FIRE CHIEF TELLS COFFEE GROUP OF DEPARTMENT'S CHANGING ROLE; FOCU WILL BE ON PREVENTION AND EDUCATION

Cape Girardeau Fire Chief Bob Ridgeway says the traditional role of the fire department in Cape Girardeau is changing, and it will change even more dramatically in the not-to-distant future.

"The fire service as we have all known it in the past is changing. No longer will you see us sitting in the firehouse waiting to fight fires," Ridgeway told a Chamber of Commerce First Friday Coffee gathering.

"Even the name fire department is no longer an accurate description of the fire service. Look at the patch on my uniform; it says fire rescue. This is the name most fire departments go by now because we are involved not only in fighting fires, but in other public services.

"And we're going to be doing a lot more of it in Cape Girardeau in the future. Today, the fire service does so much more; they have to do so much more, because the needs and demands are there."

As an example, Ridgeway noted the fire department's emergency medical service response program, which began about a month ago. It will expand this summer as soon as a First Responder training program is completed later this month.

Also, the fire chief said starting this fall, the four fire stations will begin an adopt-a-school program for schools located in their area of responsibility. Each fire station will be responsible for the fire safety, fire prevention and other safety education and training programs that are conducted in those schools. He also mentioned more programs and public education in the community on hazardous materials safety. All of this, he said, is in addition to the traditional role of the fire service: firefighting.

Ridgeway said when a fire occurs, it is generally recognized that there has been a failure somewhere in the system.

He said: "Think of a fire as a failure, because it is. Every time we roll out of the firehouse on a fire call, it's a systems failure, a failure somewhere in our public education program, a failure somewhere in our fire prevention program, a failure somewhere down the line in our code enforcement program. And every time we go out the door of the firehouse, it means someone is in trouble."

Ridgeway said the future of the fire service is education and prevention; that is, preventing fires that damage and kill from ever happening in the first place. "We do not want to see you or your friends lose their possessions and homes, or even worse," he continued. "We look at this as a systems failure and that's the way we'll approach our duties in the future in Cape Girardeau.

"You're going to see a very heavy emphasis on public education. You're going to see local fire stations in Cape Girardeau become community centers for activities. You will learn to know who is the captain in charge of that neighborhood fire station because he's going to be seeing you. He's going to be working with you to help pre-plan your building, and help in any way he can."

Ridgeway said it won't be long before you can stop by your neighborhood fire station for advice on fire prevention and at the same time get your blood pressure checked. "You're going to see us at every community function, every community activity in this city because that's our job. We're members of this community, too. And we're going to be much more available to the community than we have in the past."

Ridgeway said the Cape Girardeau fire department is similar to the operation of a modern business. "I have a $2.5 million budget and 55 people that I'm responsible for, and that's a pretty good sized chore," he noted. "How do we do that? Through master planning for budgeting, capital improvements and personnel management.

"Right now, we're in the process of putting together a very comprehensive master plan for the fire department that will take us through the year 2000. That plan will include everything from personnel needs to training and education, on which there will be a very heavy emphasis, along with additional facilities and apparatus. And when we've completed the master plan it won't be stuck on some shelf. We plan to use it and revise it each year as the needs change."

Ridgeway said the Cape Girardeau Fire Department is working toward being prepared to do whatever is asked of it by the community.

"The fire service is rapidly becoming a customer-driven organization. It's the same theory that made Sam Walton successful; whatever the customer needs we're going to be there to provide the service, and be one step ahead of that demand when possible," he said.

"It's going to take a little time, but Cape Girardeau has a wonderful organization in its fire department. The people have been very receptive to new ideas, and have been able to participate in the decision-making process during the past three months that I've been here, and there's a lot more to come."

Ridgeway said today and in the future, the citizens of Cape Girardeau will see their fire service become a fully integrated part of the community and other city departments.