FIRE DEPARTMENT WELCOMES THREE

Three newly-hired firefighters spent their first day on the job at Fire Station No. 1 Monday.

Cape Girardeau Fire Chief Gene Hindman and Assistant Fire Chief Jim Niswonger welcomed the rookies, who spent a part of the day being fitted for uniforms and firefighting gear.

The new firefighters are: John T. Ryan, 35, of 725 E. Jefferson, Jackson; Bill Crump, 28, of Scott City; and Jeff Banken, 25, of Dexter.

Unlike other rookies hired in the past, Hindman said the three men have a considerable amount of firefighting experience.

Crump, whose father is Scott City Fire Chief Les Crump, was a volunteer firefighter with his father on the Scott City Fire Department. He also worked full time as an emergency medical technician and later a paramedic with the North Scott Ambulance Service.

Crump is a 1985 graduate of Scott City High School. He attended Southeast Missouri State University before becoming an EMT and paramedic.

For the past five years, Ryan was a firefighter and paramedic with the Webster Groves Fire Department. In addition, he worked part time at St. Francis Medical Center.

He is a native of Seattle, Wash., where he graduated from high school. He spent 10 years in the Navy as a hospital corpsman.

Ryan and his wife, Sarah, have two daughters, Stacie, 12, and Amber, 6.

Banken worked full time with the Dexter Fire Department since graduating from Dexter High School in 1985.

"We're very pleased to have these men on the department, especially with their prior firefighting experience," said Hindman. "A lot of the training and schooling they have already received is the same training our men receive through the University of Missouri Fire and Rescue Training Institute. With their prior training and background in firefighting, they should fit right into our in-house training program."

Hindman said the new firefighters will still receive the same basic firefighting training that all rookies receive when they join the department.

Hindman said the new firefighters will spend their one-year probationary period at Station No. 1. "I plan to rotate them around our three fire platoons during the year so they can become acquainted with the men and our people can become familiar with them while on the job," he explained.

The three were hired from a list of 228 applicants. That number was narrowed in early November when applicants underwent a physical agility test. The final selection was made after the remaining candidates met with an oral review board last month.

Hindman said the appointment of the rookies brings the fire department to its authorized strength of 56 firefighters for the first time in at least two years.

"It feels good to get back to our normal strength again," the chief said. "We've been understrength because of vacancies that were created as far back as two years ago when we had some retirements and promotions in the department."

The chief said turnover in the fire department has always been low. He said this is the first time the department has hired new firefighters since 1987.