Reception Honors Tupelo Fire Chief As He Retires

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – Tupelo Fire Chief Thomas Walker spent his last day on the job surrounded by family, friends, and colleagues.

A reception for Chief Walker was held at the Tupelo Convention and Visitors Bureau.  Walker is retiring after nearly twelve years leading the department.

Walker joined the fire department in 1997 as a firefighter and was promoted to investigator the following year.   In 2004 he was named deputy chief and he became chief in September of 2009.

Walker says he will miss the guys in the fire department, but he has plenty to keep him busy.

“I’ve got two grandchildren, Emmitt and Eliza, and being a part of their life, more so now, with more time.  I will do some carpentry work for my son,  my wife Dana has a honey-do list that will keep me busy for probably three or four months, but I can tell you the main thing I’m going to be doing is low stress and low drag,” Chief Walker said.

Chief Walker began his career as a fireman in 1983 at Iuka.