The Franklin Fire Department is among several Tennessee agencies lending personnel to help battle a wildfire in North Central Texas.
Four Franklin firefighters left Aug. 30 for Palo Pinto County, west of Fort Worth, where the Ross Fire has been burning since Aug. 24.
Lt. Anthony Sedlak, Engineer James Hinkle, Engineer-Paramedic Brad Kamau and Firefighter Andrew Bowden are representing Engine 1 and Franklin Fire Department Special Operations. They are part of a 16-day deployment involving six other Tennessee agencies, including the Maury County Emergency Management Agency and Murfreesboro Fire and Rescue.
Brentwood Fire and Rescue also sent four firefighters to Texas “to provide backfill and relief to crews providing structural fire protection from the Ross Fire,” according to the department.
The fire has burned more than 90,000 acres and was about 57% contained as of Sunday, according to CBS News.
Franklin Fire Chief Glenn Johnson praised the department’s personnel for their work through the Labor Day weekend.
“Morale is high,” he said. “They’re doing good work down there. They didn’t get a holiday. They’re representing Franklin and the state of Tennessee well.”