Nashville Firefighters Resign After Bar Incident

Two vodka-Red Bulls and a water. That is what three Nashville firefighters ordered at a bar on Monday night while on active duty.

The incident occurred just after midnight at Dierks Bentley Whiskey Row on Broadway. Police reports indicate the three men, Athams Davis, Griffin Hunter, and Daniel Wrenn, were wearing department T-shirts and carrying bright yellow radios. A bartender reported she was concerned they were drinking alcohol on the clock, prompting the manager to call police.

Police interviewed the three firefighters at the scene. All three told officers they were on duty but denied drinking the alcoholic beverages inside the establishment. The bartender stated she did not personally see them consume the drinks. However, she provided police with a receipt signed by one of the firefighters for the mixed drinks.

The fire commander arrived at the bar and placed the three men on administrative duty immediately. The department later placed them on administrative leave. They resigned from the Nashville Fire Department on Wednesday. It remains unclear if the internal investigation is still active following their departures.

Nashville Fire Chief William Swann spoke with Mayor Freddie O’Connell regarding the event. The mayor said he is seeking assurance that the department is retraining staff to prevent similar incidents. O’Connell noted that the union, IAFF Local 140, is working with city leadership to maintain public confidence in the department.

The Nashville Fire Department stated it is aware of the incident involving three employees. The department described the situation as a personnel matter and declined to release specific details or names in its initial statement. A spokesperson did not respond to requests for the employee rules and regulations governing firefighter conduct.

The department emphasized that it holds all personnel to high standards of professionalism and accountability. The statement noted that actions compromising those standards are taken seriously and addressed accordingly. The incident follows a previous event where a firefighter was found unresponsive at a station with drug paraphernalia, leading to a death from cocaine toxicity.