MORGAN GETS NEW FIRE DEPARTMENT DUTIES

Although Cape Girardeau Firefighter Michael Morgan is the new fire department mechanic, Fire Chief Gene Hindman says Morgan will actually wear three hats.

"His primary duty will be that of a mechanic, but he is also the fire department public education officer and our first job safety officer," Hindman explained.

The appointment was effective Oct. 5, but Hindman said Morgan will not assume his duties, full-time, until around Nov. 1. That's when three rookie firefighters are expected to be hired to fill vacancies in the department. One of the vacancies was created by Morgan's appointment.

"Until that time, Mike will continue to work with his platoon on a 24-hour shift, except that during the day, he will perform the duties of the mechanic, and safety and public education officer," Hindman said. "When the new firefighters are hired later this fall, Mike will switch over to a five-day, 40-hour work week, and will be on call the rest of the time in case of an emergency."

Morgan's appointment as mechanic fills a vacancy created by the April 1, 1991, retirement of former fire department mechanic Carroll Schaefer. Morgan is the sixth mechanic of the fire department since December 1948.

Hindman said as he made plans this summer to fill the vacant position, he realized the time was approaching when there will no longer be a need for a full-time mechanic in the fire department.

He said with the proposed five-year upgrade of fire firefighting equipment, including the purchase of several new fire engines, "We looked down the road five years from now, and felt that eventually there will no longer be a need for a full-time mechanic in the department as we modernize our fleet and get rid of the aging fire engines."

Hindman said all major mechanical work, such as engine and transmission repairs, will continue to be handled by factory representatives. But the new fire engines will mean less repair work and more emphasis on preventative maintenance, he said.

"The bottom line is, the day is coming soon when there will not be enough work to warrant having a full-time mechanic," the chief said, "but Mike has talents in other areas that were exactly what we were looking for."

Hindman said the expansion of the fire department's public fire safety education programs, and the department's increased emphasis on firefighter job safety, put an increasing workload on the fire training officer and other firefighters.

With 12 year's experience as a heavy equipment diesel engine mechanic and operator, and degrees in education and science, Hindman says Morgan is the perfect person to fill all three positions, and take some of the load off the training officer.

Morgan graduated in 1984 from Southeast Missouri State University with a bachelor's degree in science. Two years, later, he received his bachelor's degree in education from the university.

After graduating in 1986, Morgan was employed as a mechanic for Erb Industrial Equipment of Cape Girardeau, and worked as a diesel engine mechanic and heavy equipment operator for Calvin Phillips Excavating Co. of Jackson.

Morgan was a junior high school teacher in Perryville prior to his appointment to the fire service on Aug. 1, 1987.

As the department's public education officer, Morgan will coordinate scheduling of fire safety programs and, if needed, assist firefighters who present the programs.

As the first safety officer in the department, it will be Morgan's job to develop policies and procedures to help firefighters reduce the number of personal injuries while on the job. Hindman said this will, in turn, reduce the number of workmen's compensation claims and the amount of lost time due to injury.

Hindman said Morgan was one of three firefighters who applied for the new position.

He said the three candidates were given oral interviews by a specially convened board made up of city department head supervisors.