>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR NEXT UP.

THIS IS THE SECOND HALF OF THE PROGRAM WHEN WE INTERVIEW COMMUNITY LEADERS.

AND TODAY MY COLLEAGUE ALVIN REID AND I WELCOME DENNIS JENKERSON, THE CHIEF OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS.

CHIEF, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US ON NINE PBS.

HOW ARE YOU?

>> I'M FANTASTIC.

MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

>> WELL, IT'S BEEN A REAL TOUGH TIME RECENTLY FOR YOU AND ALL MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT.

YOU LOST A YOUNG FIREFIGHTER BY THE NAME OF BEN PAUL SON, INCREDIBLE YOUNG MAN.

HE HAD HIS LAW DEGREE, HAD HIS MBA, HE WAS A SKI INSTRUCTOR WHO DECIDED TO MOVE BACK TO HIS NATIVE ST. LOUIS AND FIGHT FIRES.

AND HE LOST HIS LIFE.

SO OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH YOU AND THE FIREFIGHTING COMMUNITY AT THIS TIME.

THE QUESTION THEN IS WHAT DO WE DO TO TRY AND PREVENT SIMILAR THINGS FROM HAPPENING.

HE WAS FIGHTING A FIRE IN WHAT WAS A CONDEMNED BUILDING.

AND UNFORTUNATELY IN ST. LOUIS, WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE, CHIEF.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> YEAH, WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF MEETINGS WITH THE UPPER COMMAND STAFF AND LOOKING AT, WE'RE DOING A FULL INVESTIGATION OF THE DEATH AND THE INCIDENT AS IT IS.

BUT THERE'S DIFFERENT NUMBERS OUT THERE AS TO HOW MANY VACANT BUILDINGS ARE CONDEMNED OR ABANDONED BUILDINGS.

IT DEPENDS HOW YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THEM.

WE'RE GETTING NUMBERS FROM 6,000 UP TO 10,000.

SO A LOT OF DIFFERENT DATA BASES TO LOOK AT.

FROM THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, THE COLLECTOR REVENUE, THE ASSESSORS OFFICE, THE FORESTRY DEPARTMENT.

SO THERE'S VARIOUS DATA BASES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE ALL OF THOSE, PUT THEM TOGETHER AND LOOK AT HOW WE CAN WHITTLE IT DOWN AND SUIT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S NEEDS.

THE ABILITY OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO RATE THESE BUILDINGS, IF YOU WILL, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO RATE THEM FOR OUR NEEDS.

I DID A REPORT LAST WEEK WITH ONE OF THE TV STATIONS, WE WALKED BY A COUPLE BUILDINGS AND I GAVE THEM A QUICK SIZEUP, IN OTHER WORDS WHAT DOES THE FIRE DEPARTMENT LOOK AT WHEN WE PULL UP ON THE SCENE.

DURING THE DAY WHEN THERE'S NO SMOKE, NO FIRE OBSCURING ANY OF THE OBVIOUS VISUAL SCENES THERE, IT'S EASY TO DO.

BUT AT 2:00 IN THE MORNING WHEN A BUILDING IS FULL OF FIRE AND SMOKE IS ALL AROUND, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE FIRST IN CREW TO MAKE A QUICK LOOK OR DECISION OR SIZE UP OF WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO AND WHAT THEIR ACTIONS ARE TO FOLLOW.

SO WE'RE GOING TO DEVELOP A DATA BASE, WE'RE PRETTY FAR ALONG.

WE'VE COLLECTED ALL THIS INFORMATION FROM VARIOUS PEOPLE AND WE'RE DOWNLOADING IT NOW INTO OUR DATA BASE, OUR CAD IF YOU WILL, OUR COMPUTER AIDED DISPATCHING SYSTEM.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON A PROGRAM CALLED A TERA, WHICH IS A GIS PROGRAM AND WE'VE BEEN DOWNLOADING IT FOR ABOUT BETTER THAN SIX MONTHS.

SO WE PUT DIFFERENT LAYERS INTO THIS PROGRAM, WHETHER IT'S THE HYDRANT LOCATIONS, YOU OVERLAY THE STREETS, THE GAS CONNECTIONS, THE ELECTRICAL WIRES OVERHEAD, ANYTHING THAT WE THINK IS IMPORTANT TO THE FIRE SERVICE AND RESPONDING MEMBERS.

