With 24 years in fire service, Setser has held multiple positions including Captain and Assistant Chief and has served as incident commander during several major incidents. Chief Setser has been with Franklin Fire and Rescue for his entire fire service career and has worked for the Town of Franklin as the Town Planner/IT Director for the last twelve years. Chief Setser is a third-generation firefighter.
“Justin’s background directly aligns with the demands of a modern municipal fire chief. In this role, Setser will oversee planning and implementation of the department’s $1.7 million budget, and lead a team of 9 full-time staff and 25+ volunteer fire fighters. He will direct departmental operations of fire suppression, community risk reduction, as well as supervise safety and emergency preparedness activities and more,” said Town Manager Amie Owens.
He will continue to be a key member of the Town’s leadership team. His dual perspective will ensure that the fire department remains closely integrated with town-wide initiatives. The Town will be hiring a new Town Planner and outsourcing IT services as part of this transition.
Chief Setser commented “I am very excited and honored to have been offered the position of the next Fire Chief of Franklin Fire and Rescue. I look forward to serving the citizens of Franklin and working alongside the dedicated firefighters at Franklin. Franklin has had many great fire chiefs, and I hope I can live up to their standards.”
Mayor Stacy Guffey added “Justin is a true son of Franklin, a dedicated public servant. I can't think of anyone more qualified in terms of skills and his heart for our community.”
Justin has been serving as the interim Fire Chief since February 2026 and assumed the full-time duties on June 5, 2026.