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Sunday, June 10, 2018

Salisbury's New Fire Chief

Mayor Jake Day is excited to announce that current Deputy Fire Chief John W. Tull has been named as Salisbury’s next Fire Chief. Tull will replace outgoing Chief Rick Hoppes, who is retiring after 33 years of service to the Department. Tull’s selection was the culmination of a three-week hiring process during which a committee interviewed several qualified candidates from around the country.

Deputy Chief Tull is a lifelong resident of Salisbury and a 1990 graduate of Wicomico High School. Tull earned his Associate of Applied Science in Emergency Medical Services from Wor-Wic Community College and his Bachelor of Science in Fire Science, Summa Cum Laude, from Columbia Southern University.

Tull has been a dedicated member of the Salisbury Fire Department for the entirety of his career beginning as a volunteer Firefighter/EMT and working his way up. His past positions included Engine Lieutenant, Training Captain, Engine Captain, Assistant Fire Chief, and, currently, Deputy Fire Chief. In addition to his work with the Salisbury Fire Department he is also an Emergency Services Instructor for the University of Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute,


Deputy Chief Tull is both Maryland and Nationally-Certified as a Fire Fighter II, Fire Officer IV, Registered Paramedic, and Fire Instructor III. In addition he is Maryland and Nationally-Certified in multiple Special Operations disciplines including Hazardous Materials Technician, Confined Space Rescue Technician, Trench Rescue Technician, and Rope Rescue Technician. Tull is also a recognized member of the National Fire Service Staff and Command.

“Deputy Chief Tull has been a tremendous asset to us for a long, long time now,” said Mayor Day. “I have no doubt that he will serve our citizens in his new role as he has always served them – selflessly, and with honor. It is my pleasure to announce John Tull as the City’s new Fire Chief.”

Deputy Chief Tull said, “I am humbled by this opportunity to serve as the next Chief of the Salisbury Fire Department; it is truly an honor beyond measure. I am excited to start this new chapter, working with the tremendous men and women within the department to continue providing the highest possible level of public safety to our community.”

A recipient of the State of Maryland Governor’s Citation & Senate Resolution and the Maryland Star of Life Award, Tull lives in Salisbury with his wife Beverly and his two children, Justin and Natalie.

51 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great appointment, good person and a great Fire Fighter, nice to see the appointment from within the Department!

Anonymous said...

Well respected, Great choice!

Anonymous said...

How long will SBYNews readers be writing accolades? I also believe Mr Tull is the best choice, but I am also aware how SBYNews readers kicks butt and starts berating new appointments within a few weeks. I hope I am wrong and SBYNews continues to give the new Fire Chief the respect he deserves.

Anonymous said...

It’s a shame he wasn’t positioned for chief ahead of Hoppes. We would have actually progressed as a department over the last 5-6 years instead of the good old boy, status quo. This is a great move for SFD!!

Anonymous said...

Still the same unaccountable Administration..

Anonymous said...

Columbia Southern University is a for-profit college specializing in distance education, headquartered in Orange Beach, Alabama, United States.

Undergraduate tuition and fees: 5,135 USD (2015)

Hmmm?

Anonymous said...

Columbia Southern University

Graduation rate: 49% (2014)

Anonymous said...

What a joke. Same ole, same ole of the good ole boy system.

Anonymous said...

Why did Jake Day pretend he was doing a search for a candidate when he already promised the position to John Tull. What a waste of tax dollars and a waste of time to the people who interviewed and even submitted their resume.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Great appointment, good person and a great Fire Fighter, nice to see the appointment from within the Department!

June 6, 2018 at 7:36 AM

I guess you don't know John Tull, but then maybe you do. LMAO

Anonymous said...

John Tull has a Bachelor of Science in Fire Science, Summa Cum Laude, from Columbia Southern University?

How can a fake online college call someone a Summa Cum Laude when they aren't even an accredited college.

Makes me think Jake Day's fake degrees are from a diploma mill as well. SMDH

Anonymous said...

Says he's a paramedic, but he never did his time on the medic unit like the other paramedics working there.

Anonymous said...

Pathetic

Anonymous said...

"As you know, John W. Tull has been the Acting Deputy Chief of Operations since May 2009. Since that time John has faithfully served in that capacity and executed the office to which he was appointed with all diligence. However John has announced that he does not intend, nor does he desire to continue to act in the position of Deputy Fire Chief within the SFD."

Interest how John Tull quit and bailed out on the firefighters and the City after 4 months as the acting Deputy Fire Chief, but now all of a sudden he is capable and deserving to be the Fire Chief? LMAO

Anonymous said...

Joe are you censoring negative comments like the EBT Blogger is?

Anonymous said...

