After 28 years serving the communities of Algona, Auburn and Pacific, Captain Norm Golden is resigning from the Valley Regional Fire Authority to accept a position as Deputy Chief of Operations for the Tukwila Fire Department.

Golden was hired on October 1, 1992 by the City of Auburn Fire Department and over the years, worked in many leadership roles including Officer in Charge of the Medical Services Division, Station Facilities Manager, CPR/AED and Competency Based Training Instructor and Shift Fire Investigation Specialist. He was promoted to Captain in 1999 and Fire Marshal in 2012, returning to field operations as a Captain in 2017.

His career was highlighted with several awards including Fire Officer of the Year in 2003 and 2016, a Medal of Commendation and five 5 Meritorious Unit Citations.

VRFA Deputy Chief Brad Thompson, who worked alongside Golden for many years commented, “Without question, Norm is one of the most compassionate firefighters I have ever met. His legacy, to me, is how he took care of his crew members and the citizens he served.”

In addition to his on-shift work, Golden represented his fellow firefighters in the Valley Professional Firefighters Union, Local 1352. He held several positions including President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Shift Steward.