especially the early grades, increase our geriatric and pediatric training programs, talk with homeowner associations, do simple inspections and discuss sprinkler systems for businesses.”

He refers to his job as serving as “the community ambassador for the department” with a focus on fundraising and building relationships in their three-county service area. Padgett loves solving puzzles, he says, adding: “I hit the ground running. The change process is underway. There are things we can shore up.”

Success has followed Padgett throughout his career. “Whatever I do and play, I love to win and be successful, whether it’s golf or work. Or in this job. I have always loved this community, always will, and my focus is on our service and making this a safer place for our families.”

And he added: “… Everything has come full circle for me. God has put me here for a reason back in Seymour. I have a lot of knowledge and skills and don’t want to be put out to pasture just yet. I enjoy being a mentor and spreading the skillsets and experience I have. Giving back is a big part of who I am.”

Tom King is a weekly contributor to KnoxTNToday, where he writes the column Our Town Hero, honoring the service of our first responders. If you have someone you think we should consider featuring, please email Tom using the link with his name or text him at 865-659-3562.

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