SO NOW WE STARTED DOWNLOADING WHAT WE THINK IS A FAIRLY ACCURATE LIST OF ALL THE BUILDINGS THAT CONCERN US, WHICH IS VACANT, ABANDONED, CONDEMNED, NOT OCCUPIED.

SO WE LOOK AT BUILDINGS FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THAN A REALTOR OR ENGINEER, THAN A BUILDING INSPECTOR.

WE LOOK AT IT FROM A FIRE FIGHTER'S PERSPECTIVE ANDHAT'S GOING TO CAUSE US AN ISSUE IN THAT BUILDING.

THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE A FIRST DRAFT OF A STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE DRAWN UP.

IT WAS A LITTLE LONG, PROBABLY HAD 10 TO 12 PAGES, SO WE'RE GOING TO WHITTLE THAT DOWN A BIT.

WHAT OUR FIRST PRIORITY IS TRYING TO DEVELOP A SYSTEM WHERE THE FIRST FIVE OR SIX INDICATORS ARE AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO PUT THAT BUILDING INTO A HIGH HAZARD TYPE OCCUPANCY, IN OTHER WORDS WE'RE NOT GOING IN UNLESS WE CAN HEAR SOMEBODY IN THERE CALLING FOR US, OR SOMEBODY IS OUTSIDE TELLING US NO.

SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO KEEP IT SIMPLE, BREAK IT INTO THREE CATEGORIES, AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF WHITTLING DOWN TO GET EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT.

BUT WE REALLY WANT TO TRY AND GO LIVE WITH THIS THING BY FIRST OF APRIL, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SHOOTING FOR.

IT'S A LOT OF WORK, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT IT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, THE FIREFIGHTER'S PERSPECTIVE.

>> CHIEF, WE HAD A PHOTO IN THE AMERICAN THIS WEEK OF A FIRE LAST WEEK ON LEE AVENUE.

IT WAS AT AN ABANDONED BUILDING, AND YOU KIND OF ANSWERED WRITE WAS GOING, BUT ALL RIGHT, SO YOU SHOW UP, BRICK, OLD, ABANDONED, WHY ATTACK THE FIRE?

IS IT BECAUSE YOU THINK EVEN IF THERE'S HOMELESS PEOPLE INSIDE, OR WHY ADDRESS THIS FIRE.

AND THE PICTURE I'M SPEAKING OF THAT'S IN THERE, THERE'S NOT AN ADJACENT BUILDING.

SO I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IF ANYTHING CATCHES ON FIRE, THERE'S STUFF TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT, YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WHY PUT YOURSELF IN THAT SITUATION REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE REPORT IS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT?

>> RIGHT.

IT'S A GOOD QUESTION, IT'S A TOUGH QUESTION.

FROM THE FIREFIGHTERS' PERSPECTIVE, A BUILDING THAT'S OUT ON ITS OWN, NO BUILDINGS ON EITHER SIDE, OR WHAT WE CALL EXPOSURES THAT COULD CAUSE ANOTHER ISSUE, CAUSE ANOTHER BUILDING TO CATCH FIRE, YOU KNOW, THAT MAKES OUR JOB A LITTLE EASIER.

BUT AS WE GO INTO A BUILDING LIKE THAT, VACANT OR ABANDONED OR CONDEMNED BUILDING, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE WINTER MONTHS WHEN IT'S COLDER, SOME OF THE HOMELESS, THE UNHOUSED PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR SHELTER, SOME PLACE TO START A SMALL FIRE, SOME PLACE TO STAY WARM AND GET OUT OF THE ELEMENTS, AS YOU WALK AROUND THESE BUILDINGS AS A FIREFIGHTER, YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THINGS THAT ARE INDICATORS.

YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE SOMEBODY OUTSIDE YELLING, HEY, MY BUDDY IS IN THERE, HE NEEDS HELP.

BUT AS YOU WALK AROUND THE BUILDING YOU MIGHT SEE DISCARDED SHOPPING BAGS, YOU MIGHT SEE A DISCARDED SHOPPING CART.

THESE ARE CLUES TO US THAT THE UNHOUSED PEOPLE ARE MOVING THEIR BELONGINGS, AS SIMPLY AS THEY CAN, BUT THEY PROVIDE US CLUES, IF YOU WILL, TO SAY THERE MIGHT BE SOMEBODY IN HERE.

>> OKAY.

>> AND IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE TYPE BUILDINGS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AND LOOK AT IT WITH A DIFFERENT EYE, DON'T JUST LOOK AT THE BUILDING, LOOK AT WHAT'S AROUND THIS BUILDING.

