Fire Chief William H. Markgraf announced to City Manager Bill Watkins today his intent to retire from the Columbia (MO) Fire Department on January 5, 2011, after 22 years of service.
It has been an honor to serve the citizens of Columbia as their firecChief for the past 22 years. Citizen support has ensured that Columbia is served by one of the finest fire departments in the state and the country, said Markgraf. The Columbia Fire Department is an outstanding organization because of citizen support, strong leadership of Chief Officers, and the dedicated men and women of the department who deliver emergency services everyday.
Chief Markgraf assumed the duties of the Fire Chief of the University City Missouri Fire Department in 1977 and after serving 11 years there, accepted then City Manager Ray Becks invitation to become the fire chief of the Columbia Fire Department on July 5, 1988.
Chief Markgraf has overseen substantial growth of the fire service during his tenure. When Markgraf first arrived in 1988, the department’s fleet of vehicles was aging and in need of replacement. Today, Columbia is fortunate to have a modern and effective fleet of fire service vehicles, three new fire stations, a modern training facility, agreements for service delivery with the Boone County Fire District, and a staff of 136 personnel.
Chief Markgraf began his career in the fire service 55 years ago when he volunteered in 1955 for the East Joilet Fire Department. Markgraf was always committed to the education of firefighters in both academic and vocational settings and began teaching in the mid-1960s. In 1977 Markgraf left his post as the Director of Fire Science at Columbia College to accept the job as the Fire Chief in University City Missouri.
Chief Markgraf and his wife Linda plan to remain in Columbia after his retirement and he intends to remain active in many community organizations such as Rotary, Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors, and the Columbia Community Band.
