Deken, Johnston seeking Fruitland fire district post

On Tuesday, voters will choose to elect either Brad Deken, a Southeast Missouri State University department chairman and professor of Engineering and Technology, or Brad Johnston for a six-year term as director of the Fruitland Fire Protection District.

In an email to the Southeast Missourian, Deken stated his desire to utilize his experience managing budgets, personnel and working with government agencies "to help make sure the district has the tools and training necessary to protect the lives, homes, and property" of the community.

A resident of the area for 16 years, Deken stated he has been surprised at the number of non-fire emergencies the agency must respond to, and it is clear the Fruitland Fire Protection District must protect the community from much more than fires.

Deken also cited the "quickly evolving challenges" facing modern emergency personnel, and mentioned how the pandemic has highlighted the important role PPE now plays.

In early-April, SoutheastHEALTH physicians thanked Deken for his work in providing more than laser printing, cutting and assembling more than 100 face shields for SoutheastHEALTH physicians through the use of 3D printers.

"Finding face shields these days is a serious challenge," SoutheastHEALTH Anesthesiologist Kyu-Sik Park said. "... On behalf of SoutheastHEALTH, I would like to thank Dr. Deken and his intrepid team for implementing this resourceful idea."

Deken also stated how the challenges posed by "every day" emergencies are evolving due to modern changes in cars and homes, thus requiring modern changes in the tools used to provide protection.

"There is a constant need to make sure the personnel in our district are well-trained and have the tools they need to do their jobs," Deken stated. "I think that will be the biggest challenge as the demands of the district increase without proportional increases in budget. The challenge is to prioritize what is needed."

Attempts to contact Johnston were not returned by the time of publication.