NEW FIRE CHIEF ANTICIPATES SOME DEPARTMENT CHANGES

Cape Girardeau's new fire chief doesn't believe in status quo.

Daniel White, who begins his duties as fire chief today, said most fire departments need some fine tuning and he doesn't expect the department here to be any different.

"When there's a new chief everyone expects some changes," White said. "But those changes are going to be thought through, and not be knee-jerk changes."

While he said he doesn't see any major problems with the department, he plans to meet with firefighters to get their opinions and then decide what improvements should be made.

"It's just being able to take what I've learned over the last 25 years and apply that to the new department," he said.

White said he doesn't plan to change the entire department around.

"The guys I have met at the fire department seem to be very professional," he said. "They seem to have done a great job."

White said most of today's work will involve filling out new-employee paperwork, but he also plans to visit each station and meet as many people as he can.

Getting input is an important part of being a good leader, said White.

"A fire department will crumble if one man tries to do it all," he said.

He said there are a lot of similarities between the Cape Girardeau Fire Department and the one he came from in Springdale, Ark., where had worked for nearly 25 years, the last eight as chief.

The major exception is that the fire chief in Springdale ran the ambulance service. White said his entire career involved an ambulance service.

"I loved that part of the job, but it was very stressful," White said. "I'm kind of looking forward to just running a fire department."

He said with the department's first-responder program he will still be involved with ambulances, just not supervising their day-to-day operations.

City Manager Mike Miller hired White after considering dozens of applicants.

"To me, Dan seemed like a professional person who will work well with the community and the department itself," Miller said.

During the interview process, Miller said White emerged as a strong leader, taking command of himself and the group.

"He shone as a leader," Miller said. "He showed concern and listened to others and quickly gained their respect. I think he will do that in the department and the community."

Max Jauch, who was interim fire chief, said White is capable and competent. "He's got the knowledge and he came from a progressive department," said Jauch. "He's well thought of in Springdale, and I think he's going to make a good chief."

White was born in Dallas, Texas. He got his first taste of firefighting while in the Army in the early 1970s. He worked for a volunteer fire department just outside the base.

When he finished his two-year tour of duty he went to "rookie school" at Indian Head, Md. Soon afterwards he fought his first fire. "That was when I was bit by the fire bug," he said.

White, 44, started with the Springdale Fire Department in 1974, and worked his way up through the ranks. He was appointed chief in 1986.

While chief, White established a hazardous-materials handling team, updated firefighting equipment and computerized operations and administration.

The Springdale department grew quickly under White's leadership. He said there were 46 employees when he became chief, and there now are 75. The city plans to hire 15 more firefighters and add a sixth fire station.

Springdale is near Fayetteville, Ark., It has a population of 38,000.

White holds a bachelor's degree in public administration from the University of Arkansas and is working on his master's degree. The chief's position in Cape Girardeau pays $51,500 a year.

White and his wife, Carola, have two children at home: Tiffany, 15, and Dustin, 11. Another son, Jacob, attends the University of Arkansas.

"I and my family are very excited to be here," White said. "It's a beautiful community."