Since the city recently passed legislation stating that all department heads from that point on will be required to move into the city limits I wonder if Jake Day and the City Council will hold John Tull to that binding legislation?

Anonymous said...

1154 John worked for me before I retired and can tell he spent his time on the EMS units Sfowler asst. Chief Retired 2001

Anonymous said...

348
Does a bear $&!# in the woods?

Anonymous said...

It would be so easy to come on here and bring up NUMEROUS facts and situations where John has proven to be unreliable, incompetent and lacking a strong moral compass. Fortunately, many people already know who and what he truly is. If you are one of the ones who doesn’t know, stand by. Grab some popcorn and enjoy the show. John didn’t get those round lips from eating square meals. But hey, whatever it takes to get ahead.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous army put dows

Anonymous said...

Mayor Day doesn't need too much to be excited.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
It would be so easy to come on here and bring up NUMEROUS facts and situations where John has proven to be unreliable, incompetent and lacking a strong moral compass. Fortunately, many people already know who and what he truly is. If you are one of the ones who doesn’t know, stand by. Grab some popcorn and enjoy the show. John didn’t get those round lips from eating square meals. But hey, whatever it takes to get ahead.

June 6, 2018 at 10:19 PM

You've got that right! I'm on my second bucket of popcorn waiting for more of the facts to be unveiled.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Columbia Southern University

Graduation rate: 49% (2014)

June 6, 2018 at 9:35 AM

If you look at the resumes of most of the officers at the Salisbury Fire Department they all have a "college degree" from Columbia Southern University and they all have the answers to the online tests. The answers are passed from one fireman to the next. You can't even call it cheating because it isn't a real college so they aren't real exams.

What a friggin joke!

Anonymous said...

I wonder if John Tull is going to be forced to reside within the city limits as the charter requires. Yes it is the law and it can't be broken.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

Anonymous army put dows

June 6, 2018 at 11:59 PM

Huh?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
"As you know, John W. Tull has been the Acting Deputy Chief of Operations since May 2009. Since that time John has faithfully served in that capacity and executed the office to which he was appointed with all diligence. However John has announced that he does not intend, nor does he desire to continue to act in the position of Deputy Fire Chief within the SFD."

Interest how John Tull quit and bailed out on the firefighters and the City after 4 months as the acting Deputy Fire Chief, but now all of a sudden he is capable and deserving to be the Fire Chief? LMAO

June 6, 2018 at 3:41 PM

That he did. He ran away like a coward because he couldn't handle it. Then the fire department ended up with the likes of Dru Bragg.

What a nightmare that fire department has been!

Anonymous said...

John Tull was in a leadership position with Rick Hoppes when their fireman David Cox got arrested for impersonating a police officer. Then a year later he and Hoppes hire David Cox back even though it was discovered that he had multiple arrest records noted.

Then a couple of years later John Tull and Rick Hoppes promote David Cox as a Lieutenant. This thief and criminal has the power and authority to walk into your house during an emergency and take control of it. He has the power to go through all of your belongings and then notify law enforcement about what he finds.

This is reason enough not to promote John Tull.

By the way David Cox is assigned to Truck 1 at Station 1 so all you people that fought the volunteers from Station 1 you now have the Cream of the Crop. That's right my friends in Nutters, you now have David Cox to enter your home while you are at work if there is a reported emergency at your residence while you aren't there.

Enjoy my friends.

Anonymous said...

Fired, re-hired and promoted all under the watch of your new Fire Chief, John Wayne Tull, in the City of Salisbury!

Thursday, July 17, 2008
Salisbury Firefighter Arrested For Impersonating A Police Officer

Narrative: On 13 July 2008, a deputy of the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office stopped vehicle operated by David Wayne Cox for speeding on Sharptown Road in the Mardela Springs area. When Cox was stopped, he was operating a 1999 Ford Crown Victoria, gray in color, equipped with emergency lights, siren, antennae, and other equipment commonly found in police vehicles. As the deputy approached Cox, he displayed a gold badge to the deputy identifying himself as a Dorchester County Deputy Sheriff.
http://sbynews.blogspot.com/2008/07/salisbury-firefighter-arrested-for.html

Thursday, July 17, 2008
David Cox Was Loaded With Illegal Material
http://sbynews.blogspot.com/2008/07/david-cox-was-loaded-with-illegal.html

David Cox
In the past, David has held the positions of Lieutenant.
http://www.salisburyfd.com/node/profile.cfm?id=13

Anonymous said...

Actually, most of the grades for those classes cone from writing assignments. The work is checked for plagiarism when you submit it. Only a small percentage of the grade comes from multiple choice type exams.
You actually do have to put in the effort to get a good grade.

Anonymous said...


