Mark Niemi 37

Rice Lake Fire Department

What do you do professionally?

My full-time career job is working for Minnesota Power as a field worker in the meter department. My second part-time job is with the Rice Lake Volunteer Fire Department as the fire chief.

How are you involved in the community? Do you volunteer with any organizations?

For the last 16 years I have dedicated my time and committed to serving the community of Rice Lake as a member and leader of the Rice Lake Fire Department. This experience has given me some of the most rewarding moments in my life and created some of my strongest friendships. Some of the best times volunteering with the fire department come when we are involved in community events. Fire prevention talks with Homecroft Elementary school students are always a highlight each year. Having the opportunity to be a role model and mentor to the community’s youth is something I don’t take for granted.

What is important to you?

Family. My wife and three daughters (7-yearold and twin 5-year-olds) are and always will be the most important part of my life. Family is the first place we learn about ourselves and who we could possibly become. Family values and moral character learned shape who we are in the lives we live. Being that role model for my daughters and making sure they learn and understand the importance of honesty, respect, and service to others, as well as perseverance and courageousness, is something I look forward to as their dad. Raising good wellrounded kids is something my wife and I are very focused on.

How do you spend your free time?

I am definitely an outdoors person when it comes to my free time. Hiking is always a family favorite for us. We recently took a winter break trip to Sedona, Arizona, and spent the majority of our time hiking. In total we did about 18 miles of hiking in three days and the little legs of our three girls rocked every bit of it. I’m excited to spend some more time this summer doing longer sections of the Superior Hiking Trail as a family.

Favorite things about living and working in the Northland?

I’ve been a Duluth and Rice Lake area resident my entire life. Living in a location where you are able to stop and take it all in, versus getting caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, has been something that has appealed to me for a long time. Living in this region has many advantages from quick access to area lakes, snowmobile trails, and hiking trails for the outdoor enthusiast, to the arts and historical areas around town, the region really has options for anyone. The small community feel with plenty of things to do and experience truly makes this area a perfect place to raise a family.

What advice would you give to up and coming professionals?

Take a risk on the things that you are unsure about but passionately believe in. Some of the biggest improvements as an organization have come from a thought that didn’t seem like the popular idea. Stepping outside of your comfort zone from time to time, paired with hard work, allows you the opportunity to accomplish something spectacular.

Favorite moment in life?

The favorite moment in my life is the first time my crew responded to a medical call resulting in saving a life. I can remember the sense of accomplishment knowing that all the hours of training and preparation for the “what if” event finally paid off. It was an extreme sense of euphoria for me. For those of us in the emergency services field, we don’t join these organizations for the accolades, awards, or recognition. We do this because the community needs us to and we take great pride in knowing what we do for others is making a difference when someone else desperately needs it. The internal feeling of success is what drives many of us in servant leadership to continue doing what we do.

Who has inspired you or your favorite motivational quote?

It’s not a who has inspired me, but a what. In 2013 and 2015 the Rice Lake Fire Department suffered Line of Duty Deaths of two extremely valued and important members of our fire department family. Since that time, I have been focused on making a cultural change and shift of our department. Valuing the legacy of the individuals that came before us and picking out the best qualities of each of those inspirational members has helped guide the direction of the Rice Lake Fire Department, which has grown the last eight years.

From the nominator

“Mark has been an important shepherd of the Rice Lake Fire Department: Helping to grow the department and the city safely, assisting our neighbors during their hour of need, remembering those who have fallen, and guiding in the protection of all of our citizens. Congrats on your well-deserved recognition!”