![\"Chief\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flovalleynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Chief-262x300.jpg?resize=262%2C300\" "\\"Chief\\"")
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After 26 years of dedicated service to the City of Hazelwood, Fire Chief Jim Matthies of the Hazelwood Fire Department (HFD) has announced his retirement effective June 30.\u00a0 He is leaving behind an impressive legacy of many firsts that have elevated the department\u2019s ranking as one of the best in St. Louis County.<\/p>\n
<\/strong><\/p>\n Chief Matthies played a key role introducing the \u201cquint concept\u201d to Hazelwood.\u00a0 He replaced the fire department\u2019s trucks with aerial\/pumper apparatus, which improved functionality without increasing personnel or operating costs.\u00a0 In 2004, he was responsible for starting a paramedic ambulance service in the fire department.\u00a0 Before then, the HFD contracted its EMS ambulance services with Christian NW Hospital resulting in\u00a0 reducing response time to emergency medical calls and maintaining the department\u2019s financial self sufficiency.<\/p>\n Other HFD accomplishments under Chief Matthies\u2019 watch include being the first in North County to install and bring online heart monitors and defibrillators capable of transmitting 12-lead EKGs to cath labs at SSM DePaul Health Center and other medical facilities for heart attack victims.\u00a0 Also, the EMS division is one of only 14 ambulance services in the St. Louis area and one of 47 statewide to earn EMSC state certification, which means Hazelwood\u2019s EMS firefighter\/paramedics have the equipment and training necessary to treat child trauma and injuries.<\/p>\n Another distinction is\u00a0 the city’s\u00a0 Fire Insurance Rating of Class 3.\u00a0 This classification has produced insurance cost savings for residents and businesses alike in the city.\u00a0 Only three other fire departments in the metro area can display this rating and just a handful throughout the state.<\/p>\n According to Chief Matthies, \u201cIt\u2019s been an honor for me to serve the HFD for 26 years, including the last 18 as the department\u2019s Fire Chief.\u00a0 Any success I\u2019ve achieved is due to the effective teamwork of the firefighters, paramedics, professional staff and administrative assistants I\u2019ve had the privilege to\u00a0 work with over the years.\u00a0 No achievement is possible without the input from a lot of hard-working people.\u201d<\/p>\n Chief Matthies began his career in Harvey, Ill., after serving four years in the U.S. Air Force. He became a licensed paramedic and later accepted a promotion to lieutenant after 8 years.\u00a0 His background included being an arson investigator and working for the city\u2019s detective bureau on his off days.\u00a0 In addition, he worked as a police paramedic for the City of South Holland for five years.\u00a0 As a fire lieutenant, he was responsible for supervising one of the department\u2019s four stations.<\/p>\n In 1985, he accepted the position as Hazelwood\u2019s Assistant Fire Chief and assumed the responsibility of Emergency Management Director.\u00a0 Eight years later, he was promoted to the position of fire chief.<\/p>\n Matthies earned an Associate degree and later a Bachelor degree in Fire Technology and Fire Administration.\u00a0 He also has a Masters degree in management.\u00a0 In addition, he completed course work in the Executive Fire Officers program at the National Fire Academy at Emmitsburg, Md.<\/p>\n In 1990, Chief Matthies was certified as one of only two Level Four Fire Service instructors in the state of Missouri at that time.\u00a0 Plus, he has served as an adjunct instructor at St. Louis Community College \u2013 Florissant Valley and the St. Louis County Fire Academy.<\/p>\n Chief Matthies\u2019 community activities include serving in organizations such as the Rotary Club Board, Father Dunn\u2019s Boys Club, the American Legion, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.\u00a0 He and his wife, Debbie, have been residents of the community for many years.\u00a0 Together, they have four children and five grandchildren.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After 26 years of dedicated service to the City of Hazelwood, Fire Chief Jim Matthies of the Hazelwood Fire Department (HFD) has announced his retirement effective June 30.\u00a0 He is leaving behind an impressive legacy of many firsts that have elevated the department\u2019s ranking as one of the best in St. Louis County. Chief Matthies […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"","ocean_second_sidebar":"","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"","ocean_custom_header_template":"","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"on","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5934","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hazelwood","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n