It is the first Monday of May, which means we are recognizing another valued member of our team during #MeetUsMonthly. 

Battalion Chief Mark Morris is a veteran of the Clayton Fire Department and honored to say he has spent his entire career here. With 19 years of experience under his belt, two of which were part-time and 17 of which were full-time, he has considerable insight when responding to incidents, scheduling crews, and maintaining the fire equipment and trucks.

A native of the Town of Clayton, Morris recalls growing up in a residence off Shotwell Road and attending Clayton High School. Hearing countless stories from his uncle, who was a firefighter, he decides to pursue a similar career path by obtaining an associate degree at Wilson Community College and accepting a position in a place that he is proud to call home. “I like the people. It’s where I grew up, so I’m really familiar with the area. I know where I’m going a lot of times, and I know a lot of people who we deal with every day.” 

One of the most-asked questions that he receives on the job centers around the department’s response to calls. Morris says people are curious to know why a fire truck will suddenly cut out its lights and sirens before heading back in the other direction. “Once somebody gets on the scene of a call, we typically try to turn the other unit around, so they’re back in service.”

Outside of work, Morris savors family time, especially with his children. He also likes to hunt, fish, and enjoy some of the town’s traditions, like the Clayton Christmas Parade.