BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Chief Brian Goss, with Brentwood Fire and Rescue, said his department has a very high standard, hiring only the finest individuals to be firefighters, and on Monday night, he proved his point to the Brentwood City Commission.

“We put so much effort into hiring the best of the best,” he said. “I’m really proud that by the time somebody gets up here to stand before you, they’ve been through a very rigorous process.”

During Monday night’s City Commission meeting, Goss introduced Brentwood’s three newest firefighters – Matthew Gehne, Paul Greve, and Dakota Wilson – and the department’s newest lieutenant, Zach Scheitel.

“I’m thankful for the type of talent we get,” Goss said. “They don’t just apply to Brentwood; they target Brentwood as a place to work.”

Firefighter Matthew Gehne

Gehne was born in Leicester, England, but he grew up in Racine, Wisconsin, with his two brothers. After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps as a combat engineer. Following four years in the military, he returned home and earned a bachelor’s degree in business management and entrepreneurship from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. While in college, he worked as a part-time firefighter at the Fitchburg Fire Department, earning various fire certifications and an EMT license. He decided to relocate to Tennessee, and after touring fire departments around the state, he applied to Brentwood Fire & Rescue.

“I look forward to a career here at Brentwood Fire & Rescue and hope to contribute to the positivity and dedication to excellence that have been evident in my time here so far,” he said.

Firefighter Paul Greve

Greve, a Southern California native, attended Santa Ana Community College, where he received his fire technology certificate, EMT- Basic license, and attended a basic firefighter 1 academy. His full-time fire service career began in 2016 with the Buckskin Fire Department in Parker, Arizona. He went through rigorous training to become a rescue diver on the Colorado River for two years before getting hired with Kern County Fire Department in Central California. During his five and a half years with Kern County, he worked at numerous stations and attended multiple wildland firefighting courses, along with courses in vehicle extrication, firefighter survival, river rescue, HazMat, leadership and becoming an Engineer. Greve and his wife moved to Tennessee in November 2021, and he commuted to work in California for a year and a half before getting hired with Brentwood Fire & Rescue. 

Firefighter Dakota Wilson

Wilson graduated from McCurdy High School in New Mexico, and he went on to work as a television and movie stuntman and horse wrangler. He joined the New Mexico National Guard, where he served his country and state for six years. During that time, he attended New Mexico State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Geography. After college, he briefly attended seminary, which led him to become the children’s director at Sagebrush Church. He later pursed a life-long passion by joining the Army Reserve to become a firefighter. In 2022, Wilson moved to Clarksville, Tennessee, to become part of LifePoint Church. He worked at the church as part of an internship program before accepting a position with Brentwood Fire & Rescue. He lives in Clarksville with his wife and two sons.

Lt. Zach Scheitel

Brentwood Fire & Rescue recently prompted Scheitel from Engineer to Fire Lieutenant. He joined the department in January 2014 and was promoted to Engineer in November of 2016. Goss calls him a “Zach of all trades,” with Scheitel’s talents ranging from web design to home design, including building and construction. During his career, he has assisted with station upgrades and remodels, database development, and website management, and Scheitel is a key contributor to the department’s quality assurance program. Scheitel remains heavily involved in day-to-day shift operations, assisting with training for new hires and mentoring those preparing to promote to Engineer. In 2020, he was named the Brentwood Fire & Rescue Department’s Firefighter of the Year.

Anyone interested in becoming a Brentwood Firefighter is encouraged to check the Human Resources website regularly for current job openings. A video highlighting the benefits City employees receive is available here.