10 YEARS AS VOLUNTEER: EMERGENCY SERVICERS WORKER HONORED BY STATE AGENCY, COUNTY COMMISSION

JACKSON -- When a disaster threatens Cape Girardeau County, one of the first volunteers to respond to the Cape Girardeau County Emergency Operations Center in Jackson is Michael D. Niemier, assistant coordinator for emergency services.

Niemier has been involved in the emergency services operations since 1979, when a 24-inch blizzard paralyzed area in late February.

Niemier, 36, of Cape Girardeau, was honored recently by the County Commission and the Missouri Emergency Management Agency for his volunteer work.

In presenting a letter of commendation to Niemier, Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep said: "This is only a very small token of what we really should do for you. You've been a great volunteer for the citizens of this county, and we certainly do appreciate it."

Cape County Emergency Services Coordinator Brian Miller said in addition to Niemier's work in emergency preparedness and communications, he also has been instrumental in the changeover to a countywide 911 emergency telephone system. "His work in this area alone has already save the county over $600," said Miller.

"He's also involved in computer programing operations in emergency services office and other county offices, and constantly updates all of the computer systems and our resource lists, which takes a lot of time and expertise to get done.

"It goes to say that without folks like Mike and other emergency services volunteers, there's just an awful lot we couldn't do."

Mark Winkler of the State Emergency Management Agency said Niemier has given valuable assistance to Cape County and the state emergency services program.

"He's provided countless hours of dedicated service to the county during actual emergency situations, drills and exercises, special projects, and day-to-day functions of the office of emergency preparedness," Winkler said. "He has also given countless hours of volunteer service to the state in its mission of emergency services.

"Mike is a certified instructor for the state radiological monitoring course, and has completed the Professional Development Series in emergency management development. It's because of people like Mike that emergency management works."

Like all emergency services volunteers in the county, Niemier receives no salary. He gets a small stipend for expenses.

Niemier started in emergency services in 1979, just before the blizzard.

"I was an amateur radio operator at the time," Niemier said. "Brian asked if I would help out at the emergency operations center with radio traffic and telephones during severe weather emergencies."

During the blizzard, Niemier and other amateur radio operator volunteers assisted Miller and the EOC staff by coordinating emergency services communications.

Niemier decided to continue working in emergency services, particularly since the EOC was shifting over to a computer operation. "I really enjoy working with the computer and the radios," he said.

Whenever a severe thunderstorm or tornado watch is issued for the Cape Girardeau area, Niemier is one of the first to respond. His duties include operating the radios that provide constant communication with severe-weather spotters in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois and the National Weather Service at Paducah, Ky.

He said one of his most memorable nights was in May 1986, when tornadoes struck Sikeston and Vanduser and flash-flooding occurred in Cape Girardeau. Niemier said the storm blew down an AT&T communications tower east of Bloomfield, cutting off all communications from north Scott County and parts of Stoddard County.

"They could only communicate with two-way radio to the Cape County EOC," said Niemier. "We had calls coming in from all over the state and the rest of the country from people wanting to know what happened. We handled emergency traffic for Scott County for the rest of the night and early morning."

Niemier has completed all of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's professional development series of home-study courses dealing with different phases of emergency services management. He's now eligible to attend FEMA's on-site school at Emmettsburg, Md.

When he's not at the EOC, he is behind the wheel of a Ryder Student Transportation Co. school bus during the school year. He's been employed at Ryder since 1981.

Niemier is president of the Southeast Missouri Amateur Radio Club.