Former Wilson County Fire Fighters Association Local 4238 President Colton Young has filed a federal lawsuit against Wilson County, Tennessee, alleging he was unlawfully fired after speaking out about firefighter staffing levels and public safety risks.
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, claims Wilson County retaliated against Young for exercising his constitutional rights while advocating for safer staffing at Wilson County Emergency Management Agency (WEMA). The case is being supported through the International Association of Fire Fighters’ Guardian Policy.
“Colton Young being targeted by management for wanting staffing that comes closer to national standards and strengthens public safety is wrong,” said IAFF 14th District Vice President Danny Todd. “No firefighter should ever have to choose between protecting the public and protecting their career. The IAFF will continue to stand with Colton as we fight to overturn his unlawful termination.”
According to the court filing, Local 4238 began a public campaign in early 2025 to increase WEMA staffing after concluding that existing staffing levels jeopardized firefighter safety and delayed emergency operations. At the time, county fire engines were routinely staffed with only two firefighters, despite the National Fire Protection Association 1750 standard, formerly NFPA 1710, calling for four-person engine companies in career fire departments.
The union’s campaign focused on adding a third firefighter to each engine as an initial step toward improved response capacity. Young and Local 4238 members urged residents to contact county commissioners, issued a press release, gave media interviews, and met directly with elected officials to explain how staffing shortages affect emergency response and community safety.
“Our Local leaders advocate every day for safer working conditions and stronger emergency response by seeking adequate staffing. This is a basic union principle,” Todd said.
The lawsuit alleges county officials became increasingly hostile toward Local 4238 members as the staffing campaign gained public attention. After Young communicated directly with a county commissioner about staffing concerns, he was placed under investigation and later terminated in December 2025.
Young’s dismissal letter cited several communications he made as Local president, including emails and messages to elected officials about staffing, as grounds for termination. Young and Local 4238 contend those communications were protected union activity because he made them while off duty, speaking as a private citizen and Local president.
“The First Amendment protects the right of firefighters to speak out, advocate for safer working conditions, and represent their fellow members without fear of retaliation,” said Tennessee Professional Fire Fighters Association President Matthew Tomek.
“When a firefighter is punished for exercising those constitutional rights, it threatens not only that individual but every public employee who serves their community,” Tomek said.
The IAFF Guardian Policy provides legal support to members and is intended to help firefighters speak on matters of public safety and advocate for their communities without fear of retaliation or wrongful termination.
The IAFF is also lobbying Congress to pass the Public Safety Officer Free Speech Act, bipartisan legislation that would reaffirm firefighters’ constitutional protections to speak on public matters and engage in union activity. The bill remains a top IAFF legislative priority.