ARE THERE SIGNS THAT SOMEBODY HAS BEEN AROUND THE OUTSIDE, OR POSSIBLY IF IT'S BOARDED UP, IS THERE SOMETHING MISSING FROM THE BOARDUP, IF YOU WILL.

NORMALLY THEY TRY TO GET INTO THE BACK.

SO THESE ARE ALL INDICATORS THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT LOOKS FOR, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT.

BUT WE ARE COGNIZANT OF IT, WE WATCH FOR IT.

BUT WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT DOING IS WHAT TYPE OF SHAPE IS THIS BUILDING IN, IS IT MISSING A WALL, ARE THE WALLS BOWED OUT, CAN WE LOOK INTO WINDOWS TO SEE IF THE FLOORS ARE MISSING.

A LOT OF THESE BUILDINGS EVEN EN IF THEY HAVE SOLID WALLS, PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN INTO IT AND RANSACKED THE HOMES, TAKEN THE PIPING OUT, THE RADIATORS, REMOVED THE OLD WOODEN FLOORS, SO THERE'S HOLES IN THE FLOOR.

TO SOME PEOPLE THE INTERIORS ARE THESE BUILDINGS, EVEN THE BRICKS, THESE ARE VALUABLE PIECES, AND THEY CAN SELL THEM.

SO WE LOOK AT IT FROM THE FIREFIGHTER'S PERSPECTIVE WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND SAYING THERE'S NO WAY ANYBODY COULD LIVE IN THAT BUILDING, BUT PEOPLE DO.

>> OKAY.

CHIEF, IF YOU DON'T MIND IF WE COULD MOVE ONTO ANOTHER TOPIC, ANOTHER GRIM ONE.

THIS WOULD BE THE OPIOID DEATHS.

I THINK MANY PEOPLE KNOW THAT THE FIREFIGHTERS ARE OFTEN THE FIRST RESPONDERS WHEN IT COMES TO OVERDOSES.

AND IN THIS COUNTRY LAST YEAR WE HAD 100,000 OPIOID OVERDOSES, AND I DON'T KNOW, ABOUT 1500 OR SO IN THE LAST THREE YEARS IN THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS, INCLUDING SOME RECENT ONES THAT MADE THE NEWS.

WHY IS THIS PROBLEM SEEMINGLY GETTING WORSE, IN YOUR VIEW?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THE AVAILABILITY OF THE PRODUCT, ONE, IS LEADING THAT.

TWO, THIS IS A SYNTHETIC DRUG THAT'S BEING MAN MADE IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, PRIMARILY CHINA, BEING FILTERED BACK DOWN THROUGH MEXICO AND UP INTO OUR AREA.

THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY USE THE PRODUCT, SOME OF THEM ARE ALSO SELLING THIS PRODUCT TO SUPPORT THEIR HABIT.

SO IT'S A PROBLEM THAT IS STARTING TO REALLY EXPLODE PRIMARILY BECAUSE THERE IS NO SAY CONTROL OVER WHAT THEY'RE USING TO PRODUCE THIS PRODUCT.

A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WE HAD THE FENTANYL OR THE CARFENTANIL IN THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS WHERE WE HAD SEVEN OR EIGHT PEOPLEOVER DOSE ON THIS PRODUCT, AND IT'S SO STRONG AND SO QUICK AND SO DANGEROUS, EVEN BY THE TIME WE GET THERE OUR NARCAN WON'T WORK, THEY'VE ALREADY PASSED.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS.

IT'S TO THE POINT, CAN WE CONTROL HOW THE PRODUCT IS MADE, THAT MIGHT BE AN ANSWER.

BUT RIGHT NOW THIS STUFF IS SO STRONG AND IF YOU GET A BAD BATCH OR SOMEBODY MIXES ONE GRAIN OF SALT, IF YOU WILL, TOO MUCH INTO THE PRODUCT, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DIE.

AND EVERY FIRE TRUCK, EVERY AMBULANCE IN OUR CITY CARRIES NARCAN.

WE JUST STARTED A PROGRAM WHERE IF WE HAVE AN OVERDOSE AT SOMEBODY'S HOME AND A FAMILY MEMBER IS THERE, WE WILL LEAVE NARCAN BEHIND WITH THEM IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENS AND SHOW THEM HOW TO USE IT AND WALK THROUGH AN INSTRUCTIONAL MANUAL ON IF THIS HAPPENS AGAIN, HERE'S HOW YOU USE THE NARCAN.

