Algood firefighters, EMS a family

If you grew up in Algood, chances are you know almost everyone else that did too.

David Judd is the current fire chief. 

“I can’t imagine living anywhere else,” he said. “And I’ve traveled to a lot of places.”

The same sentiment lies with (step)father and son team, John Chea and Brad Hughes.

“We joined the fire department around the same time last summer,” John said. “He’s my stepfather, but he’s really a father to me.”

Both men credit the fact that they work with the fire department in saving a family member’s life.

“I’ll never forget, it was New Year’s Day 2026,” Brad’s wife, Julie, said. 

John remembers that morning getting busy early. 

“There was an apartment fire, a car fire, some medical calls and other things,” he recalled. 

Brad, Julie, their 14 year old son Aden and their other son were in Algood that afternoon getting groceries and decided to grab some lunch prior to heading home in Overton County. 

Aden is wheelchair bound, having undergone four open heart surgeries and two strokes. He is also autistic and non-verbal.

“I remember my other son asking if it was okay if Aden could have the cheesy roll from Taco Bell,” Julie said. 

Brad then persuaded Julie to go back and look at the fire scene.

“I didn’t want to, but Brad convinced me,” Julie said. “Looking back, I’m glad he did.”

It was a blessing in disguise when they turned around.

“We had just gotten off Hwy. 111 and Aden started choking on a piece of food,” she said. “Brad got in the back and tried to help him clear it.”

Brad’s efforts weren’t working.

“I knew we didn’t have time to go to the ER,” Julie said. “So Brad thought of heading to the fire department.”

With Brad in the back trying to help Aden, who was turning blue, unresponsive and not breathing, Julie knew time was of the essence.

“When we got here, Brad banged on the door and I grabbed Aden,” Julie remembered.

Judd was just next door in the fire hall, cleaning the truck from the earlier fire.

“When I saw the alert that CPR was being done at the fire hall, I didn’t know who it was,” he said. “I thought for a split second it was me.”

Paramedics were in the building and rushed to Aden’s aid.

“They started working to clear his airway and get him intubated,” Julie said. “They were calm and I held his hand the entire time. I never prayed so hard.”

Once stabilized, he was transported to Cookeville Regional where a helicopter was waiting to transfer him to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.

“That whole crew was amazing,” Julie said. 

Aden spent six days at Vanderbilt. 

“He was on a ventilator and being treated for aspiration pneumonia,” she said. 

He passed the swallow tests and was discharged with no further problems found.

“It was a fluke,” Julie said.

The day after discharge, Aden – who is Brad’s biological son – was officially adopted by Julie. She and Brad have had custody of him since 2021.

“God knew that when these boys joined the fire department, He had a plan for them,” Julie said. “He knew what was going to happen.”

Brad joined the fire department because of John and his partnership and the medical knowledge he can receive while on the force.

“We live in a very rural area and the ambulance can take a while to get there,” he said. “My dad is a paramedic in east Tennessee and I had to learn how to help my mom when I was around Aden’s age because she had lupus and was a diabetic.”

He credits that to his calm and collected personality.

“I think that helps people in crisis,” he said.

John always wanted to be a firefighter.

“I remember hanging out at the fire hall at an early age and then moving into the Putnam County Explorer team when I was a teen,” he said. “I wanted to join the fire department – that was the goal.”

He went through EMT school after high school, following his family’s footsteps in helping people.

He also has a lot of family who have been in the military. He enlisted in the Navy – after he got married.

“The interesting thing about the Navy is that everyone is a fire fighter,” he said. “You have to go through rigorous fire training because when you’re on the ship in the middle of the ocean, you can’t call the fire department.”

He and Brad are going on one year since joining the Algood fire department.

“In my role, you see people start a young age and it’s hard to describe their dedication,” Judd said. “The training is not for everyone.”

Brad credits his connection with the fire department for saving Aden’s life.

“If I hadn’t been working here with this team, I would never have thought about it,” he said.

CUTLINE FOR FAMILY PHOTO IN FRONT OF FIRE TRUCK AND FIRE HALL:

From left, Algood fire chief David Judd, Julie Hughes, Aden Hughes, Brad Hughes and John Chea.