Marshall honors Fire Chief Quentin Brunsvold as regional Fire Officer of the Year

The Marshall City Council recognized Fire Chief Quentin Brunsvold for receiving the Fire Officer of the Year award in the category for departments serving populations over 10,000.

Deputy Chief Jay Olson, who introduced the recognition, said the award emphasizes “leadership, innovation, professional development, integrity, service to the public, and contributions to the fire service as a whole.” He told the council the statewide committee received an unusually large number of nominations this year and that, in the award’s 19‑year history, only three winners have been chiefs outside the metro area.

Olson cited department initiatives developed under Brunsvold’s leadership, including tactical changes in firefighter training, the department’s CAT (confined‑space/technical) team and a newly formed rope‑rescue team. Olson said Brunsvold completed leadership coursework and advanced training at Camp Ripley on fire code topics, and those experiences informed department practices.

Fire Chief Quentin Brunsvold thanked his colleagues and the two former Marshall chiefs who attended, and said, “We’re not here for the pay, we’re not here for the recognition, we’re here to make sure we serve all of you and all of them.” The mayor and multiple council members applauded the chief and the department.

Council members who spoke praised the time the department invests in training and the contribution of volunteers and staff to regional rescue capabilities. The city framed the recognition as ceremonial; no formal policy action or budget change was tied to the award at the meeting.

The council moved on to other agenda items after the brief recognition and applause.