Chief Phillip Grooms

Phillip Grooms has been in the fire service since September 2000. In 2013, he joined the Mount Pleasant Fire Department as the Assistant Fire Chief and Training Officer. He was then appointed to the position of Fire Chief in July 2017. Chief Grooms holds an Associates of Fire Science, Bachelors in Fire Administration, and Master of Public Administration from Columbia Southern University.

Chief Grooms is certified by the Tennessee Firefighting Commission in Firefighter I & II, Fire Apparatus Operator and Fire Officer I, II, III, IV. He has received certifications as a Health and Safety Officer, Safety Compliance Officer I, TEMA Hazardous Materials Technician, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, and Fire Inspector & Plans Examiner. He is also a certified Public Fire & Life Safety Educator and CPR instructor.

Chief Grooms is responsible for the overall planning, budgeting, development, and leadership of the department.

Assistant Chief Todd Stewart

Todd Stewart has been in the fire service since 1997. He joined the Mount Pleasant Fire Department in 2007 and was promoted to the position of Assistant Fire Chief in August 2017.

Assistant Chief Stewart is certified by the Tennessee Firefighting Commission in Firefighter I & II, Pump Driver Operator, Fire Officer I & II, and Instructor I. He is a licensed Emergency Medical Responder and is also a certified TARS Extrication and EVOC Instructor.

Assistant Chief Stewart is responsible for assisting the Fire Chief with budgeting, revising standard operating procedures, fire codes enforcement programs, and the overall training of this department.

 Codes Department / CAPTAIN BEN WILLARD

Benjamin Willard has been with the department since July 2015 and serves as a Administrative Captain for codes.

Firefighter Willard is certified by the Tennessee Firefighting Commission in Firefighter I & II, Instructor I, Fire Officer I, AND Incident Safety Officer. He has received certifications as a Pump Driver Operator.

Firefighter Willard is assigned to Monday-Friday in the Zoning & Planning and Building Department.

captain Brent Cockrell

Brent Cockrell has been with the department since April 2012. In September 2017 he was promoted to shift Captain.

Captain Cockrell is certified by the Tennessee Firefighting Commission in Firefighter I & II, Instructor I, and Fire Officer I & II. He has received certifications as a Pump Driver Operator, Fire Inspector, and Emergency Medical Responder. He is also a certified auto mechanic.

Captain Cockrell is responsible for C-Shift and oversees maintenance for all fire department equipment.

Captain Jimmy Chatman

Jimmy Chatman has been with the department since October 2014. In January 2019 he was promoted to shift Captain.

Captain Chatman is certified by the Tennessee Firefighting Commission in Firefighter I & II, Instructor I, and Fire Officer I & II. He has received certifications as a Pump Driver Operator and is a Fire Inspector.

Captain Chatman is responsible for A-Shift and is over hose testing for the department.

captain Nathan Duncan

Captain Duncan was hired in February 2019.

Nathan is certified Firefighter I & II, Fire & Life Safety Educator, Pump Driver Operator, Fire Department Instructor I, Fire Officer I, II, Incident Safety Officers, Rope Rescue I, and is a certified CPR Instructor. In addition,

Nathan serves as the department’s Chaplain and holds a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies. He is responsible for B-Shift.     

Engineer Gilbert Marshall

Gilbert Marshall has been with the department since February 1996 and serves as an Engineer.

Engineer Marshall is certified by the Tennessee Firefighting Commission in Firefighter I & II, Instructor I, and Fire Officer I & II. He has received certifications as a Pump Driver Operator and Emergency Medical Responder.

Engineer Marshall is assigned to C-Shift and is responsible for purchasing daily operating supplies.

Engineer Phillip Counts

Phillip Counts has been with the department since August 2005 and serves as an Engineer.

Engineer Counts is certified by the Tennessee Firefighting Commission in Firefighter I & II, Instructor I, and Fire Officer I. He has received certifications as a Pump Driver Operator, Fire & Life Safety Educator, and Emergency Medical Responder. He is also certified as a Fire Investigator and International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI-FIT) Fire Investigation Technician.

Engineer Counts is assigned to A-Shift.

Firefighter Deon Hardison

Deon Hardison has been with the department since October 2015 and serves as a Firefighter.

Fire Fighter Hardison holds a Bachelors of Science with emphasis in Fire Investigation from Columbia Southern University.

Firefighter Hardison is certified by the Tennessee Firefighting Commission in Firefighter I & II, Instructor I, Fire Officer I, and Fire Officer II. He has received certifications as a Pump Driver Operator, Drone Operator, Fire & Life Safety Educator, and is a licensed Emergency Medical Responder.

Firefighter Hardison is assigned to C-Shift.  

Firefighter Josh Kelley

Josh Kelley has been with the department since February 2016 and serves as a Firefighter.

Firefighter Kelley is certified by the Tennessee Firefighting Commission in Firefighter I & II, Instructor I, and Fire Officer I. He has received certifications as a Pump Driver Operator and is a licensed Advanced Emergency Medical Technician.

Firefighter Kelley is assigned to B-Shift.

Firefighter Keith Jennings

Keith Jennings has been with the department since October 2017 and serves as a Firefighter.

Firefighter Jennings is certified by the Tennessee Firefighting Commission in Firefighter I & II, Instructor I, and Fire Officer I. He has received certifications as a Pump Driver Operator.

Firefighter Jennings is assigned to A-Shift.

FIREFIGHTER AUSTIN MATTOX

Austin Mattox has been with the department since May 2022.

Firefighter Mattox is certified by the Tennessee Firefighting Commission as Firefighter I, and licensed as Emergency Medical Technician.

Firefighter Mattox is assigned to B-Shift.

FIREFIGHTER MICHAEL GARCIA

Michael Garcia has been with the department since June 2022.

Firefighter Garcia is certified by the Tennessee Firefighting Commission as Firefighter I, II. In addition, currently enrolled at Columbia State Community College Advanced EMT program.

Firefighter Garcia is assigned to C-shift.

Fire Dog Flo