MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Mayor Shane McFarland recognized Murfreesboro Fire Rescue firefighters Daniel Carter and Josh Walker with STARS Awards Thurs. Feb. 16, 2023, for their selfless act in responding to a motor vehicle crash in Cannon County.

Carter and Walker were conducting EMT clinicals in Cannon County on the day of the crash and were honored during the regular Council meeting for their swift response and treatment of a critically injured crash victim. 

Firefighter Daniel Carter completed fire trainee training and became a firefighter Aug. 13, 2022. Firefighter Josh Walker completed fire trainee training and became a firefighter Sept. 8, 2022. Both STARS Award winners started working for MFRD as a Fire Trainee on Jan. 31, 2022.

Justin Harris, director of EMS in Cannon County, e-mailed the following description to Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Chief Mark McCluskey: 

“Chief McCluskey, we have several of your people do EMT clinicals with us quite often and it is always nice to have them. Their skills are always sharp, and their help is top notch. The reason for the email today is to send commendation of two of your firefighters that rolled up on a bad MVC (motor vehicle crash) this morning in our county. Around 07:45 we had a small SUV pull out in front of a semi-truck traveling at 65 mph on Hwy. 70 causing a high-speed T-bone type collision. This was a very ugly wreck with an extremely critical patient. Your guys were the first people to drive up on the scene. They immediately stopped and went into action. Upon my arrival, they were assisting my crew in the back of the ambulance and did all the way until the patient was on the helicopter at the scene. Their help was invaluable to the crew and the patient. It was nice to work alongside some MFRD personnel again. The two men’s names were Josh Walker and Daniel Carter. You should be proud of these two for their selfless act and the great outlook it gave to your [Murfreesboro Fire Rescue] department. Thank you for your time and I am sure I will see you around somewhere down the road.” 

Justin K. Harris
Director, M.D.I.
Cannon County EMS

STARS stands for “Succeeding Through Attitudes Reflecting Service Excellence.” They are examples of representing the City in a positive light, exhibiting the core values, and creating a better quality of life for citizens.

The STARS Service Excellence program recognizes outstanding employees who embody the city’s standards for service excellence and exemplify the city’s core service values. The purpose of the STARS award is to recognize and reward those employees who go beyond their normal job duties in providing outstanding customer service to internal and external customers.

Congratulations to Daniel Carter and Josh Walker for being named the January 2023 STARS Award recipients for responding quickly with their life-saving skills in treating a critically injured patient after a serious vehicle crash in Cannon County.