Fire Marshal Wins Award

Florissant Valley Assistant chief earns honor for fire prevention efforts

Leon Algee Jr. photo - Florissant Valley Assistant Chief Steve Gettemeier recently received the Edward M. Vineyard Award from the Fire Marshals' Association of Missouri.

By Brian Flinchpaugh- Suburban Journals 
Wednesday, August 27, 2008 8:54 AM CDT

Steve Gettemeier, like so many professionals these days, is in the communications business.
As assistant chief and fire marshal with the Florissant Valley Fire Protection District, Gettemeier handles building inspections. He also investigates suspicious fires.
"I try to make sure buildings are safe in our district," he said.
Much of his job involves communicating the importance of fire safety to contractors, builders and residents.
"It's more than just doing inspections and looking for hazards," Gettemeier said. "You're out there to try to educate them on why we're out there."
He does not see his role as adversary, either. "It's easier to get them to think safety than try to force it down their throats," he said.
And it appears to be working. "We haven't had a commercial fire since about 1993," Gettemeier said.
His approach recently received some recognition. Gettemeier received the Edward M. Vineyard Award from the Fire Marshals' Association of Missouri at a conference at Lake of the Ozarks. The annual award recognizes an individual or department that has furthered the cause of fire prevention.
The association represents more than 200 fire marshals statewide.
"It was truly a shock to me," Gettemeier said. "I had no clue."
It's the first time Gettemeier has received the award. At age 57, he has worked for the district for 32 years and has lived in the Florissant and Ferguson areas all his life.
His career may have gotten a kick start as a teenager when he lived with his family next to Fire House No. 2.
Gettemeier struck up a relationship with the firemen next door. Eventually, he was entrusted with turning off lights and closing doors when fire trucks left to respond to calls.
"It got the point where they kind of expected me to be there," he said.
These days, Gettemeier and other fire marshals' efforts are particularly relevant because new fire hazards have emerged.
Lightweight materials are the norm in new buildings and homes. The problem is that they burn fast and hot. "Sawdust and glue," he said.
Gettemeier said the new materials allow for quick and cheaper construction. How things are going to be built isn't going to change, he said.
"You can't stick (your) head in sand and hope it's going away," he said. "You have got to work with people."
Gettemeier's advice about fire safety also takes into account the new reality of quick-burning materials.
Make sure smoke detectors are working, he said. "And when they go off, get out," he said.
Once people are outside, they should immediately let responding firefighters know that everyone is out of the house.
Another part of Gettemeier's job is arson investigations. Firefighters, police and insurance company investigators now more than ever can determine if arson is involved in fires.
"People assume everything burns up in a house," he said. "It doesn't. We can set up house again."
Some fires are nobody's fault. Electrical fires that start in an attic often stem from an uninvited guest looking for a quick snack. "You'll find an electrical line chewed through, and you'll find the carcass of a squirrel," he said.