Legacy of firefighting brings Ennis to Cape

Three days into his new position as Cape Girardeau's fire chief, Richard Ennis appears as settled as he hopes to be in the job.

A third-generation firefighter, whose brothers are all firefighters, Ennis really wasn't looking for a new job when he saw an ad in the magazine for the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

"Out of habit I looked at the ads," he said. "The description of the city and the department just struck me as the type and size of city and department I was looking for."

Although he said he was happy as fire chief for the Perkins Township in Sandusky, Ohio, he was intrigued enough to log onto the Internet and the more he learned about Cape Girardeau, the more he wanted to learn.

"I sent my resume in and the rest is history," he said. "Part of that history is I came out for an interview and when I saw the city I liked it."

Liked area, schools, peopleSo he brought his family out to see the area, did some more research and met some more people. The whole family liked the area, the schools, and the people they met well enough to say good-bye to their friends and the home they've had for seven and a half years.

Ennis said he is aware of what he faces as the city's latest new fire chief.

"I knew the department had issues and challenges, and I was looking for a challenge," he said. "My job is to address issues and challenges. I also saw great potential. It's very exciting. Within the department, the city and the schools, people have just treated us so well. People went out of their way to make us feel welcome and that helped make the decision to move. That was a tough decision."

So Ennis and his wife, Susan, and their three children plan to put down roots and stay until the children -- ages 10, 12 and 14 -- are grown, he said. That speaks to one of the challenges that comes with the job.

"The biggest one is the fact that the city has had a turnover of chiefs in recent years," he said. "That causes inconsistencies and turmoil. It made it clear to me that the department is looking for stability and leadership."

Short-range plansSo far Ennis' plans are short range: to learn how the department works, what the main issues are and what the department needs so he and his staff can make long-range plans. What will be a key to any long-range plans is whether or not the proposed quarter-cent sales tax to support the fire department passes in June. If it passes, then, he said, the department can look toward replacing some antiquated fire trucks and buy some equipment.

"In the 1980s it was hazardous materials; in the 1990s it was technical rescue; now it's WMD and terrorism," Ennis said. "We continue willingly to take on more responsibility with the same amount of, if not fewer, staff. We have always stepped up and accepted any challenge people want to give us. Firefightrers have a can-do attitude, but it's gotten to the point people expect us to do anything with nothing."

Ennis, 41, takes great pride in his heritage as a firefighter. He began as a cadet while he was still in high school and counts his 22 years of fire service experience from the time he graduated and went to work as a firefighter. He is also certified as a paramedic.

But he still remembers the first time he fought a fire.

"I was assigned to do a preliminary search," he recalled, "and the thing I remember is conducting the search and in my mind half of me was thinking I hope I find somebody and the other half was thinking, I hope I don't find anybody. I didn't find anybody; the house was empty."

lredeffer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160RICHARD ENNIS

Age: 41

Family: Wife Susan; 14-year-old son, two daughters, ages 10 and 12. None of the children plan a career in firefighting.

Experience: Seven and a half years as chief of the Perkins Township Fire Department in Sandusky, Ohio. Third-generation firefighter.

Education: Associate degree in fire science technology/fire administration; bachelor of science degree in urban affairs/public administration from Wright State University; completed the Executive Fire Officers Program from the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Md.; certified as a paramedic.

Quote: "I'm excited to be here and looking forward to getting to know the community better."