Crossville Firefighter and Advanced EMT Jade Callister recognized for her successful efforts to change Tennessee law to make assaulting a first responder a felony.
Callister was physically assaulted at a private residence in 2025 while performing her duties. The new law, which went into effect July 1, 2026, aligns the penalties for assaulting firefighters and emergency medical providers with those already in place for law enforcement officers.
“I knew that it couldn’t happen again and the way to combat that was legislation,” Callister said. “It will happen again. However, with legislation, hopefully there’s the accountability that when it does occur, that these people will be held liable for it.”
Callister championed the change through the state legislature. The act was previously classified as a simple misdemeanor. The amendment to Tennessee Law 39-13-116 makes the offense a felony punishable by a mandatory 60 days in jail and a $10,000 fine.
“It wasn’t a choice of should I or shouldn’t I?” Callister said. “It was instinct. I knew that change had to take place. I knew I had to have my brothers’ and sisters’ backs and we did it as a team, with God leading the way.”
Callister said she tracked at least 10 cases since the law passed in July where individuals were charged with a felony for assaulting a first responder. Callister said the legislative process took approximately a year and a half to complete.
“I just looked today and minimum there’s probably more, but there’s at least 10 cases since July 1, 2026, when this passed, that there was an assault on a first responder,” Callister said. “To my knowledge, all of those individuals were charged with a felony.”
Crawford said the city is grateful for the support of Senator Paul Bailey, Representative Kip Capley, and Speaker Cameron Sexton for their roles in passing the legislation. Crawford said the change provides necessary protection for those discharging their duties for the department.
“I wouldn’t change a thing and it led to a positive outcome,” Callister said.
