CITY NAMES JAUCH INTERIM FIRE CHIEF; SEARCH CONTINUES

Veteran firefighter and Assistant Fire Chief Max Jauch has been appointed interim fire chief of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department.

City Manager J. Ronald Fischer said Jauch, 48, will serve as interim fire chief until a permanent chief is named, sometime after the first of the year.

Jauch's appointment is effective Oct. 1, one day after Fire Chief Gene Hindman officially retires.

Commenting on Jauch's appointment, Fischer said, "I personally feel very comfortable with Max. The fact that he has functioned as acting fire chief in the past when Gene was recovering from a heart attack will give us some breathing room to take our time and make a good selection for his replacement. Gene also gave us plenty of notice so we could start planning early."

Jauch was hired as a rookie firefighter Sept. 1, 1972. He was promoted to captain Jan. 1, 1975, and named assistant fire chief on April 28, 1988.

Commenting on the appointment, Jauch remarked, "I'm ready. I feel very comfortable with it."

Meanwhile, Fischer said the search for a new fire chief is progressing well. "The last day to submit applications and resumes was Sept. 15. So far, we've received about 72 applications. More may come in, but they must be postmarked Sept. 15," Fischer said.

Applications that have been received were reviewed by the personnel department and forwarded to Fischer's office for his evaluation, and that of Assistant City Administrator Al Stoverink.

Fischer said all of the applications will be reviewed between now and November. "By that time, we plan to narrow them down to about a half-dozen, depending on what we have on hand. At that point, we'll do some interviewing by telephone, check references, and perhaps even ask some of them to come in for a personal interview, if they live in the area," said Fischer.

He said the final selection of the new fire chief will be made by an interview team composed of Fischer, Stoverink, city department heads, and, perhaps a citizen in the community not connected with the city.

Fischer said the final selection will be made in late November, allowing the new fire chief to give 30 days notice, if necessary.

Although Hindman has recommended the new fire chief come from outside the fire department, Fischer said all applications will be considered, including those that have come from within the fire department. The Southeast Missourian has learned that at least three or four Cape Girardeau firefighters and a former firefighter have submitted applications for the position.

According to the advertisement, the city prefers a graduate from a four-year college or university with a major in fire science or public administration, and seven years experience in fire command operations.

Fischer explained as new federal and state demands and regulations are placed on local fire departments, the fire chief must not only be well versed in fire command, but in management skills as well. He noted much of the current fire chief's time is spent on management duties, while most of the actual day-to-day fire command is delegated to the assistant fire chief and duty officers. But Fischer said applicants without a college or university degree will be considered as well as those with a degree.

The advertisement also indicated the city was looking for applicants with experience and/or training in public safety department operations. That has prompted renewed concerns by many firefighters and citizens that the city might make another attempt to merge the fire and police departments into a department of public safety, similar to that in Sikeston.

In 1982, and again in 1985, there were indications the city planned to merge the two departments, with the appointment of Ray Johnson as police chief. Johnson came to Cape Girardeau from Des Peres, where he was public safety director.

But Fischer emphasized there are no plans at this time, or in the near future, to merge the two departments. Additionally, Fischer said he would not be in favor of cross-training police officers and firefighters.

"I do not personally endorse the concept of firefighters carrying guns and police officers fighting fires," Fischer said. "However, I do support the concept of these groups working more closely together, as they are now."

As examples, he cited the city's central dispatch system and medically-trained police officers who can respond to the scene of an accident or injury ahead of an ambulance or fire department.

Fischer said having a someone with a background in public safety operations could be a real asset to the city even though there are no current plans to create a public safety department in Cape Girardeau.

"We have to keep an open mind toward the future," he said. "If the time comes, when the city has grown, and we are considering a public safety department, it would be my personal recommendation that there be a director of public safety, and two assistants, one for the fire department and one in charge of the police department. Under this concept, both departments would operate separately from each other, each with a `chief,' but with one overall director."

Fischer said if needed, the public safety department could be expanded to include operation of the ground and air ambulance services, if the current providers were to leave or get out of the business. But he again emphasized these are only long-range considerations that the city must think about as it plans for future growth.