There were 1,691 press releases posted in the last 24 hours and 413,069 in the last 365 days.

Veteran East Tennessee Codes Official Will Lead State Fire Academy Codes Training Program

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) and the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) announce that veteran

Tennessee building codes expert Laurie Sharp will join the Tennessee State Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy (TFACA) as a Codes Enforcement Instructor Supervisor.

Sharp, who is a resident of Kingsport and has served for the past seven years as a Fire and Building Codes Inspector II in East Tennessee for the SFMO, will lead TFACA’s instructors in helping train and educate future generations of Tennessee codes and building inspectors. In addition to her work in codes enforcement, Sharp has also served as firefighter, firefighter instructor and as a training officer. She has also successfully written, submitted and implemented numerous grants during her career.

“My career in the fire service and codes enforcement has fully prepared me to lead the Academy’s codes enforcement program and help develop a training curriculum that will result in highly trained fire and building codes professionals who can help ensure Tennessee residents can live and work in safety,” said Sharp. “I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to be appointed to this role, and I am incredibly excited to serve Tennessee.”

During her work as a codes enforcement official, Sharp has accumulated a wealth of experience, completing over 120 code enforcement projects including working with fire and building officials from the cities of Kingsport, Bristol and Elizabethton. In addition to obtaining numerous nationally recognized certifications such as Firefighter I and Firefighter II, she holds an associate’s degree and is currently working toward completing her bachelor’s degree with an emphasis in Fire Administration from Columbia Southern University.

“Laurie’s experience, skills and reputation make her an ideal fit for TFACA and will help us diversify our team,” said Academy Executive Director Jeff Elliott. “Laurie’s background and leadership mean great things for the Academy and for the state of Tennessee.”

Laurie Sharp’s first day is Monday, Nov. 15.

###