Veteran Firefighter Tapped to Lead Signal Mountain, TN, Fire Department

Former Chattanooga Battalion Chief Travis Williams takes the helm immediately.

By Sam Kohn

Source Chattanooga Times Free Press, Tenn. (TNS)

Nov. 4, 2026

2 min read

Travis Williams replaces the previous chief who resigned amid complaints about a social media post.

Seventy-three days after the town's previous fire chief resigned amid controversy over social media posts, Signal Mountain has chosen a new leader for its fire department.

Travis Williams, a 25-year veteran of the Chattanooga Fire Department, will step into the role of fire chief, effective immediately, according to a press release from the Signal Mountain Fire Fighters Association.

"This was never about finding the most impressive name on paper," Robert Clark, the association's president, said in the press release. "It was about finding the right fit."

During his time with the Chattanooga Fire Department, Williams worked as a firefighter, a safety chief and a battalion chief. He was highly recommended for the role by his co-workers at the Chattanooga Fire Department, according to the release.

The previous chief, Larry Sloan, resigned on Aug. 21 after an internal town review determined that his social media conduct was “unbecoming of a public servant and eroded public trust in our first responders,” according to a statement at the time attributed to Town Manager Matthew Justice.

The social media conduct in question was a video published to Sloan's personal TikTok account in May that responded to comments made by U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortex, D- New York, at a rally in Montgomery, Alabama.

Sloan served as Signal Mountain's fire chief for nearly three years.

Applications were open to the public and considered by town leadership, according to Justice.

During the two-month, two-week period without a fire chief, the town elected police chief Mike Williams as the interim fire chief. He oversaw both departments, which includes 26 people in the fire department and 14 police officers, according to the town's human resources department.

Travis Williams has received multiple commendation ribbons over the years through his work with the Chattanooga Fire Department, according to newspaper archives.

"We look forward to working with Chief Williams to serve and protect the citizens of Signal Mountain," Clark said.

Contact digital producer Sam Kohn at [email protected].