Mt. Pleasant fire chief earns coveted certification

April 02--Mt. Pleasant Fire Chief Phillip Grooms recently received the highest level of certification from the State of Tennessee Fire Commission.

Less than a year into his tenure as the city's fire chief, Grooms has earned his Officer Level IV Certification earlier this month from the Tennessee Firefighting Commission.

"I am always striving to be prepared for the job I have, and serve on the best level possible," Grooms told The Daily Herald.

The course of study included drafting long-term infrastructure plans and assistance programs for employees to emergencey management strategies.

"There was a path there, I followed it and went for it," Grooms said. "It was the first class they had in a very long time."

It is the final training level available to fire officers in the state.

"I started as a firefighter 18-years ago," Grooms said. "Now, I am able to stand at the top of this mountain."

He passed 9 other courses before he was eligible for the Level IV certification.

The history-making class at the Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy also included Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Kaye Jernigan, whose graduation from the class on Friday made her the first woman in Tennessee's history to achieve the FOIV certification.

Fourteen Tennessee firefighters have previously reached FOIV certification; however, those certifications were mainly obtained through reciprocity between Tennessee and other states.

The graduation of the fire academy's first FOIV class marks a new level of training and professional development for Tennessee firefighters.

"These graduates have shown they have the dedication, commitment, and knowledge necessary to be the great leaders their communities deserve," said Tennessee Fire Marshal and Department of Commerce & Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak.

"I extend my warmest wishes to all the graduating members of the class, and I commend Assistant Chief Jernigan who is setting a positive example for women in the Tennessee fire service."

Students who pass the FOIV certification tests have the necessary qualifications needed to serve in a fire department's senior level positions such as a supervisor or a chief. The FOIV tests are certified by the Tennessee Firefighting Personnel Standards & Education Commission which is accredited by both the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress and the Pro Board Fire Service Professional Qualifications System.

The accreditation verifies that anyone earning this level of certification has met the required training, education, and skills proficiency that meets National Fire Protection Association, or NFPA, standard 1021, chapter 7 objectives.

"My understanding is he is the only one in Maury County with this certification and there are not many statewide," Mt. Pleasant City Manager Kate Collier said. "The city is very proud of his accomplishment."

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