Township’s next fire chief shares vision for department

WEST BLOOMFIELD — On June 27, Mark Lawry will begin as the new fire chief for West Bloomfield Township, following the June 26 retirement of the current chief, Greg Flynn.

The appointment was made official by a unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees, 7-0, during the March 9 meeting.  

“I cannot be any more honored or humbled at the appointment and the ability to lead the firefighters and the men and women who serve this community,” Lawry said. 

He described his 22 years and counting with the township as “fortunate, fortunate, fortunate,” and the men and women of the West Bloomfield Fire Department as “awesome.”

Trustee Michael Patton, a former West Bloomfield police chief, worked closely with Lawry for more than five years before Patton’s retirement in early 2025.

“He was always very professional, very disciplined and very energetic. He has always been a great leader … and a great addition to the community,” Patton said.

Lawry has been in the deputy chief position for about seven years. He praised the mentorship Flynn provided.  

As chief, Lawry said he will continue the core values of the department: professionalism, knowledge and kindness — all words that appear on WBFD vehicles. 

One of his passions is the professional development of his team.

“My priority to you is to provide you with the resources, training and support that you need to go home every morning,” Lawry said to more than 30 members of the Fire Department gathered at the board meeting to support the announcement of his appointment. 

Along with Flynn, Lawry implemented the After Action Review Process, which according to the deputy chief has three key principles. The first is to determine what was supposed to happen, in the framework of the standard operating guidelines. Second, account for what really happened, because not all incidents are the same. And third, determine why something happened, and from there determine how to improve.

“As a result, (our officers have) exponentially grown in professionalism, knowledge and skill set,” Lawry said. “It is visible inside the department and on service calls.”

According to Lawry, the succession plan is to have officers prepared to perform roles two levels higher than their current position. This way, if something happens to one individual —say, if they are hurt or gone — “anyone can step into these roles and not miss a beat,” he said. 

Lawry brought this program to the West Bloomfield Fire Department after learning of it in the U.S. Army, where he served 10 years in the Army Airborne Infantry. He traveled the world, served in the Gulf War, jumped out of planes, carried firearms and retired as a captain.

The Midland native and Michigan State University graduate wanted to continue doing something he considered fun. His wife told him he could do anything he wanted, as long as he wasn’t required to carry a gun. So, he became a firefighter.

While at the fire academy, he admired the professionalism and the skill set of the instructors who were currently working at the West Bloomfield Fire Department and said that is where he wanted to be. After spending less than a year at the Hazel Park Fire Department and applying three times with the WBFD, the third time was the charm. He was then qualified for the position, having become a paramedic and met the other requirements needed.

“I told Chief (James) Poppelreiter, ‘This is my third time interviewing at West Bloomfield, and I really, really want to work here,’” Lawry said. “I found a home at Hazel Park (Fire Department) but always wanted to end up serving in West Bloomfield.”

As a result, Lawry was first on the hiring list for that class of 11 firefighters, joining the WBFD more than 20 years ago. He rose through the ranks starting as a firefighter and then becoming a training captain. Currently, he is deputy chief.

There are aspects of the deputy chief’s role that he considers a lot of fun, and he would like to incorporate them in his role as chief. This includes training the team and the one-on-one quarterly coaching sessions. Conversely, there are pieces of the chief’s role that may not be as fun for him, he said, like the budget and all the meetings he will be required to attend. 

“Chief Flynn and I have two different skill sets, and that works well for us,” Lawry said. “The person who is going to take my role, I hope has a different skill set than me, so we can bounce (ideas) off of one another and continue to move forward.”

Flynn said he is pleased with the appointment of his successor.

“Mark is an energetic, committed, focused professional that shares a vision and is able to implement and execute like very few I have met in my professional career,” Flynn said. “Mark Lawry has earned the position of fire chief through his demonstrated skill set that he shows at the WBFD. Mark Lawry has my 100% support and recommendation to be the next fire chief. I am very grateful that the township board sees what I see in Mark.”

When Lawry was asked what he wants for the West Bloomfield Fire Department, he said, “To win. I want to win at being the most professional … the most knowledgeable … and the most kind (department). I want to be the quickest responding, safest and the best equipped. If you put all those things together, that is my driving force.”