VOTERS: WE NEED YOUR HELP!! When you cast your ballot in the upcoming election on March 4 (with early voting starting Feb. 12th), you will notice an important ordinance change to amend the city's charter in regards to residency requirements for employees, including firefighters and police officers. We kindly ask that you vote “for the amendment” to allow the hiring of first responders from adjoining states. Help ensure the future of public safety in Chattanooga by doing away with residency requirements!
Captain Damien Vinson, Chattanooga Fire's Community Outreach & Recruitment coordinator breaks everything down for voters so they’re informed when they head to the polls: “Chattanooga Fire and Police Departments are facing significant recruitment challenges due to an outdated residency rule that requires employees to live within Tennessee. Currently, a police officer or firefighter can legally commute over five hours from Memphis, Nashville, or Knoxville but cannot commute five minutes from Rossville, Georgia, or nearby Alabama cities. This arbitrary restriction limits our ability to attract and retain qualified first responders, directly impacting public safety.
At a time when both departments face challenges in maintaining adequate staffing levels, this rule significantly limits the pool of potential recruits and undermines our ability to ensure the safety of all Chattanoogans. Public safety relies on a consistent influx of qualified candidates to fill training academies and replace employees lost to retirements or promotions. Within the next five years, 150 of the Chattanooga Fire Department’s 437 firefighters will be eligible to retire. The proposed referendum aims to remove this restriction, enabling us to recruit police officers and firefighters from neighboring states—just minutes away—while ensuring they meet all other job requirements.
Tens of thousands of individuals living in our surrounding areas work in Chattanooga, spend money in the city, and contribute to our community every day. These individuals, part of our legally defined Metropolitan Statistical Area, often consider themselves Chattanoogans. However, they are currently prohibited from serving as first responders simply because of where they sleep at night. By removing this needless geographic distinction, we can attract a more extensive and diverse applicant pool, including experienced and certified professionals ready to serve immediately.
This referendum would not compromise standards. All recruits, whether living in Tennessee or across the border, must meet the same attendance requirements, pass the same rigorous tests, and adhere to the same high standards of service. Expanding the applicant pool will enable us to address staffing shortages, save on training costs, and maintain the quality of public safety services Chattanooga residents rely on.
Your vote in favor of this referendum will allow us to recruit the best-qualified candidates for these critical roles, ensure public safety, and build a stronger Chattanooga Fire and Police Department. Help us make this necessary change to protect and serve our growing community.
However, to be clear: the objective will always be to recruit locally. That said, removing certain barriers—such as lowering the age requirement from 21 to 18 like we have done and eliminating the residency requirement—will enhance our process and help us attract the best talent.
