3 Nashville Firefighters Resign After Midnight Bar Visit

Three members of the Nashville Fire Department resigned on Wednesday following a police report that placed them at a bar on Broadway while on active duty.

The incident occurred around midnight on Monday. Athams Davis, Griffin Hunter, and Daniel Wrenn were identified in the police report as the individuals in question. They were wearing department t-shirts and carrying yellow radios while inside the venue.

The establishment is Dierks Bentley Whiskey Row. The manager contacted officers after a bartender expressed concern about the firefighters consuming alcohol. The police report notes that the three men told officers they were on duty but denied drinking inside the bar.

Bar staff provided officers with a receipt signed by one of the firefighters. The itemized list showed two vodka-Red Bulls and a water ordered just after midnight. The bartender stated she did not personally see the group drink the beverages but confirmed the order.

Police notified the area fire commander, who arrived at the scene. The commander immediately placed the three firefighters on administrative duty. The bar manager indicated they were working to retrieve video footage for additional context.

The firefighters were placed on administrative leave before their Wednesday resignations. It remains unclear if the internal investigation is still ongoing now that the employees have left the department.

The Nashville Fire Department issued a brief statement acknowledging an incident involving three employees. The department declined to release specific details, names, or positions, citing the matter as a personnel issue. A spokesperson did not respond to requests for the employee rules and regulations regarding firefighter conduct.

In a written statement, the department said it holds all personnel to high standards of professionalism, accountability, and conduct. It added that actions compromising those standards are taken seriously and addressed accordingly.

Mayor Freddie O’Connell called for accountability following the incident. He spoke with Fire Chief William Swann and other leaders to ensure Metro employees understand that drinking or using drugs on the job is not acceptable. This incident follows a previous case in which a firefighter was found unresponsive at a station with drug paraphernalia, leading to a death from cocaine toxicity.

O’Connell said he believes Chief Swann has demonstrated a zero-tolerance approach within the fire department. He stated, 'I think (Swann) has demonstrated, within the fire department, that there is a zero-tolerance approach to this. They are delivering internal accountability. But, I think also, what I am looking for is the assurance that we are doing the appropriate amount of retraining updates to ensure that all personnel are there.'