Mayor selects Allen Reyne as new Springfield fire chief

March 29--Capt. Allen Reyne, a nearly 19-year veteran of the Springfield Fire Department, will be the city's next fire chief, Mayor Jim Langfelder said Wednesday.

Reyne, 47, a fire captain since 2009, will replace Barry Helmerichs, who is retiring April 6.

Langfelder interviewed eight candidates within the fire department for the position. A fairly unique clause in the city's contract with the firefighters' union requires the mayor to choose the chief from the current ranks.

Langfelder called the selection of the new fire chief to replace Helmerichs "a very difficult decision."

"The main goal was to select a chief that will build on the strengths and success achieved under the leadership of Chief Helmerichs, including being designated a Class 1 Fire Department," Langfelder said in a statement, referring to the department's newly achieved fire suppression rating. "There were several very well-qualified candidates to lead the fire department. I chose Allen for his ability provide stability while also providing a vision towards the future."

Reyne, a Springfield resident, was the firefighters' union president for two years starting in 2012 and has served as its secretary.

He is certified to be a fire investigator at the state and international level, as well as a paramedic. He also holds certifications in hazardous waste operations, fire service management and fire service instruction. Before joining the Springfield Fire Department in 1999, he was a volunteer firefighter for the Godfrey Fire Protection District and a paramedic in St. Louis County and Springfield.

Starting April 7, Reyne will be acting fire chief until the Springfield City Council can vote on his appointment April 17, city officials said. Reyne's chief salary has not yet been decided.

Because of accrued personal days, Helmerichs' last day in the office will be Friday and senior staff will serve in his absence until Reyne takes over next week. Helmerichs' retirement comes after being chief for almost three years and serving in the department for almost 27 years.

At Tuesday's Committee of the Whole meeting, Langfelder honored Helmerichs with a proclamation and named that day Fire Chief Barry Helmerichs Day. He listed some of Helmerichs' accomplishments, including raising the department's fire suppression rating from the Insurance Services Office from Class 3 to Class 1 without extra funds. Helmerichs also emphasized advanced medical training for firefighters and improved response times.

Langfelder noted the last time the city was able to achieve a Class 1 rating was when Helmerichs was new to the fire department. It lost its Class 1 rating in 2003. Only the top half percent of all fire departments in the nation are rated Class 1.

"Thank you for keeping up the class, starting with Class 1 Springfield Fire Department and leaving a Class 1 Fire Department, which is fitting for a chief who has always been a class act," Langfelder read from the proclamation.

Helmerichs credited his accomplishments to his staff.

"It's time to get some people with some fresh legs," Helmerichs added.

Helmerichs is just one of a number of high-ranking fire department officials retiring this year. Two division chiefs, Bob Marfell and Mark Hart, and two battalion chiefs, Bill Carmean and Edward Gillespie, retired within the last month. The three other division chiefs, Chris Richmond, Jeph Bassett and Lyndal Neighbours, will not retire this year, according to Helmerichs.

Division chief appointments will be decided by Reyne.

Contact Crystal Thomas: 788-1528, crystal.thomas@sj-r.com, twitter.com/crystalclear224.

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