Fire department promotes,
adds workers
By Lynde Smith
Staff
Writer
Two promotions and a new firefighter are the newest
changes to the Purdue University Fire Department.
James Heisel was appointed assistant fire chief
of the Purdue University Fire Department on Feb. 1. Heisel has been
a firefighter for 23 years and has worked at Purdue for 20 years. He
has also been an emergency medical technician since 1976.
Previously, Heisel was a lieutenant. He had to
apply for the assistant fire chief position and then go through an interview
and testing process. The test had different problems that a firefighter
must encounter and Heisel had to assess the situation and then decide
how he would deal with it.
With his new job comes some responsibility. Heisel
now oversees the CPR and Automatic External Defibrillator programs.
He also oversees the training for Emergency Medical Systems.
Heisel is married and has three children. Two of
his children are students at Purdue. His oldest daughter is a junior
majoring in communication and his son is a sophomore majoring in law
and society.
Heisel says that being a firefighter is a lot of
fun. "You don't ever really have to grow up," he said. "You live for
the excitement."
He said, "I look forward to every day I go to work.
No two days are the same."
Brian Campbell began his duties as a firefighter
for the Purdue University Fire Department on April 2.
Campbell previously served as a firefighter and
emergency medical technician for the Frankfort Fire Department for eight
years. He was also a personal trainer for Frankfort's YMCA. Campbell
received his bachelor's degree in psychology from Wabash College.
He said he decided to come here because Purdue
is a more modern and faster growing area.
"I thought that it would be a better opportunity
for myself and my family to move to this area," Campbell said.
After submitting his resume and going through the
interview process, Campbell had to have a physical and go through a
physical abilities test.
The physical abilities test is an obstacle course
which includes tasks such as wearing turn-out gear with a mask that
is blacked out and finding his way out of a room by following a wall.
This simulates being in a burning building. Some other tests include
dragging a 150 pound dummy 50 feet and carrying a hose pack up four
flights of stairs. This test is a timed event.
Campbell said one of his favorite things about
being a firefighter is the variety of things that he gets to do.
"It is never monotonous," he said. "You get to
see things that you never thought you would see."
Kevin Ply was promoted to lieutenant on March 5.
He has been a firefighter for 18 years and joined the Purdue University
Fire Department in July 1989.
Ply is one of the department's CPR and Automatic
External Defibrillator instructors.
He is an active member of the Indiana Fire Instructors
Association and has taught classes for four of the state fire schools.
Ply said his favorite part about fire fighting
is that it is challenging and exciting, and at the same time he can
help people.
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