BECAUSE IT TAKES US FOUR AND A HALF, FIVE MINUTES FOR A FIRE TRUCK TO GET THERE AND ADMINISTER -- BUT IF THE FAMILY HAS NARCAN IN PLACE IT MIGHT SAVE A LOVED ONE'S LIFE.

IT'S GETTING SO RAMPANT THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR ALL KINDS OF WAYS TO HELP FAMILIES.

ON THE STREET WE'LL GIVE PEOPLE NARCAN, THEY WAKE UP AND LOOK AT YOU SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND WALK AWAY.

>> I WAS AWAY 12 YEARS AND I'M BACK.

WHEN YOU FIRST CAME BY, IF I ASKED YOU 20 YEARS FROM NOW YOU'LL BE HAVING A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS AND SAY THAT, YOU PROBABLY WOULD HAVE SAID WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, I'M A FIREFIGHTER, WE FIGHT FIRE.

SO YOUR JOB HAS CHANGED IN TWO DECADES, HASN'T IT?

>> TREMENDOUSLY.

THE JOB AND ROLE OF ALL THE FIREFIGHTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAS TREMENDOUSLY CHANGED, JUST WITH THE OVERDOSES, VACANT BUILDINGS.

THINK ABOUT WHAT WE DO IN THE HEATING SEASON WITH CARBON MONOXIDE LEAKS, THAT USED TO BE HANDLED BY GAS COMPANIES.

NOW WE RESPOND TO ANY GAS LEAK FIRST.

SO OUR JOB KEEPS EXPANDING.

THE HAZARDOUS MATERIAL, RIVER RESCUES, COLLAPSE RESCUE.

IT'S ALL KIND OF BEEN PUSHED ON OR FALLEN INTO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S LAP.

SO IT'S AN ONGOING JOB, IT KEEPS US BUSY AND KEEPS US TRAINING, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TRAIN AND CERTIFY ALL THE MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE DIFFERENT SITUATIONS.

SO OUR JOB HAS CHANGED TREMENDOUSLY.

>> NOW THE PARAMEDICS ARE PART OF YOUR DEPARTMENT AS WELL, AND AS OF A COUPLE YEARS AGO, CHIEF, ABOUT 60% OF THE POSITIONS WERE FILLED.

IT'S TOUGH TO FIND WORKERS, BUT ALSO IT'S A JOB WHERE YOU BURN OUT WITHIN TWO YEARS, APPARENTLY.

WHAT'S THE LATEST SITUATION WITH PARAMEDICS AND THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS?

>> RIGHT NOW WE'RE ABOUT 22 PARAMEDICS DOWN, WHICH IS DOWN ABOUT 30% OF OUR MEDICS.

THAT GAP IS BEING FILLED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDICS.

THE ST. LOUIS FIRE DEPARTMENT AND E.M.S.

SERVICES ARE ONE SERVICE, BUT WE ARE SEPARATE IN THAT E.M.S., THEY'RE EMT'S AND PARAMEDICS ONLY RIDE THE AMBULANCES.

AND THE FIREFIGHTERS WORK ON THE FIRE TRUCKS WHO HAVE PARAMEDICS DEGREES ARE ALLOWED TO WORK ON THE AMBULANCE, SO WE'RE ABLE TO FILL THAT GAP WITH A LOT OF OVERTIME.

BUT SO MANY OF THE HOSPITALS AND URGENT ACCESS CARES ARE FILLING THEIR SHORTAGES WITH OUR PARAMEDICS AND OUR EMT'S.

AND THEY'RE PAYING THEM BETTER, PROBABLY THE BIGGEST THING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN WITHIN THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS IS, ONE, A PAY INCREASE FOR OUR PARAMEDICS AND EMT'S, AND TWO BECAUSE THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS, OUR AMBULANCES ARE BASICALLY BEING USED AS PRIMARY CARE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, THEY CALL US FIRST BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE URGENT ACCESS EXPAIR DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL.

SO WE PROVIDE THE PRIMARY CARE.

WE ALSO NEED INCREASED AMOUNT OF AMBULANCES THAT WE RUN.

WE RUN 12 A DAY ON A 24 HOUR BASIS.

BUT WE PROBABLY REALLY, IF WE LOOK AT OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE E.M.S., WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING TO RUN 16 TO 18 AT THE MINIMUM.

