Adam Markert named La Crosse Firefighter of the Year

A 15-year veteran of the La Crosse Fire Department, who specializes in fitness training and Hazmat, received an annual award from his co-workers. 

Captain Adam Markert was voted the 2022 Firefighter of the Year, getting the award on Tuesday at the main fire station. 

Markert said the path to working as a fireman began after he finished college, and his attitude at the time was, “I feel like I could be doing other things that will benefit society a little more than just a sociology degree.”

“This job, you have a little bit of something different every day,” he added. “There’s excitement, there’s teaching, there’s learning constantly.”

Markert’s wife and children were on hand for the ceremony at Fire Station 1 on Market Street.

He spoke about his two families — at home and at the firehouse.

“This is my second family here,” he said, referring to the other firefighters, “but more importantly, my second family and my family, it becomes just one big family. Everybody looks out for each other.”

This is the ninth year that the La Crosse Fire Department has chosen a Firefighter of the Year from peer nominations and voting.