Anonymous said...
Columbia Southern University

Graduation rate: 49% (2014)

June 6, 2018 at 9:35 AM

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

49% graduation rate? That is embarrassing.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if Columbia Southern University has started football practice yet. I hear they have been going to Choices Academy to recruit some players.

Anonymous said...

"In addition to his work with the Salisbury Fire Department he is also an Emergency Services Instructor for the University of Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute"

He is?? When was the last time he has taught something because I never see him.

Anonymous said...

He is not a paramedic

Anonymous said...

His father in-law got him up in the ranks. Both him and his brother are pos

Anonymous said...

Fat boy didnt live in the city

Anonymous said...

I agree with 8:07 about Tommy pushing him up the ranks. John’s uncle in law probably helped him too. (Bob Culver County Executive)

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

Fat boy didnt live in the city

June 10, 2018 at 8:07 PM

The legislation was passed after Fatboy had already already been appointed and confirmed. Jim Ireton was telling some of the appointed department heads that all they needed was to live in a Salisbury zip code and he got away with it because it was a vague requirement at the time for department heads. Then the Salisbury City Council clarified and codified that requirement. It is now the law and Jake Day cannot change it to suit his pals.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
He is not a paramedic

June 10, 2018 at 8:03 PM

He was nothing but a card holder. His job assignment was on the fire engine, not the medic unit. He rarely rode the ambulance and only got his paramedic because he was going to switch to the EMS side and get much better pay than the firemen, but Daddy-in-Law told him he was a fool if he transferred to the low life gutbucket EMS side.

Looks like Daddy-in-Law was right.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Why did Jake Day pretend he was doing a search for a candidate when he already promised the position to John Tull. What a waste of tax dollars and a waste of time to the people who interviewed and even submitted their resume.

June 6, 2018 at 11:25 AM

Ha Ha Ha Ha! ROTFLMA off, you clowns got duped again! He had already told me who he was going to pick after I guessed it right. He told me not to tell anyone so I didn't. This isn't really telling anyone, LMAO!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Actually, most of the grades for those classes cone from writing assignments. The work is checked for plagiarism when you submit it. Only a small percentage of the grade comes from multiple choice type exams.
You actually do have to put in the effort to get a good grade.

June 10, 2018 at 6:38 PM

"...the grades for those classes cone from writing assignments..."


WTH is cone from writing assignments? Looks like you got one of those fly by night degrees from the diploma mill called Columbia Southern University.

Anonymous said...

I see all the comments about Columbia Southern University which is a "For Profit" online school that is also unaccredited.

Let's say that Mr. Tull decided he wanted to further his education and work on getting his MBA (Masters of Business Administration) from Salisbury University which a bachelors degree is required.

So Mr. Tull proudly carries is CSU Sheepskin over to SU and meets with the MBA director and they talk about the requirements and he is asked if he has his Bachelors degree. Mr. Tull is so proud that he fumbles to get that diploma out of the envelope that is was mailed in, stamps and all. The Director watches him fumble and finally gets his hands on and and Mr. Tull sees a smile on his face and John likes that. The Director says excuse me please and walks over to the next office and closes the door. As soon as that door goes "click" he cracks up rolling on the floor laughing his ass off.

Then when the Director regains his composure he takes a deep breath and a little squeal is heard. Then he says, "Mr. Tull we can not accept your degree and none of your college credits will transfer to this Institution." "We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors."

The bottom line is Mr. Tull's "college degree" isn't worth the paper it is written on.

Whoever let these people at the Salisbury Fire Department waste the hard earned tax dollars to enroll in that fake college needs to be fired.

Rick Hoppes and John Tull should have known better not to enroll in that fake school. It is not a bricks and mortar school. They don't require an interview, testing or anything, just a credit card number to pay for the class. Rick Hoppes and John Tull should have both should have been fired for wasting tax dollars on this scam. BUT!! The idiot Boi Mare promotes Mr. Tull to the highest ranking position in the Salisbury Fire Department.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Fat boy didnt live in the city

June 10, 2018 at 8:07 PM

LOL. I take it you are talking about Rick Hoppes as the Fat Boy? He is the chunky one.

I did see a picture of John Tull and Rick Hoppes in the Daily Litterbox Liner and John Tull is kind of chunky himself. That gut was hanging over that big fat belt buckle.

Why did the taxpayers of Salisbury and Wicomico County invest nearly a million dollars in that gym in the new firehouse at Station 16 if these 2 fatties and others never use it?

Fatty Hoppes and Fatty Tull are both in management positions that they can work out in the gym all day long if they wanted to. Neither one of them responds on calls any longer. Darrin Scott responds as a Deputy Chief and then the on-duty Assistant Cheif responds as well. You talk about duplicating services.