BUT THE PROBLEM THERE, IF I CAN'T GET MEDICS TO HIRE, THERE'S NO SENSE TRYING TO BUMP UP MY TOTAL UNITS ON THE STREET.

SO SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE, I KNOW THAT'S AN OLD STATEMENT.

BUT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT STARTING IS LOOKING AT THE SERVICE THAT THE PARAMEDICS AND E.M.S.

PROVIDES TO THE CITY AND PAYING THEM THE APPROPRIATE RATE.

>> I HEAR YOU.

AND WITH TEACHERS AND EVERYBODY ELSE, IT'S GOT TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE.

YOUNG PEOPLE, OKAY, THAT'S THE LIFE BLOOD OF ANY INDUSTRY, BE IT JOURNALISM, BE IT WHATEVER.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S LIKE, MY DAD WAS A FIREFIGHTERS, THAT'S ONE THING.

HOW DO YOU RECRUIT YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WANT TO BE E.M.S.

OR WANT TO BE FIREFIGHTERS?

IS IT AN UPHILL CLIMB OR DO YOU THINK THERE'S ENOUGH INTEREST OUT THERE THAT WE CAN BUILD OUR NUMBERS?

OR WHERE ARE YOU AT ON THAT?

>> YOU'VE BEEN ASKING SOME TOUGH QUESTIONS.

>> I'M TRYING.

>> I WILL SAY THAT, I GUESS ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO WE STARTED A PROGRAM WHERE WE WERE LOOKING AT HOW WE WERE GOING TO RECRUIT ESPECIALLY ON THE PARAMEDIC SIDE, AND WE STARTED A PROGRAM AT ONE OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS, ONE OF THE STEM HIGH SCHOOLS OFF KINGS HIGHWAY, THE OLD -- WE ENROLLED ABOUT 18 JUNIORS INTO AN EMT TYPE PROGRAM.

AT THE SAME TIME WE ALSO ENROLLED THEM INTO A FIREFIGHTER ONE AND TWO PROGRAM.

YOU HAVE TO BE LICENSED IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI TO BE A FIREFIGHTER.

SO THEY WENT THROUGH THEIR JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR, GOT THEIR CERTIFICATIONS AND WE THOUGHT WE HAD 18 GOOD CANDIDATES TO COME ONTO THE E.M.S.

SIDE.

ALL 18 OF THEM GOT COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS, SO WE LOST THEM ALL.

SO IT WAS A GOOD PROGRAM THAT DIDN'T GO THE RIGHT WAY.

BUT IT DID GO THE RIGHT WAY, FOR THEM.

SO I SALUTE IT AND CONGRATULATE ALL OF THEM ON WHAT THEY'VE ATTAINED, AND IT TURNS OUT THAT A LOT OF THE COLLEGES WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT SOME OF THE APPLICATIONS AND THEY SEE THAT A YOUNG STUDENT HAS AN E.M.T.

OR PARAMEDIC LICENSE, THEY USE THEM FOR ON CAMPUS EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE AND GIVE THEM PARTIAL SCHOLARSHIPS.

SO IT WORKED BUT IT DIDN'T WORK.

BUT WE GO TO THE HIGH SCHOOLS, WE GO TO THE SCHOOLS THAT TEACH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES TEACH THE E.M.S.

PROGRAMS AND TRY TO RECRUIT THERE.

WE RECRUIT PEOPLE COMING OUT OF THE MILITARY.

BUT UNTIL THE PAY SCALE COMES UP TO THE LEVEL OF CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING THAT'S NEEDED, THIS IS NOT AN EASY LICENSE TO OBTAIN.

YOU'RE BASICALLY DOING FIELD EMERGENCY HOSPITAL WORK.

YOU'RE STARTING LINES, YOU'RE OPENING UP AIRWAYS, FIXING BROKEN LEGS, YOU'RE WORKING ON GUNSHOT VICTIMS, IT'S A TOUGH JOB.

THE MILITARY COMES IN TO TRAIN WITH OUR E.M.S.

PEOPLE, BECAUSE THEY GET SO MUCH TRAINING AND SO MUCH EXPERIENCE IN OUR CITY.

>> CHIEF, COULD THE TAXPAYERS ENJOY SOME BENEFITS IF WE MERGED THE FIRE ACADEMIES IN THE COUNTY AND THE CITY?

AND IF WE MERGE THE DISPATCHERS IN THE CITY WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

>> ANOTHER GOOD QUESTION.

