Tupelo Fire Chief Thomas Walker To Retire At The End Of May

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – Tupelo’s longtime fire chief will soon be retiring. Fire Chief Thomas Walker has been part of the Tupelo fire department for more than two decades and talked about his most memorable moments, what he will miss most about the career, and his future plans.

Tupelo Fire Chief Thomas Walker joined the department in 1997, as a firefighter. The next year he was promoted to fire investigator. In 2004 Walker was named deputy chief and in September 2009, he was appointed fire chief by Mayor Jack Reed Junior.

Walker’s interest in firefighting began as a youngster.

“In the early 70s, my uncle’s house caught on fire, and I remember going over there that night, the fire truck was still, guys were still working, and it was at that point where I said, ‘This is what I want to do,” Chief Walker said.

Twenty-four years after joining the Tupelo Fire Department, Chief Walker says he has accomplished all of his career goals and now wants to spend more time with his wife, Dana, his kids, and grandkids.

“I”m 56, I’m healthy, I don’t have any health issues, I don’t take any medication, and I don’t want to stay in a job like this, where the stress level, it’s a little high, I have a four-year-old grandson, and about to be three-year-old granddaughter, I was sitting thinking the other day, somebody’s got to teach them how to fish, I thought, it’s time for me to step up to another job,” he said.

Chief Walker says there have been many changes in equipment over the years, to keep firefighters safer, and ongoing training helps make sure firefighters are prepared for any emergency.

The chief says he’s thankful for a career that has allowed him to help many people meet a few dignitaries, including a sitting President, and even make a child’s wish come true, who wanted to be a firefighter for a day.

Chief Walker says he will definitely miss the firefighters he works with every day.

“To tell you I’m not going to miss the guys, would be a lie, I will really miss them, I mean, when you work with a group of people, some come and some go, but the core majority of this group, I have been with my entire carer,” Chief Walker said.

Chief Walker he will also miss the adrenaline rush firefighters get as they are answering a call, but the chief says he will not miss the phone calls he has received many times, as he and his family are eating lunch after church, or at other odd hours, calling him away to a fire or other emergency.

Chief Walker says he is also proud that under his leadership, Tupelo improved its fire rating for the first time since the early 1970s. The chief’s last day at Station One is May 28th.