Adam Falch has been part of the Summit Fire Protection team for eight years, serving as a Fire Life Safety Technician in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. In his role, Adam services fire extinguishers and kitchen suppression systems while building strong relationships with customers across the region.
Before joining Summit, Adam spent the early years of his career working at a grocery store, eventually becoming a grocery manager. When the opportunity came along to try something new, Adam took a chance on a completely different industry—and it turned out to be one of the best decisions he’s ever made.
“Adam has been a good employee/tech and is always willing to help when needed. He puts his head down and gets his job done. He is one of the highest producers in our branch as well. Adam is dependable, friendly, knowledgeable, and great representative of the Eau Claire Branch,” said Nathan Shill, Branch Manager.
We sat down with Adam to learn more about his career path, what motivates him, and why he believes fire protection can be such a rewarding industry.
Can you tell us a little about your role at Summit Fire Protection?
My name is Adam Falch, and I’ve been with Summit for eight years. I’m a Fire Life Safety Technician, and I service fire extinguishers and kitchen suppression systems.
How did you get into the fire protection industry?
I actually started my career working at a grocery store and worked my way up to grocery manager.
An opportunity came up when another Summit employee mentioned that they were looking for another technician to add to the team. My dad was originally planning to apply for the position, but he encouraged me to apply too.
I knew I didn’t want to stay in the grocery business forever, and I felt like if I didn’t take the chance, I would regret it. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I’ve made for my career.
Was it difficult transitioning into a new industry?
Not really. I think a lot of it came down to work ethic and being willing to learn.
In Wisconsin, a lot of the training is done on the job, so I spent the first few months riding along with other technicians and learning everything I could.
I started out working mainly with fire extinguishers, and then after about a year I started getting more involved with kitchen suppression systems.
What training and certifications have you completed?
I’ve completed ANSUL classes, DOT certification, and a GETZ class for fire extinguishers.
Summit does a great job of making sure everyone has opportunities to attend classes and continue learning about different systems.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
One of the biggest things for me is building relationships with customers.
I came from a customer service background, so when I walk into a building, my goal is to make sure the customer is happy and up to date on everything they need.
Over time, customers get to know you, and you build that trust. Some of them know me by name, and when I come in each year, it feels more like catching up with people than just doing another service call.
What values are most important to you in your work?
Communication, teamwork, and consistency are really important to me.
I try to come to work every day with the same attitude, not let outside things affect my job, and not let work affect my life outside of work.
At the end of the day, I want to make people happy, help the company succeed, and then go home and spend time with my family.
How has this career helped with work-life balance?
The flexibility is huge. Coming from grocery management, I was basically on call all the time. If someone called out or something happened, I had to be there.
Now, I have a lot more flexibility with my schedule. I can start earlier, work later, or shift my hours around depending on what’s going on in my personal life.
The work-life balance is one of the biggest reasons I enjoy this career.
What do you enjoy most about working at Summit?
The people. Our branch feels like a second family. Everyone treats each other well, and there’s not a lot of drama.
We all have the same goal: make people safe, support each other, and help the business succeed.
What keeps you motivated, even on tougher days?
At this point, I’ve been doing this long enough that I know I can get through the hard days.
There are definitely days where you’re tired, sweaty, and dealing with a lot, but I take pride in continuing to push through until the job is done.
No matter how tough the day gets, I’m going to keep moving forward.
Have you thought about future career goals?
I’m happy with where I’m at right now. I’ve had management responsibilities before, and while I’d be open to helping in a leadership or scheduling role someday, I really enjoy being able to come in, do my work, and go home.
The nice thing about this industry is that you can continue growing without necessarily moving into management. The more systems you learn, the more certifications you earn, and the more you can do, the more opportunities you have.
Is there a part of the job that feels especially meaningful?
One of the most rewarding parts of my job is helping with fire extinguisher training. A lot of people have never actually used a fire extinguisher before, so it can feel intimidating.
When you help someone become more comfortable and confident using one, you know that if they ever face a real emergency, they’ll be more prepared. Giving people that confidence can make a huge difference.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
For me, it always comes back to the customer feedback. When customers call in, leave positive survey responses, or say they’re glad to see me when I come in, that means a lot.
Knowing that people trust me to take care of their property and help keep them safe is what I’m most proud of.
What advice would you give to someone considering this career?
Give it a shot. There are going to be hard days, and there are going to be days where you question whether it’s worth it. But if you stick with it, it can be an incredibly rewarding career with great flexibility, long-term growth opportunities, and meaningful work.
If you’re thinking about getting into the industry, it’s worth taking the chance.
