JACKSON FIRE CHIEF LOOKS BACK ON 25 YEARS OF SERVICE

Gary Niswonger looks at the gauges on the aerial truck.

Gary Niswonger is nearing his 25th anniversary with the Jackson Fire Department and he is also approaching his 20th anniversary as the department's chief.

This weekend, Jackson is hosting the 19th annual regional fire school.

Every year 10 fire departments in Cape Girardeau County send fire fighters to the school in Jackson to receive training.

Training is very important to Niswonger. He remembers when he took over as chief in March of 1977, that Jackson had a town class fire rating of nine.

The Jackson Fire Department had a pumper truck so they weren't a class 10, which is the lowest class.

When improvements have been made to Jackson's water system, Niswonger plans to ask the Insurance Service Office (ISO) to regrade Jackson. Jackson could possibly have a town class four fire rating if things go well in the spring of 1997.

When Niswonger became chief, it was because the city wanted to improve the fire department.

Niswonger went about lowering the town fire rating by training his fire fighters and adding the needed equipment to make Jackson a safer place from fire.

Niswonger also improved the communications and within one and a half years Jackson was at a class seven.

The city purchased an aerial truck and the town class was lowered by ISO to a six.

Now the town class fire rating is a five and if water distribution is improved then ISO may rate Jackson a four in the spring.

Niswonger attributes his success as chief to his paid and volunteer fire fighters and the city of Jackson.

"My goal is to see the city accomplish the class four. With the city growing, our fire runs are up, but our structure fires has not increased that much," Niswonger said.

"That is due to the community's good fire prevention practices of housekeeping and home maintenance," he added.

Niswonger is proud of his department that will send 14 fire fighters to the regional fire school this weekend.

Niswonger couldn't say enough about his department and their dedication to protecting lives and property in Jackson.

"The fellowship with the career and volunteer firemen brings a lot of satisfaction. I can't seem to praise them enough for their dedication to protecting the lives and property of the people in the city of Jackson."

"For their interest in training and dedication to the service to the community makes me proud," Niswonger said.

Niswonger said he wouldn't change the experiences he has had as a fire fighter for anything else in the world.

"The most satisfaction I get is working with young children to teach them fire safety."

He likes his work because it gives him satisfaction in knowing he has helped someone in the community.

Niswonger also remembered the bad times in fire fighting.

"You have your sad moments as a fire fighter. We lost a young mother and her 16-month old child about seven years ago," Niswonger said.

He added that the United States has the most fatalities of any country in the world related to fire.

"With all the new equipment fighting fires, the training and fire prevention programs we are seeing that number going down in the U.S.," he added.

"The most advanced equipment that has come on the market since I've been a fire fighter is the smoke detector," Niswonger said.

"We urge the public to changwe the battery in their smoke detectors when they change their clocks this weekend."

"I'm very proud of my job, it's great satisfaction to know that you are providing a service to the community."