Big River Ambulance Chief Gary Prasuhn has taken a step back, after leading the district for 15 years, and Assistant Chief Scott Fisher is now the acting chief.
Prasuhn, 58, of Bonne Terre said he will work part time from home for the rest of 2021 so he can care for his wife, Jeanette, who has a traumatic brain injury.
On Dec. 31, Prasuhn, who has been with the district for 34 years, will officially retire.
Fisher, 47, of Arnold who has been the acting chief since last December, said he and Prasuhn talk regularly by phone.
“It’s a learning experience,” Fisher said. “Right now, I am just taking it day by day and learning as much as I can from Gary and other chiefs in the area.”
Prasuhn, who was first hired by Big River in April 1987 and became chief in April 2006, said he is proud of helping to put the district in a better financial position by getting a sales tax passed in April 2007.
“That was really the first thing that I did (as chief),” he said. “With the sales tax, we were able to buy better ambulances, better equipment, more current equipment.”
Prasuhn said he also made sure to have updated safety equipment for staff.
“One of the things I’m the proudest of is we brought the district up to the standard where it should be as far as equipment, safety of the employees, better equipment for the employees and for the public, better lifesaving equipment.”
Fisher, who has been with the district for 18 years, was promoted to assistant chief two years ago.
He said Prasuhn has left the district in good financial shape.
“He’s done everything he can with what he had, and the employees were very happy,” Fisher said. He said he hopes to continue Prasuhn’s work.
“The No. 1 goal is to get the employees better salaries and to finish what Gary wanted, to hire six more full-timers and have three full-time ambulances,” Fisher said. The district has 35 employees, he said.
Fisher said the district has three ambulances, but commonly only runs two at a time due to staffing and financial issues.
He said the district will most likely try for another tax increase next April.
“If it happens, it’s just going to be way better for the community,” he said. “It’s not all about the salaries, but it’s about not having to close House 3.”
Prasuhn said he will miss the people he has worked with.
“It was a family and I got to be the father for 15 years,” he said. “It’s nice to watch people grow, watch paramedics come in brand-new not knowing anything and getting the experience they needed.”
Prasuhn said he is glad the new chief was hired from among the district’s ranks.
“Promoting somebody from within, which is what happened to me, worked out real well,” he said.
Prasuhn said currently the district doesn’t have an assistant chief for this year, but Fisher will be able to promote or hire someone for the position.
Fisher said he and Prasuhn each are being paid $86,445 this year.
The district has three houses and covers 125 square miles in Dittmer, Cedar Hill, House Springs and Hillsboro.