FIRE DEPARTMENT HONORED FOR FLOOD RELIEF

Although not by design, when the floodwaters encroached upon the city of Cape Girardeau during the summer of 1993, Fire Station No. 1 was transformed into a flood control center.

Perhaps it was because Battalion Chief Mark Hasheider, the emergency operations coordinator for Cape Girardeau, has an office in the building. Maybe it was because the U.S. Coast Guard set up its command post in the upstairs meeting room of the building.

Regardless, members of the fire department were called upon to act above and beyond the regular call of duty for most of the summer.

On Tuesday, Fire Chief Robert L. Ridgeway recognized the efforts of three department employees during a management team meeting of personnel from all stations.

Hasheider, city Fire Marshal Tom Hinkebein and the fire department's administrative secretary, Carol Carter, were presented with plaques and certificates recognizing their contribution to the flood relief effort.

"During the flood, (Hinkebein) always acted as the sixth man on a basketball team," said Ridgeway. "He did a heck of a job working with everyone who needed help, pitching in where he could."

In presenting Carter's award, Ridgeway extolled her organization skills and dedication throughout the flood.

"Not enough can be said about the administrative requirements of a disaster like the one we had last summer," said Ridgeway. "The job doesn't stop until literally months after the crisis is over."

Ridgeway said Carter kept records of money spent on overtime and supplies purchased by the department during the flood, which enabled the department to be reimbursed by the federal government when the crises ended.

Carter thanked many of the members of the department who came in when they were off duty, to run the office and disperse passes into areas restricted to traffic due to the flooding.

But it was Hasheider that Ridgeway credited with "getting us through this ordeal."

As the city's emergency operations coordinator, Hasheider wore many hats last summer.

"(He) did everything from administrative work to getting out there and filling sandbags," said Ridgeway. "He was on top of everything at all times."

Also honored Tuesday was Lt. Paul Breitenstein for his part in "talking down" a man threatening to jump from the Mississippi River Bridge in the early morning hours of Dec. 19.

Upon arriving at the bridge, Breitenstein leaned over the rail to grab hold of the jumper and began to talk to him.

"(Breitenstein) got this guy to climb back up on to the bridge by appealing to his children," said Ridgeway. "That was the kind of thing you just can't train for."