Noon Exchange Club names Firefighter of the Year

Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department (MFRD) employee Tim Rowlett has been named, ‘Firefighter of the Year,’ by the Noon Exchange Club of Murfreesboro.

The award was presented at the Noon Exchange Club of Murfreesboro 2019 Fire and Crime Prevention Banquet held at First Methodist Church on Thompson Lane Thursday, Oct. 10.

Chief Mark Foulks accepted the award on behalf of Rowlett, who was unable to attend.

“I’m extremely proud of Rowlett,” Foulks said. “This award clearly represents his compassion and dedication to this department and the community he so proudly serves.”

On Sunday, July 21, 2019, Rowlett, who was off-duty, responding to a fire with his personal vehicle to assist with firefighting and the transport of an injured County firefighter. He lived just down the road form the fire scene. Rowlett used his four-wheeler to move water and personnel up to the front of the line and made it possible to move an injured firefighter from the hot zone to an ambulance 2,500 feet away. As the scene ended, Rowlett used his truck and trailer to haul the county’s fire hose to a safe location so that they could reload it.

“I was surprised and didn’t really expect being named, ‘Firefighter of the Year’,” Rowlett said. “I really appreciate it; I was just doing my job. Whether I’m on-duty or off-duty, I’ll always be a firefighter.”

Rowlett began his career with MFRD in November 1995. He was first hired as a Firefighter before being promoted to Driver/Engineer in December 2006. Prior to joining MFRD, at the age of 16, he was a Junior Volunteer Firefighter with the Salem-Blackman Volunteer Fire Department.

On Aug. 8, 2019, Rowlett was recognized at meeting of the Murfreesboro City Council by Mayor Shane McFarland with the STARS award for Outstanding Performance: “Succeeding Through Attitudes Reflecting Service Excellence.”

The Noon Exchange Club of Murfreesboro has been serving the Murfreesboro Community in Middle Tennessee since October 1979. Its goal is to promote the spirit of Exchange by sponsoring other clubs through Elementary, High School, Collegiate and other Exchange Civic Clubs.