FATHER OF EMERGENCY OPERATION DIES AT 50

Brian Miller made "Be Prepared" a way of life.

Miller, Cape Girardeau County's first and only emergency preparedness director, died Thursday after a heart attack. He was 50.

Miller suffered a heart attack at his Jackson home around noon Thursday, one day after his release from St. Francis Medical Center following another heart attack a week ago. He had returned home to recuperate when the second heart attack occurred. He was pronounced dead at the medical center at 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

Miller advocated preparing for the worst on all levels, from emergency kits in homes just in case of an earthquake or tornado, to warning systems to alert residents to approaching severe weather.

"Basically Brian took emergency operations in the county from its infancy to where it is today -- one of the premier agencies in the state," said Mark Hasheider, Cape Girardeau city's emergency preparedness officer. Cape Girardeau often is held up as an example for the state.

Miller was talking about emergency preparedness before it was popular. "He hung in there when people didn't want to listen," Hasheider said. "Basically we're where we are today due to one person -- Brian Miller."

"We've lost a good man," said Gene Huckstep, former presiding commissioner of Cape Girardeau County. "He did a remarkable job."

Current Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones agreed. "Brian's death is a great loss to Cape Girardeau County. He started as a volunteer with Civil Defense and steadily built the county E.O.C. into a state-wide model."

Miller was appointed director of the Cape County Disaster Planning and Operations Office in 1975. He was named full-time director of the county's emergency preparedness agency in 1982. That same year, he was elected president of the Missouri Emergency Preparedness Association.

Miller oversaw the growth of the county's emergency preparedness operations. In the 1970s, the annual budget was $1,200. By 1991, with a budget of about $60,000, the county's emergency preparedness system included a comprehensive response plan for everything from floods and earthquakes to chemical spills.

"He loved the job and he loved working with people," recalled Huckstep.

Over the years, Miller helped coordinate the efforts of the county's volunteer fire departments and pioneered the 911 emergency telephone system in the county.

He was instrumental in helping establish a county-wide Enhanced 911 emergency response system and served on the committee that outlined the system. Cape County voters approved a 911 tax in November 1991. The system went on line in 1993.

"He was a radio genius," said Huckstep. "He put together all the communications systems in the county."

Cape Girardeau Assistant Fire Chief Max Jauch agreed that Miller was a radio expert. The radio frequency Miller organized for rural fire departments to use has become a common frequency used by all departments in emergencies.

News of his death was announced Thursday evening to county fire departments via the radio system Miller designed.

In 1980, he purchased a mobile radio system to act as backup communications in the event of disaster. By 1995, emergency operations centers in Cape Girardeau County and throughout the rest of Missouri had satellite backup systems.

Huckstep said Miller was invaluable during floods. "He coordinated supplies of sandbags, volunteers and things like that."

Miller was always interested in helping in emergencies. Thirty-one years ago, there was no extrication service in the county. Huckstep began providing the service for free through his auto body and paint shop. Huckstep recalled that Miller used to assist him with the emergency work.

He had been a volunteer fireman and a reserve Jackson police officer.

Jackson Fire Chief Gary Niswonger worked with Miller when he was a volunteer fireman. Miller turned in his fire gear when appointed full-time emergency coordinator, but started organizing training sessions for firefighters. He also negotiated a mutual-aid agreement so fire departments could help each other in emergencies. "He always gave 100 percent support," Niswonger said. "That was Brian's life, 24 hours a day, emergency services."

He organized a system of weather spotters in the county to provide early warnings and accurate reporting when storms rolled through the county.

Sheriff John Jordan described Miller as a jovial person who was very serious when dealing with the task at hand.

"When people put their heads on their pillow at night in this county and really think about the pestilence -- the fires, floods and earthquakes -- that can happen," he said, "they need to be thankful that we had someone like Brian working for the county.

"He is gone, but he won't be forgotten. There are too many things around county offices to remind us of him."

"He's going to be sadly missed," said Cape Girardeau Police Chief Howard "Butch" Boyd Jr. "He was a great asset to the community."

Sgt. Carl Kinnison, a Cape Girardeau Police Department employee and county 911 board member, said Miller will be greatly missed as chairman of the county's 911 advisory board.

"He was a tremendously dedicated person to the citizens of Cape Girardeau County," Kinnison said.

Miller was best-known for his emergency preparedness efforts, but he was also one of the original investors in the Southeast Missouri Steam Railroad Co., now the St. Louis and Iron Mountain Railroad, a popular tourist draw in Jackson. He also helped organize security at the gates for the SEMO District Fair.

In 1985, he was honored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for continued education and excellence, and that year the Emergency Preparedness office was recognized for its efforts assisting the National Weather Service.

As emergency preparedness director, Miller never sought personal publicity. "He just did his job and stayed in the background," Huckstep said.

"The things that Brian did will continue," Hasheider said. "Enhanced 911 is here to stay. Emergency preparedness is here to stay. The fire departments are here to stay. Brian has a legacy that is here to stay."

Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home in Jackson.

This story was prepared by Southeast Missourian staff writers Mark Bliss, Chuck Miller, Heidi Nieland, Peggy O'Farrell and Peggy Scott.