CAPE'S CHIEF ACHIEVES 32 YEARS IN FIRE SERVICE; HINDMAN PLANS RETIREMENT OCT. 1

After a 32-year career with the Cape Girardeau Fire Department, 28 in a supervisory capacity, Fire Chief Gene Hindman will take off his chief's shield and retire Oct. 1.

Hindman notified City Manager J. Ronald Fischer of his decision to retire in a letter to him Monday.

"My career with the Cape Girardeau Fire Department has been most rewarding," Hindman wrote. "Never, either now as a fire chief or as a 21-year-old rookie, have I regretted my choice of employment. However, with some concerns for my health, I feel it is time for my wife and me to further reap the harvests of our labors.

"With our children grown and doing well, we plan to do a little seeing the country, enjoy our two grandsons and anything else that life brings our way," Hindman wrote.

On Tuesday, Hindman, who will be 53 in September, said his decision to retire was not influenced by recent cuts made by the city in the police and fire departments.

"I was not under any pressure whatsoever from City Hall to step down," the chief said. Retirement is "something I've been thinking about the past couple of years. At the time of my annual employee evaluation back in February, I informed Mr. Fischer I wanted to retire later this year, preferably in October. So you can see it wasn't a spur-of-the-moment thing."

Hindman said the early-retirement provision in the city's pension plan allows him to retire before 55 with no substantial penalty. "I have put in over 30 years in the fire service and I feel its time to step down and let someone else take over," he said.

Hindman was hired as a firefighter on Nov. 29, 1960, at age 21. On March 15, 1968, he was promoted to captain. Later that year, on Dec. 15, he was promoted to assistant fire chief.

Following the retirement of Fire Chief Charles Mills in 1985, Hindman was named acting fire chief. He was appointed fire chief in February 1988.

Two months later, in April 1988, Hindman was hospitalized after suffering a heart attack. The chief said a recent exam showed he has recovered well from the heart attack.

"That's another reason I decided to retire at this time," he said. "I'm in pretty good health, and to tell you the truth, my wife and I decided it was just time for me to step down. I feel it is the best move. We want to do some traveling. I can do a lot of work around the house. I want to use some of the skills that I've accumulated over the years.

"I like working with my hands. I get a lot of satisfaction from this kind of work, and it helps keep me fit. After 32 years, I think its time to get back to some carpenter work and use my muscles instead of my head, which gets me in trouble once in a while. Besides, I don't want to work until I've got one foot in the grave."

Hindman, an avid fisherman, said he plans to spend more time with his wife fishing from their bassboat on Kentucky Lake.

When Mills retired, Hindman did not apply for the chief's position; he changed his mind at the urging of Fischer.

Said Fischer: "It was probably one of the best decisions I've made as a city manager. Gene has a real deep feeling for the city of Cape Girardeau. He takes a real pride in this community, and it's very sad to me to lose him as fire chief."

Fischer recalled the only times he ever had disagreements with Hindman were when Hindman walked into smoke-filled buildings without his air-pack on while fighting fires. "He would come in after a fire all red-faced because he stuck his head somewhere he had no place being," said Fischer.

Hindman said as chief he used to respond to every fire call, day or night. "That lasted about two years before I finally realized I didn't have to go to every fire call," he said. "I had fully qualified assistant chiefs who responded to those calls. If they needed me, they could call me."

Mayor Gene Rhodes said of Hindman: "Of all the city departments, (his) department is one department I've never had a complaint on. The fire department is a top-rate organization."