John Tull get off your lazy ass and work out since you have nothing else to do except suck up to Jake Day even more.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
His father in-law got him up in the ranks. Both him and his brother are pos

June 10, 2018 at 8:07 PM

If you are talking about Rick Tull you are 100% on the money. Rick Tull has a criminal record of domestic violence and the volunteers missed that or looked the other way.

Then the idiots at the Salisbury Fire Department hired Rick Tull as a paid Firefighter EMT. You know John Tull have some butt kissing going on for that to happen. They have the Office of the State Fire Marshal do background checks on all volunteers and paid firefighters. How did they miss that? Who hired him, was it Chief Bill Higgins, Steve Brezler or David See? Why did Rick Tull quit the Salisbury Fire Department when he had it made knowing his brother was the biggest a$$ kisser in the entire fire department? Look where it got him today. Kissing a$$ has always been the biggest way to get promoted in the Salisbury Fire Department.

Where are the people fighting domestic violence? Why didn't they protest the city and the fire department over this? They had to know because many people that knew him knew what was going on.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
I see all the comments about Columbia Southern University which is a "For Profit" online school that is also unaccredited.

Let's say that Mr. Tull decided he wanted to further his education and work on getting his MBA (Masters of Business Administration) from Salisbury University which a bachelors degree is required.

So Mr. Tull proudly carries is CSU Sheepskin over to SU and meets with the MBA director and they talk about the requirements and he is asked if he has his Bachelors degree. Mr. Tull is so proud that he fumbles to get that diploma out of the envelope that is was mailed in, stamps and all. The Director watches him fumble and finally gets his hands on and and Mr. Tull sees a smile on his face and John likes that. The Director says excuse me please and walks over to the next office and closes the door. As soon as that door goes "click" he cracks up rolling on the floor laughing his ass off.

Then when the Director regains his composure he takes a deep breath and a little squeal is heard. Then he says, "Mr. Tull we can not accept your degree and none of your college credits will transfer to this Institution." "We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors."

The bottom line is Mr. Tull's "college degree" isn't worth the paper it is written on.

Whoever let these people at the Salisbury Fire Department waste the hard earned tax dollars to enroll in that fake college needs to be fired.

Rick Hoppes and John Tull should have known better not to enroll in that fake school. It is not a bricks and mortar school. They don't require an interview, testing or anything, just a credit card number to pay for the class. Rick Hoppes and John Tull should have both should have been fired for wasting tax dollars on this scam. BUT!! The idiot Boi Mare promotes Mr. Tull to the highest ranking position in the Salisbury Fire Department.

June 11, 2018 at 3:29 AM

Now that is some funny crap there, but it's a fact.

Anonymous said...

People who claim to have college degrees from Columbia Southern University are making a big mistake if they plan on furthering their education credentials.

Since Columbia Southern University does not meet accreditation standards then most real bricks and mortar schools will not accept their courses for credit or their transcripts. If John Tull plans on going to get his masters degree, JD, Ph.D., Ed.D. then he is screwed because he wasted 4 years of his life. Most importantly he wasted 4 years of college credits paid for by my/our tax dollars. My family(wife, mother, and father) lives in this city and we can not afford to pay city and county taxes for John Tull and others at the Salisbury Fire Department to obtain these fake degrees.

This is a luxury that never should have started in the fire department and it needs to end.

Why couldn't Mr. Tull take classes at Salisbury University and get a degree in business? It would have been cheaper and it is job-related.

This perk needs to cease and if it is happening in other city departments then it has to end there as well.

Anonymous said...

Why didn’t they go to Salisbury University you ask? Because, like water, they take the path of least resistance. The policy says they have to have a degree. They go online and get one to satisfy requirements. It’s not about educating themselves or learning. It’s about meeting the requirement to get the position. Nothing more.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I think meat slurping Bootsy Gladwell is another Columbia Southern “student”.

Anonymous said...

Ya’lls a bunch of haters. I got me my official diplomer from Columbia Southern and I’m proud of myself. They made it so easy. Just send them money and I’m an official graduate. I always knowed I was smarter than everyone else. Now I got the paper to prove it.

Anonymous said...

June 10, 2018 at 5:25 PM- Jealous much? You have no idea what you are speaking about. If you could READ you would know that He did not do those things. If You knew Mr Cox at all You would know He would never do any of those things. He & his wife are wonderful people. He would never do anything like that. Unbelievable that people still dig up the past with no facts. Get a life.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Ya’lls a bunch of haters. I got me my official diplomer from Columbia Southern and I’m proud of myself. They made it so easy. Just send them money and I’m an official graduate. I always knowed I was smarter than everyone else. Now I got the paper to prove it.

June 11, 2018 at 8:36 PM

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Anonymous said...

You know if little doofus Gladwell and Dum Dum Darin Scott gets a degree from a "college" you know it has to be fake.

What a joke!