On Monday, November 7, City of Knoxville Fire Chief Stan Sharp and Mayor Madeline Rogero honored four firefighters as the Knoxville Fire Department’s Firefighters of the Quarter for the 2nd Quarter of 2016.

Captain Rusty Singleton, Master Firefighter Hugh Laxton, Senior Firefighter Jordan Adcox, and Senior Firefighter Jeff McSwain received recognition for their actions during a fire in May.

On May 13, 2016, a fire was reported by a passerby at an abandoned building located at 2311 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

As the firefighters from Engine Company 2 advanced their hose line toward the flames, Captain Rusty Singleton noticed a small flashlight in the hand of a trapped victim’s beating on a sub-ground level window from inside the burning structure.

Captain Singleton and Senior Firefighter Jordan Adcox broke through the window and metal covering, grabbed the man and pulled him to safety. 

Master Firefighter Hugh Laxton covered the firefighters and victim with a shower of water which Senior Firefighter Jeff McSwain provided from the pump panel of the apparatus.

Once the victim was pulled to safety, the crew treated his burns and prepared him for transport to an area hospital. Had it not been for the action of these four men, the outcome would have been tragically different.

In recognition of their compassionate and life – preserving efforts, Capt. Singleton , Master Firefighter Laxton, and Senior Firefighters Adcox and McSwain have been honored as the Knoxville Fire Department’s Firefighters of the Quarter for the 2nd Quarter of 2016.


L to R: Mayor Madeline Rogero, Captain Rusty Singleton, Master Firefighter Hugh Laxton, Senior Firefighter Jordan Adcox, Senior Firefighter Jeff McSwain , and Fire Chief Stan Sharp. Photo by Traci K. McDonell / City of Knoxville.