American Legion Ravalli Post 47 has announced that Hamilton Volunteer Fire Department’s (HVFD) very own Captain Thomas B. Pitzinger was selected as the Firefighter of the Year 2021-2022 for the American Legion Department of Montana.
Pitzinger joined the Hamilton Fire Department on June 5, 2003 and earned a certification as Firefighter III through the Fire Service Training, Montana Board of Public Education. Throughout his 18 years with the Department, Captain Pitzinger’s leadership has helped create an atmosphere of teamwork and esprit de corps for one of the best trained volunteer firefighting units in the entire state. He currently serves as Assistant Chief and received the Ravalli County First Responders Award (2017), Masonic Lodge 38 Fireman of the Year (2019) award, and the Mayor’s Citizenship Award for “Fire Fighter of the Year” (2020).
Pitzinger works for the Hamilton School District #3 as a Transportation Director and School Grounds Director. One of his many duties includes driving a bus for the Hamilton High School sports teams on out-of-town trips. He logged over 20,000 miles per year of accident-free safe driving and was named the 2018 Montana Association of Pupil Transportation (MAPT) Transportation Person of the Year. He has been Chairman of the Kids School Fire Prevention Program which instructs children in third grade and below in fire safety and what firefighters do.
Pitzinger drives the fire truck in parades and, when winning sports teams return to Hamilton, they are greeted at the city line to ride on the fire trucks through the city to the school in celebration. He also showcases the great work of the HVFD as a Fire Hall tour guide for civic organizations and interested citizens of the county.
And if that isn’t enough, Tom, his wife Jennifer, family, and friends started the Big Hole Warriors Camp in 2019. Every year they provide 10 Montana wounded warrior veterans the experience of elk hunting from a camp on the west side of the Big Hole Valley in the Twin Lakes area of Beaverhead County.
The American Legion Ravalli Post 47 proudly salutes Captain Thomas B. Pitzinger as Firefighter of the Year for the American Legion Department of Montana and profoundly thanks his wife Jennifer and whole family for their many sacrifices in proudly supporting our community together.
Pitzinger and his family will be presented with special recognition and honors at the Montana American Legion Department State Convention in Missoula this coming June.