Incident reminds how well area agencies work together

This column was originally published in the Feb. 12 edition of the Standard-Democrat.Some of us have Some of us have been doing this job for several years and many have a vast amount of experience to draw upon to do this job well. Still, there are those occasions that remind us all how dangerous this job can be. The Friday evening of Jan. 24 was one of those times.

Around 5:30 p.m., DPS Fire and Scott County Rural Fire were contacted about a structure fire at 105 Bohannon in Mini Farms. This area just outside of our city is part of the Sikeston Fire District. Just for clarification, DPS contracts with the Sikeston Fire District to provide fire protection and we are paid for those services. We have done this for longer than I’ve been here, and this partnership continues to be mutually beneficial.

But on this night, we responded to find a house with an active fire inside the structure. The fire teams began firefighting operations inside the structure; fighting the fire and searching for possible occupants. During these operations, the fire had made its way into the attic space and had done more structural damage than we originally thought. This combined with the design of the roof support (scissor trusses) weakened the structure enough that caused a collapse.

We had four firemen inside under this collapse as the roof came down. Firemen and EMS scrambled to get those four firemen out of the home, while the house continued to burn around them. We were fortunate that all four firemen were able to evacuate quickly, but not without injury. Video footage of one fireman who exited last shows his turnout gear literally smoking. When the roof collapsed, it trapped the hose-line under debris and severely hampered responders’ efforts to protect themselves.

As we do with any serious incident, our department held a debriefing and have addressed areas to minimize exposure to this inherently dangerous activity. But the short of it is, fighting fire is dangerous. Because we do this so frequently, I think sometimes we can forget how quickly things can turn for the worse.

What I noted from this experience is how we came together during a crisis. When I say we, I’m talking about the people who serve as first responders and even those in the medical field. South Scott County Ambulance took one officer to Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape, believing he may have severe internal trauma. The three others went to Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston for their injuries. Two of the firemen were left with some pretty good bumps and bruises but are back to work. One was left with a concussion and the other broke his hand during the ordeal. All in all, they were lucky this didn’t end much differently.

I can’t say enough about South Scott County Ambulance, MDMC and Saint Francis for their care and concern for our employees. Furthermore, many area agencies came to offer our city services during this crisis and show their support for the injured officer. (Scott County Sheriff’s Department, Cape Girardeau Fire, Jackson Fire and Scott County Rural Fire; sorry if I left anyone out.)

I’m reminded of how we are but a small cog in this larger machine for our area’s safety. We work with all these men and women listed above on a regular basis. It’s great to know that when we need help, our friends and neighbors are going to be there for us. It’s these close working relationships that not only benefit our department, but also the community we serve.

In closing, I ask that you take a moment to pray for all of our communities in the area and those who serve them each day. Galatians 6:1-10

James McMillen is chief of Sikeston Department of Public Safety.