I'LL START WITH THE COMMUNICATION SIDE OF IT FIRST.

I'VE BEEN A PROPONENT OF MERGING , IN NAME, ALL OF THE DISPATCH CAPABILITIES OF THE CITY INTO ST. LOUIS INTO WHAT'S COUNTIED A PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWERING POINT.

ONE OF THE GIGS THAT THE CITY TAKES IS WE DON'T HAVE ONE, AND THAT AFFECTS OUR INSURANCE RATES.

WHAT WE DO NOW IS WHEN YOU CALL 911 IT GETS ANSWERED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND YOU TELL THEM WHETHER YOU NEED THE POLICE, FIRE OR E.M.S.

IF IT'S FIRE OR E.M.S.

THEY HAVE TO TRANSFER THE CALL OVER TO MY BUILDING WHERE I HOUSE FIRE AND E.M.S.

DISPATCH, AND THAT SLOWS THE PROCESS DOWN.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT THE CITY GOES TO A PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWERING POINT, WHERE EVERYBODY IS IN ONE BUILDING.

AND THAT IS AN EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION.

WITH A CITY OF OUR SIZE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THE AMOUNT OF CALLS THAT WE ANSWER FOR POLICE, FIRE AND E.M.S., THAT HAS TO BE DONE.

AS FAR AS MERGING THE ACADEMIES, I THINK IT WOULD BE A POSITIVE TO DO IT.

THE ONLY ISSUE WE HAVE THERE IS THE COUNTIES ACTUALLY HAVE AN ORDINANCE IN PLACE THAT SAYS YOU CAN ONLY WORK FOR A COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT IF YOU GO THROUGH THEIR ACADEMY.

EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE JUST GETTING A STATE OF MISSOURI CERTIFICATION, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THEIR FIRE ACADEMY.

SO IF I HAVE A FIREFIGHTER WHO'S GOT SAY FIVE YEARS WITH THE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT AND IS PROBABLY RESPONDED ON THOUSANDS OF CALLS, IF HE WANTS TO MOVE TO A COUNTY DEPARTMENT AND GO TO A SMALL DISTRICT, MAYBE ONE HOUSE AND PROBABLY HANDLES MAYBE ONE CALL A DAY, HE STILL HAS TO GO THROUGH THE COUNTY FIRE ACADEMY, WHICH MAKES NO SENSE TO ME.

>> I HEAR YOU.

NOW, WE MOVED BACK, BUT MY WIFE IS A TEACHER.

SO YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT I AM CERTIFIED IN HOWEVER MANY STATES AND AWARD WINNING AND BLAH BLAH BLAH, WE COME BACK HERE AND THEY ACTUALLY FIXED THIS, THEY DID, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO LIKE DO STUFF TO BE CERTIFIED HERE.

IT MAKES NO SENSE.

I HEAR YOU.

SO, NOW, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FIRES.

AND I'M STILL, I'M 61, YOU GUYS ARE ALL YOUNGER THAN ME, I THINK.

>> I'M NOT SAYING.

>> SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FIREFIGHTERS, IS THERE STILL, EVEN THOSE WATCHING THE SHOW, IS I HAVE A TOUGH TIME COMPREHENDING WHAT HE'S SAYING BECAUSE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO PUT FIRES OUT.

AND THAT'S ALL I REALLY KNOW IS THEY'RE FIREFIGHTERS.

WHY ARE THEY DOING ALL THESE OTHER THINGS?

EXPLAIN IT TO, YOU KNOW, THE AVERAGE NOT JUST ST. LOUIS CITIZEN, BUT FROM WHEREVER.

>> OUR JOB HAS CHANGED.

I'LL EXPLAIN IT TO THE AVERAGE ELEMENT.

WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS WE PROVIDE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.

ANY TIME THERE'S A NATURAL GAS LEAK, THAT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARD.

CARBON MONOXIDE LEAK IN YOUR HOME CAUSED BY BROKEN HEAT EXCHANGER ON A FURNACE, IMPROPERLY OPERATING WATER HEATER, YOU KNOW, GAS STOVE, THAT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARD.

SO HAZARDOUS MATERIAL BEING HAULED OVER THE HIGHWAYS, GASOLINE TANKERS, TANKERS CARRYING ANY TYPE OF KEPT CAL, WE ARE THE HAZMAT EXPERTS.

WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE CHEMISTRY DEGREES THAT THEY TRAIN FOR HAZARDOUS MATERIAL, AND IT'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TRAINING.

SOMEBODY GOES ONTO THE ICE AT ONE OF THE PARKS IN THE CITY AND FALLS THROUGH.

WE HAVE SPECIAL SQUADS THAT ARE TRAINED IN ICE RESCUE.

RIVER RESCUE, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL BOATS THAT OPERATE ON THE RIVER.

WE'RE THE SEVENTH BUSIEST INLAND PORT IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, SO THE AMOUNT OF PRODUCT GOING UP AND DOWN THE RIVER ON TUG BOATS AND BARGES, WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY ON THAT RIVER.

WE HAVE NO COAST GUARD PRESENCE IN ST. LOUIS, ON THE WATER.

ST. LOUIS FIRE DEPARTMENT IS IT, WE MAINTAIN ALL THOSE BOATS.

SOMEBODY WORKING ON A CONSTRUCTION SITE, INSIDE A SAY A PYLON OR HOLE DIGGING, WE'RE TRONSIBLE FOR TRENCH RESCUE, WE HAVE ALL THAT EQUIPMENT.

WE'RE ALSO RESPONSIBLE, WE'RE WHAT'S CONSIDERED RESCUE TACK FORCE TWO, WHICH IS THE SECOND TASK FORCE IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI, THE NUMBER ONE IS IN BOONE COUNTY IN COLUMBIA.

WE RESPOND ALL OVER THE REGION TO ASSIST WITH TORNADOES, YOU KNOW, LARGE CATASTROPHES.

WE WERE OVER AT THE AMAZON BUILDING WHEN IT COLLAPSED, WE SENT OUR UNIT OVER THERE TO HELP SEARCH FOR PEOPLE.

WE HAVE A TEAM OF DOGS THAT WE USE TO MAKE SURE NOBODY IS IN A BUILDING SHOULD A BUILDING COLLAPSE.

WE HAVE LIVE BODY DOGS AND CADAVER DOGS.

AND I HAVEN'T EVEN GOT INTO THE E.M.S.

SIDE.

THERE'S A LOT TO DO, THERE'S A LOT TO KNOW, AND A LOT OF ONGOING TRAINING.

AND IT'S AN EXCITING POSITION, EXCITING CAREER BECAUSE EVERY DAY IS DIFFERENT.

>> YOU'RE ALSO HANDING OUT GUN LOCKS, FREE GUN LOCKS AT ALL YOUR FIRE HOUSES.

IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE THAT PEOPLE ARE PICKING THEM UP AND ACTUALLY USING THEM, CHIEF?

>> YES.

PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, UP WITH OF THE ADVANTAGES OF THE ST. LOUIS FIRE DEPARTMENT IS THE FACT THAT I'VE GOT 30 FIRE HOUSE AS CROSS THIS CITY AND TWO AT THE AIRPORT.

AND THE ONES IN THE CITY ESPECIALLY, THOSE ARE ALL IN NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND PEOPLE IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS KNOW THAT ANYTHING THEY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH, THEY CAN WALK TO THE FIRE HOUSE, KNOCK ON THE DOOR, AND THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM.

A WATER LEAK IN THEIR HOUSE, SOMETHING DOESN'T SMELL RIGHT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING IS LEAKING.

SOME TYPE OF ELECTRICAL ISSUE, THEY'LL KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND WE'LL GO OVER AND CHECK IT OUT FOR THEM.

THAT COMES WITH THEIR TAX BASE.

SO HAVING THE HOUSES IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THE GUN LOCKS, THE PEOPLE ARE COMFORTABLE WITH US.

THEY'LL COME KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND SAY I HEARD YOU GOT GUN LOCKS.

HERE'S THE WHERE SURE, HERE'S THE GUN LOCK, NO QUESTIONS ASKED.

-- THE BROCHURE, THE GUN LOCK, NO QUESTIONS ASKED.

IT'S THE COMFORT THEY HAVE WITH THEIR FIREFIGHTERS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

IT'S THEIR FIRE HOUSE.

>> THAT'S COOL, I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT THAT.

BUT THAT'S COOL.

THEY UTILIZE YOU.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

EVEN THE CHILDREN.

DURING THE SUMMER WHEN WE DON'T HAVE AN ENGINE OUTSIDE, I WOULD SAY EVERY HOUSE IN ST. LOUIS CITY HAS THE DOORS OPEN AND THE KIDS ARE COMING BY, FILLING UP BIKE TIRES, OR, SO IT'S A RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS.

