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Support here not found in most cities, he says
 By KERRI BARTLETT
For Brentwood Home Page
After spending 20 years with the Grand Rapids Michigan Fire Department and moving up in rank to battalion chief, Brian Goss did some soul searching and decided that he was ready for a change.
About to be promoted to deputy chief in Michigan, he found himself at a crossroads in his career. The municipality in Grand Rapids was about three times the size of Brentwood, wrought with budget constraints and few opportunities for growth. When he found an opening as assistant chief at Brentwood Fire and Rescue, he discovered that the department’s emphasis on funding professional development, excellent services and community programs was the perfect fit. He applied and was hired in 2008.
After serving as assistant chief for three years, Goss was promoted to the top spot in July after previous chief Kenny Lane retired.
“I was happy to promote him as chief and he has done a great job since he’s been with us, even as assistant chief for three years,” city manager Mike Walker said. “He has brought a lot of innovations to the department, and I expect more in the future. He understands the latest trends in fire service that will be beneficial to the community down the road.”
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| As assistant fire chief, Brian Goss served as the departments public information officer, a role he plans to continue to play. Here he answers reporters questions at a December 2009 practice burn that was later aired on national TV. |
Goss has no regrets about the move and is excited to be in his new role.
“The support that I have experienced is almost unheard of for a city this size,” Goss said. “Many cities try but struggle to maintain a family feel, but everyone including city officials have made me feel welcomed.”
A third generation firefighter, Goss began volunteering as a firefighter at the age of 18 at the local fire station in Bangor, Mich., where his grandfather and father also served. The station was a hub of social activity and “just a part of life,” according to Goss. It’s also where he developed his passion for serving the community.
“Being around the fire station is something that I grew up with and something that is so natural to me. Most of my friends and family were firefighters,” he shared.
However, being a firefighter was not always Goss’s top career choice. A biochemistry major, he was on the pre-med track at Spring Arbor University in Michigan and dreamed of becoming a dentist. When research for a thesis about hazardous materials lead Goss back to the local fire department his senior year, however, his interest turned to professional firefighting. When asked what keeps him dedicated to the profession after almost 28 years, Goss said, “We are a unique breed. We like to see instant results. That’s why you might see many firefighters as painters or carpenters off-duty. From the time that we show up in the morning to the time that we leave, we can see the impact that we’ve made in others lives.
“We see people at their worst. No one calls 911 on a good day. I enjoy helping people through their emergency and seeing them in a better situation than they were before. Some people spend their whole careers trying to make an impact, but we get to do that every day. I can’t think of a career better than that.”
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“We see people at their worst. No one calls 911 on a good day. I enjoy helping people through their emergency and seeing them in a better situation than they were before."
CHIEF BRIAN GOSS
Brentwood Fire & Rescue
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Chief Goss holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Spring Arbor University and is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte's Fire & Rescue Management Institute as well at the University of Tennessee’s Municipal Management Academy. In 2010 Chief Goss earned his Chief Fire Officer (CFO) designation through the Commission on Professional Credentialing at the Center for Public Safety Excellence.
Off duty, Goss and his family have adjusted very well to the Southern way of life in Middle Tennessee. Daughter Alexa, 18, is a freshman at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Son Collin, 15, is a sophomore at Ravenwood High School where daughter Brianna, 13, is a freshman.
When Goss and his wife Marie, a labor and delivery nurse at Vanderbilt Medical Center, married 22 years ago, Marie had one condition: “You have to get me out of the cold climate,” she told her new husband. Now the Goss’s are enjoying both the weather and the family atmosphere in Brentwood.
Although it took him awhile to adjust, Goss said, “We enjoy the slower pace that can’t be found in bigger cities. People really stop to appreciate what’s around them. Brentwood suits our family well. We love it.”
He also loves that Nashville is very similar to Grand Rapids and its surrounding suburbs in that it is a progressive city with a strong art community as well as many business professionals.
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| When country music star Trace Adkins' home burned last spring, all hands were on deck, including assistant chief Brian Goss, left, and chief Kenny Lane, right. |
Marie is glad that her husband is in an administrative position after so many years in the field “getting beat up.” Goss has received more burns than he can count, but one of his most serious injuries occurred in 1999 when he fractured his spine by falling through the floor of a burning building. Luckily he had no sustainable injuries and was back on shift in 12 weeks.
Chief Goss stated that Brentwood Fire and Rescue is one of the finest departments he has ever seen in dedication and professionalism. All firefighters are EMS trained and all fire engines have paramedics that accompany them on calls. They spend about 460 hours a year on fire training and at least 100 hours on EMS training.
Due to training in drug therapy, CPR, using a defibrillator as well as making strides in public education, more lives have been saved from cardiac emergencies in the last five years than in the previous 20 years.
The new chief has a vision in helping the department progress to the next level.
“I plan to continue to enhance the education and professionalism of employees and implement additional community programs in order to meet public expectations and provide the Brentwood community with the best services possible,” he said.
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