Scott City fire chief Cassout honored for over half-century of service

March 15 will mark Scott City fire chief Jay Cassout’s finale on 52 years of service to his community. Friends, family and colleagues celebrated with him Monday in a special ceremony.

“I guess the passion just never did go away,” Cassout said Thursday. “It’s just like a kid, I guess, wanting to be a firefighter. [The desire] just grew.”

According to Cassout, Monday’s ceremony was a surprise. He was presented with a 52-years-of-service acknowledgment signed by the Missouri Senate and signed plaques presented on behalf of the House of Representatives, Missouri state fire marshal and the City of Scott City. He also received a wristwatch from Scott City, he added.

“I figured I was going to get a little bit of acknowledgment, but I had no idea that Missouri state fire marshal was going to make a trip all the way from Jefferson City to give me a couple of awards,” he said jokingly. “I didn’t see that coming.”

Cassout was born and raised in the Scott City area. After graduating from Scott City High School in 1966, he began his career at the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway (Frisco), followed by a brief stint in Alabama, he said.

Upon returning to the Scott City area in 1967, Cassout’s interest in firefighting was officially sparked one summer night. Down the street from his home, he heard police sirens and looked out his window, Cassout said, and saw a nearby house fire that required his skills as a volunteer firefighter.

After retiring from the railroad, Cassout became fire chief in 1999, at the request of the former chief.

Cassout’s roles over his career have included firefighter for Illmo before it was consolidated with Scott City, deputy chief and assistant chief, ending with his current title as department chief.

He said he’s “very proud” nearly $1 million worth of equipment has been acquired through grants under his wing since about 2000.

Cassout said he’s seen many things change over the years, pinpointing the fire department’s inception of the area’s Medical First Responder division in the 1980s.

“We operate the same way today as we did back then,” he said. “Of course, the technology has improved and the way that the fires are fought. Back then, they were mostly exterior attack. Now, with the equipment and training today, we’re able to go in and do an interior attack.”

Shortly after helping implement the Medical First Responder division, Cassout said he remembers in 1985 a call came in regarding an elderly lady who was in cardiac arrest. He was one of two who were first on the scene, he said.

“We started initiating CPR and brought this lady back [to life] before the ambulance got there,” Cassout said. “She lived well into her 80s.”

Reluctant to tout any specific accomplishment by his own efforts, Cassout made it clear teamwork has been his focus all along.

“I don’t really want to say, ‘I did this’ or ‘I did that,’ because it’s been a team effort. It’s a group effort,” Cassout said. “There’s not one man who makes a fire department.”

jhartwig@semissourian.com

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