Murfreesboro Fire & Rescue Department will bid farewell to Engineer Kyle Cobb Thursday, September 22 as his 28 years of service comes to a close.
Cobb began his career as a Firefighter in November 1988. “I had a friend in Indiana that was a Firefighter in my hometown,” said Cobb. “I would visit him as a child at the fire hall.” Cobb says the visits served as inspiration for him becoming a Firefighter. He also enjoyed the “24 hours on/48 hours off” schedule.
Cobb was one of the first new recruits hired to serve under retired Chief David Baxter and Deputy Chief Jimmy Francis.
Cobb has seen a lot of changes over the years. He remembers that on his first day on the job, he was shown an air pack located on the back, right compartment of Engine 1. “I was told if I touched it, I was fired,” he said. “Back then it was considered for rescue only.” Now, all Firefighters are required to wear air packs when responding to a fire scene.
When asked what he sees in store for the department over the next five to ten years, Cobb replied, “MFRD will continue to provide enhancements to the medical services they offer the citizens and visitors of Murfreesboro.”
After retirement, Cobb says he and wife Sherry are going to “do a little gun-smithing and a whole lot of hunting, fishing, and traveling!”
“Engineer Cobb will truly be missed,” said Fire Rescue Chief Mark Foulks. “He is a great employee, who volunteered a lot of his time to cook on his large smoker for several MFRD events. We appreciate him and Sherry very much for all their assistance over the years.”
As he reflects on the last 28 years, Cobb sums them all up in one small, yet meaningful statement, “Being a Firefighter is the best job I ever had!”
