Mark Armstrong is Tumwater’s Firefighter of the Year

Tumwater named fire prevention officer Mark Armstrong as the 2022 Firefighter of the Year during a city council meeting yesterday, November 15.

Fire Chief Brian Hurley presented Armstrong with a plaque recognizing his work along with a United States flag flown both at the United States and Washington State capitols.

Hurley said that Armstrong graduated high school from Bellingham and served as a volunteer firefighter in Whatcom County before working for Tumwater in 1999, mainly as a driver operator.

Armstrong was promoted to fire prevention officer in 2021. He helped restart the city’s inspection program, which could not be conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“He has demonstrated the ability to work complex issues with business owners and folks in the community, helping them solve problems in a productive way,” Hurley said.

Hurley added that Armstrong is also helping with fire prevention efforts, such as this year’s fire extinguishing training program, which was conducted in middle schools.

“I had the pleasure of working directly with Mark for a number of years. We worked a bit together, and I can say he leads by example, and he also keeps you honest,” Hurley said.

Armstrong thanked the council for the recognition. “It's really nice to be recognized for the hard work that I have done this last year,” Armstrong said. “I like what I do, and it's going to make Tumwater a better place.”