Baxter Fire Chief Matt White Joins Ben Rodgers To Discuss A Life Of Duty

Ben Rodgers sits down with Baxter Fire Chief Matt White, a Cookeville native who has spent 37 years in emergency services after unexpectedly falling into the field he now loves. Matt shares how growing up in a family of EMTs—and a push from his older brother—led him from working as a mechanic and in a body parts store to volunteering with Putnam County and eventually going full-time in the fire service in 1990. He reflects on how much Cookeville and Baxter have grown, the challenges of staffing a young full-time fire department with just three full-time employees, and the nationwide decline in volunteer firefighters. Matt also talks about the department’s 17 current volunteers, the city’s growing pains, and his hope to see a second full-time station built in Baxter before he retires. It’s an insightful look at dedication, community service, and the future of public safety in a rapidly growing town.

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