City Fire Department officials who have seen this before know that the widely disliked Channel 5 reporter Mike Owens must have been visiting with Slay’s chief of staff Jeff Rainford again, because Owens has been poking around the Fire Department asking about preparedness and how well the department could operate if it were to consolidate command facilities with the Police Department. Apparently, Fire Chief Sherman George felt compelled to call Police Chief Joe Mokwa to make sure they are still cool. (They are.)
Speaking of the two chiefs, has anyone else wondered what City Hall’s response would be to a national statistical survey that said the city of St. Louis had the worst record in putting out fires? Would Rainford be all over the media saying the firefighters always put out the fires in his far South Side neighborhood? Or would Chief George get sent packing with glee?