MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Staff Writer
Posted: Tuesday, September 1, 2009 10:00 am

Allen Swader was named the Murfreesboro Fire Department Public Information Officer on Tuesday. TMP/M. Willard

Recent high profile emergencies made Murfreesboro Fire Department Fire Chief Cumbey Gaines see the need for a public information officer.

Gaines saw a need for the new job after the Good Friday Tornado, Fireworks Supermarket fire and Ravenwood incident, he said.

“We have gotten so large,” Gaines explained, “in order to be able to disperse accurate information to the media and general public, it’s time to have that role.”

To that role, Gaines appointed Allen Swader, a 19-year fire department veteran. Swader will be the main point of contact for the media and general public for all fire department questions.

“I look forward to the responsibility of keeping the media and general public informed,” Swader said about being appointed the department’s first public information officer.

After graduating from Carson-Newman College, the Oakland graduate started his career as a firefighter with the Murfreesboro Fire Department in 1990. He was promoted to fire inspector in 1996 and assistant chief of training in 2001.

“This position is not about me. … It’s about this department and the direction in which we are headed,” he said about the “limitless opportunities to educate the public and media.”

Gaines said having a single point of contact with the public and media will enable the department’s top brass to do their jobs more effectively without having to field questions from the public and media in high-profile case like the Good Friday Tornado.

“This appointment will create one point of contact,” he said.

MFD currently has 187 firefighters with plans to add another 15 within a year, Gaines said.

Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.