>> BUT I REMEMBER, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS FOUR OR SIX MONTHS AGO, READING A STORY OF AN AMBULANCE ON ITS SIDE AFTER SUMMER RANT DRIVER PLOWED -- SOME ERRANT DRIVER PLOWED INTO IT.

RECENTLY I WAS ON TUCKER AND I SAW ONE OF YOUR TRUCKS GOING DOWN THE STREET AND I DON'T THINK PEOPLE HEARD IT OR ACKNOWLEDGED IT OR WANTED TO GET OUT OF THE WAY.

NOW, IS IT ME JUST GETTING OLD, OR ARE DRIVERS LESS CAREFUL AND CONSIDER AT OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE VEHICLES OUT THERE?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU'VE HAD THAT CONVERSATION MANY TIMES IN THE MORNING ON THE RADIO.

WHEN I COME INTO WORK, YOU BETH BE PAYING ATTENTION.

PEOPLE ARE ON THE CELL PHONES, PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW, PUTTING ON WHATEVER THEY PUT ON IN THE MORNING WHILE THEY GO TO WORK.

THEY'RE DRINKING, THE LAST THING THEY'RE DOING IS PAYING ATTENTION TO THE ROAD.

THEIR RADIO IS ON TOO LOUD, AND THE CARS ARE MORE SECURE, THEY'RE MORE QUIET, IF YOU WILL.

BUT WE'VE HAD TO INCREASE THE SOUND ON OUR SIRENS, THE SOUND OF OUR AIR HORNS, AND WE TELL OUR GUYS, YOU'VE GOT TO STOP AT ALMOST EVERY LIGHT, EVEN A GREEN LIGHT, YOU'VE GOT TO PAY ATTENTION.

SO THE DRIVING HABITS OF OUR ENTIRE REGION HAVE CHANGED CONSIDERABLY, AND I GUESS AT TIMES I'M TOO PARTICULAR AND IT JUST AGGRAVATES ME TO SEE A FIRE TRUCK OR AN AMBULANCE NOT BEING GIVEN WAY FOR WHEN THEY'RE ON AN EMERGENCY RUN TRYING TO ASSIST SOMEBODY, AND PEOPLE AREN'T PAYING ATTENTION OR JUST DON'T CARE.

PULL TO THE RIGHT.

I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT FOR AS MANY YEARS AS I'VE BEEN DRIVING, AND THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY SHOULD DO.

PULL TO THE RIGHT AND GIVE US SPACE.

>> HOW MANY FIREFIGHTERS DO YOU HAVE NOW?

HOW MANY ARE YOU DOWN, HOW MANY DO YOU NEED?

>> RIGHT NOW I'M GETTING READY TO HIRE A CLASS OF 20 FIREFIGHTERS, AND I'M 20 FIREFIGHTERS SHORT.

WE'RE WORKING ON THE LAST PART OF THE LAST CERTIFICATION TEST, WE'RE GETTING READY TO GIVE A NEW TEST.

SO WHILE WE'RE ON HERE, I WANT TO PLUG THAT ANYBODY WHO IS LOOKING TO START A CAREER AS A FIREFIGHTER GO TO THE ST. LOUIS DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL WEBSITE, PULL DOWN ST. LOUIS CITY FIREFIGHTER AND AN APPLICATION WILL COME UP.

YOU'VE GOT ABOUT ANOTHER 30 DAYS TO SIGN UP.

WE'RE LOOKING IN THE NEXT THREE TO FOUR YEARS TO AT LEAST HIRE SAY 150, MAYBE 200 FIREFIGHTERS.

WE'VE GOT ABOUT 660 FIREFIGHTERS, WHICH INCLUDES THE AIRPORT.

BUT WE ARE LOOKING TO GIVE A TEST IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS AND START A NEW LIST.

>> EXCELLENT.

CHIEF, WE'RE FLAT OUT OF TIME, SORRY TO SAY.

BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US, I KNOW YOU'RE THE GRAND MARSHALL OF THIS YEAR'S ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE, WE'LL SEE YOU WALKING DOWN MARKET.

UNTIL THEN HAVE A GOOD ONE.

AND THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS, CHARLIE AND ALVIN, APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> "DONNYBROOK" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE SUPPORT OF THE BETSY AND THOMAS PATTERSON FOUNDATION AND THE MEMBERS OF NINE PBS.