FIREMEN SEE DUTY CHANGES

A group of men playing cards, reading a newspaper or perhaps puffing on cigars is the Norman Rockwell picture of a fire station, but there's much more to being a firefighter in the 1990s.

Although fires still burn as they did decades ago, the nature of the firefighters' responsibilities has changed dramatically.

Almost no one is more deserving of sleep if they are permitted a chance to rest by an evening lull in activity than firefighters at the close of a typical day.

The 56 men of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department work rotating 24-hour shifts. A crew of 14-17 men staff the four departments spread strategically throughout the city at any given time.

To experience the steady barrage of trials dealt to the department on a daily basis, a Missourian reporter recently spent a 24-hour shift with the crew of Fire Station No. 1.

A firefighter's day starts shortly before 7 a.m., when the day shift arrives at the station. Everyone is up. Some are perky; others look as though they require another couple hours' sleep. It's not hard to distinguish who is coming on, and who is leaving.

The firefighters take their gear to the trucks they will be manning for the day. They stand their boots at attention right in front of the door, with their protective pants drooped around the ankles. Their coats and helmets are either hung inside the trucks or on a handle by the door.

This ritual is repeated every time the gear is used, thereby allowing the firefighter to step into his protective clothing as quickly as possible before boarding the truck.

At 7 a.m. sharp, central dispatch out of the Cape Girardeau Police Department does a check of every truck and sound alarms in all stations.

After a head count is taken and the support staff and administrative personnel arrive at Station No. 1, firefighters adjourn upstairs to the massive kitchen area to prepare their breakfasts. This morning, it's cereal and donuts.

After breakfast, it's time to clean. Everything from the trucks, to the bay floors, to the kitchen, bathrooms and dormitory area. Each firefighter has a list of responsibilities based on what truck and position he is riding in that day.

For example, the driver of the main engine checks the supplies, gear, air tanks, generator, hoses, etc., to ensure everything is accounted for.

After the cleaning is done, all are summoned upstairs to get a brief orientation session on how to use the new suction machines, paid for through a donation from the area Kiwanis Club.

As the session wound down, the alarm sounded and the firemen were off to the races, sliding down the poles, slipping into fire gear and hopping onto the trucks, roaring to life in the bays.

Four trucks were called to the Cape Girardeau airport to a report of a plane crash. Sirens screamed as the procession raced toward the airport. Firefighters donned helmets and protective jackets, sweating rivers beneath their gear.

When the trucks arrived only minutes after the call, the fire was out and the plane lay like a wounded bird on the runway. The pilot told firefighters that he "forgot to put the landing gear down."

While personnel from Fire Station No. 2 were having a meeting at Fire Station No. 1, firefighters were able to "train" with the huge ladder truck.

Stabilizing legs are extended from the side of the truck before the ladder is hoisted into the air. The platform at the end of the ladder extends 102 feet, soaring above most buildings in the city.

Firefighters who usually man other stations took turns with the controls, perfecting their skills.

"Every firefighter knows how to operate every truck or piece of equipment within the department," said Lt. Paul Breitenstein. "They have to you never know who is going to be on vacation or who will be where on any given day."

Later in the day, Engine 1 was dispatched to Scott City to assist its fire department with a structure fire. By the time Cape Girardeau firefighters had arrived, the fire was almost extinguished.

The fire started in a rear bedroom of the house, spread along the ceiling and got into the walls.

"Had the fire gotten into the attic area, then they would have really needed us," said Capt. Scott Altenthal. "As it is, they're looking at a couple hours worth of overhaul here just to make sure everything has been extinguished."

As the day turned to evening, activity around the station wound down. Firefighters spread to different corners of the building. Some watched television, others sat and chatted while smoking cigars.

Everyone went to bed early, only to be wakened by a call at 12:30 a.m. A man had been shot in the leg near Houck Stadium and was in need of medical assistance.

Police officers swarmed throughout the area looking for the suspect. Firefighters wearing rubber gloves wrapped the man's leg in bandages and waited for the ambulance to arrive.

Once back at the station, the firefighters drifted back to their beds, not to be aroused again during the night.

"It used to be that we would only have to make a couple runs a day," said Breitenstein, an emergency medical technician with the department. "But now we're going on the medical runs, which dramatically increases the number of calls we go out on every day."

The firefighters changed into fresh uniforms early the next morning, waiting to be relieved.

"That's enough for me," said Altenthal as he left the building.