New fire chief oversees many changes

It’s been a busy six months for the Shawnee Fire Department since Jimmy Gibson became chief, with the department seeing personnel changes in fire marshal, captain and battalion chief posts, along with new equipment, fire trucks and plans for increased training.
“We’re a young department — we are a highly motivated department,” Gibson said. “It’s so encouraging. As chief, these guys have embraced and supported me and I think they know I support them,” Gibson said. The respect goes both ways, he said, and it’s been an exciting time.
Gibson, who became chief last fall after serving many years as a Shawnee firefighter and prevention officer, said he didn’t need time to assess and determine the needs of the department as an outsider would have, so he “hit the ground running.”
The department’s chief officers have been an integral part of the decision-making process, Gibson said, and all of the positive changes are a result of that team effort and approach.
Gibson describes these past few months as “busy,” with the annual budget process, which effects all aspects of the department, along with training issues and new fire equipment. Several of the big changes have been in personnel, including the naming of David Anderson as the city’s fire marshal.
Anderson has worked in fire prevention office with Gibson since 2003. The previous fire marshal, Allen Heilaman, was serving a combined job as deputy chief and fire marshal. Heilaman left the department for another job last fall and one of Gibson’s first actions as chief was making Dru Tischer his deputy chief. Gibson said he felt the fire marshal job needed to be a separate position as in years past so Anderson was recently chosen for that job.
“David is very dedicated to prevention,” Gibson said. “I have all the confidence that he’ll make an outstanding fire marshal.”
Anderson began his career at Shawnee in July 1998, starting in fire service and becoming a fire prevention officer in 2003. As fire marshal, he is in charge of the fire prevention office, which reviews emergency plans for prevention and investigates fires.
“This is something I always wanted to do,” Anderson said, saying it happened, “a lot earlier in my career than I expected.”
The office is comprised of himself and longtime fire investigator Rob Branson, and there is currently a third vacancy to fill, Gibson said. Anderson said now is an amazing time to be part of the fire department and he has many goals and new ideas as the new fire marshal.
“I’ve never seen this amount of change — it’s a good atmosphere,” Anderson said.
Other personnel promotions have included David Short moving up from captain to serving as one of the department’s three battalion chiefs, which left a captain’s position that was filled by Scott Killgore through promotional testing.
Killgore joined the fire department in Aug. 1996 and worked as firefighter and fire equipment operator.
“It’s been a goal of mine to be a captain,” Killgore said. Captains are in charge of an assigned station during a given shift and Killgore is currently assigned to Station No. 1 at city hall.
Being a first-line supervisor is a great opportunity with many new challenges, Killgore said, with a “chance to lead by example.” Gibson said Killgore was the top scorer in the promotional testing process.
“He’s committed, very conscientious, and shares the goal of making the Shawnee Fire Department one of the best in the state,” the chief said.
Short, the newest battalion chief, became a Shawnee firefighter in December 1988 and worked as a firefighter and fire equipment operator before becoming captain nearly four years ago.
The retirement of longtime battalion chief Chalk Norton resulted in a promotional testing process to fill that position, with Short advancing to that post.
Three groups of Shawnee firefighters work 24-hour rotating shifts. Short said he’s now responsible for an entire shift’s function, with planning and personnel management, along with being the incident commander at most emergency scenes. Short said likes the responsibility.
“I’m lucky to have an opportunity to be a part of it,” he said. “It’s an exciting time for the fire department — I love this place.”
The new position has given him a new respect for fire service, he said, and he has a great group of enthusiastic firefighters on his shift.
Gibson said, “David has embraced that position and he’s been instrumental in enhancing training efforts.”
In additional to promotional changes, there’s been two recent hires to the department. Joe Henry and Richard Stevenson are the department’s newest rookie firefighters.
There’s also new equipment, including new bunker gear for fire crews, along with a new fire truck for station No. 3. A new brush-pumper grass rig should arrive soon.
“The fire department is motivated, excited and ready to serve,” Gibson said. “We’re ready to kick it up a notch — or three.”
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Kim Morava may be reached at 214-3962 or kimberly.morava@news-star.com.