A recently filed federal lawsuit argues a former Wilson County Emergency Management Agency (WEMA) firefighter was fired for raising concerns that fire and emergency response staffing levels were too low and posed risks to the community and staff.
Colton Young was fired from his former job as a WEMA lieutenant in December 2025. At the time, Young was president of the Wilson County Fire Fighters Association, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit, filed July 31 in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, argues that Young lost his job in retaliation for advocating for increased staff, in his role as president of the firefighters' union.
Wilson County Attorney Mike Jennings said he was not in a position yet to comment on the lawsuit.
County officials also did not comment. WEMA Director Joey Cooper and District 13 County Commissioner Jeremy Hobbs are named defendants.
The suit states Young urged the public to contact county commissioners and petitioned commissioners in the campaign to hire more firefighters. But the IAFF argues that Young acted as a private citizen and union leader — not as a county employee, so his speech is protected by the United States Constitution.
"When a firefighter is punished for exercising those constitutional rights, it threatens not only that individual but every public employee who serves their community," IAFF 14th District Vice President Danny Todd said.
Young was hired as an advanced emergency medical technician and firefighter around November 2015. Young was made a full-time advanced emergency medical technician and firefighter with WEMA around June 20, 2016, according to the lawsuit.
WEMA staffing shortages several years ago included 27 vacancies reported on Feb. 23, 2022while the county conducted a pay study for workers in all departments.
Present staffing levels were not immediately known.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Wilson County firefighter says he was fired over staffing concerns
