BAY MINETTE – Mike Minchew was almost destined to be Bay Minette’s Fire Chief.

He started as a junior volunteer fireman at 15 and once even rode his bike to fire.

Late last month, the City Council formally named the veteran fireman the new Fire Chief. He had served as interim chief since mid-February, replacing former chief Phil Bryars Jr.

As chief, Minchew oversees a combination department of 14 full-time firemen, seven part-time firemen and around 15 volunteers.

“My ultimate goal is those guys go home at the end of the shift,” said Minchew. “It’s quite a large burden to carry. Each guy is a great asset the city.”

To make sure his fire fighters are safe, Minchew plans to stress training in things including hazardous material and weapons of mass destruction.

“Chemicals change. So do the makeup of furniture and construction materials,” said Minchew. “Training is a key asset to the survival of fire fighters.”

Most hazardous material training is covered by grants.

Hometown boy

Minchew was born and raised in Bay Minette. His family lived across the street from the fire chief and Minchew remembers seeing the chief being called out in the afternoons on calls. When he was just 15, he became a junior volunteer.

“As a junior volunteer, you didn’t get to fight the fire. I was more of a gopher at the scene,” said Minchew. “I knew when I made that first call, that’s what I wanted to do.

“I took some ribbing because my mom drove me to (fire) calls, because I wasn’t old enough to drive. I actually rode a bike to a call.”

The teenage Minchew even would spend weekends at the firehouse, spending the night on occasion.

“Once you get it in you. You’ve got it,” said Minchew. “There was no doubt what I was going to be.”

And he still remembers the first time he entered a house that was on fire. It was on East Pleasant Ave. The memory sticks in his mind, because years before, his grandparents had lived in the same house.

Modern department

When Minchew was hired as a fulltime fire fighter in 1995, the department had two stations, two full-time firemen, a fire chief and an assistant chief. The growth of the city forced the growth of the department. Instead of the chief being another fireman, the role has shifted to more administrative. He has turned over the day-to-day fire fighting to his shift captains.

“We cover everything in the city limits and about three miles outside the city limits,” said Minchew. “It’s about 82 square miles.

“We also have mutual aid agreements with all the volunteer departments in the area.”

The department has four Class A pumpers, a ladder truck, a brush truck and a rescue truck. There are also two boats for water rescue.

“We actually used them in town last year,” said Minchew. “Heavy rains led to flooding in some areas. There was water waist deep. We used the boats to rescue a (homebound) patient and get them medical care.”