The Air Force

Bowker knew he was fortunate to land a position with the Winfield Fire Department at such a young age. He also knew if he wanted to further his career, he would need some post-secondary education. The problem was, not many colleges offered the type of fire programs he wanted to study.

He found a solution to that problem in 1977, when he enlisted in the United States Air Force. He became an Air Force crash rescue firefighter, and the military paid for his schooling.

His work in the Air Force took him to all sorts of areas. Some of his more memorable moments took place while he was stationed in Portugal.

In 1987, he was an assistant fire chief for his unit.

There was a report of three houses on fire, and those houses were only several feet apart.

Bowker was in a smaller vehicle and was able to get to the location sooner than other firefighters.

When he arrived on the scene, a man stopped him on the street. Bowker admitted he was not very fluent in Portuguese, but he was able to understand that the man was trying to well him there was a person in one of the houses.

Not knowing exactly how far behind the rest of his crew was, Bowker got on his radio. His colleagues told him they were probably about five minutes

away.

Bowker knew that could be too late to save a life, so he threw on his gear and started searching for the woman. The smoke had filled the house so that vision was clear only about 10 to 12 inches off the floor, and there were

flames at the back of the house.

That was an area where propane bottles were being stored.

Looking under the smoke, Bowker saw two sets of feet. He was able to get both the woman and the child with her rescued.

Bowker had a long and distinguished career in the Air Force, retiring after 20 years. At the time of his retirement, he was the fire chief at McConnell Air Force Base.

Return to Winfield

After retiring from the Air Force, he used his fire investigations background and started his own business, Fire Cost Consultants. With the business, Bowker did fire investigation work for insurance companies. He

worked in that business for about three years.

"I liked what I was doing, but I messed the camaraderie with the other firefighters and the excitement of going on calls," he said.

During that time, Bowker also worked as the volunteer fire chief for a rural fire district in Sumner County that covered the Geuda Springs area.

He said that gave him a chance to experience some of what he had missed and afforded him an opportunity to "give a little something back."

A new opportunity came up, however, while he was running his business and volunteering for Geuda Springs. Don Kimsey, the fire inspector at the Winfield Fire Department, was retiring. Kimsey and Bowker had worked together before, and Kimsey suggested

that Bowker apply for the job.

Then-fire chief George Gurley hired him to take Kimsey's place.

Gurley retired about a year later -- not long after experiencing cardiac

problems himself -- and Curtis Wilson was hired to take over as chief.

Advancing the Winfield Fire Department Wilson credits Bowker for much of the progress that the fire department has made over the past decade.

"I think in the time that he's been here, there have been some definite

advances made with fire prevention, with inspections and the way they are handled, and training some of our other men to do inspections," said Wilson.

"It's going to be tough to have an individual come in and fill (Bowker's) shoes." Wilson said Bowker has been instrumental in revamping and expanding the

inspection program to include the core downtown areas, USD 465 buildings, Southwestern College, all healthcare facilities and Winfield Industrial Park.

Bowker has also initiated fire safety hood and duct kitchen

inspections in all public restaurants and dining facilities in the city.

Through Bowker's training, the city now has four additional state certified fire investigators.

He is also credited with developing and implementing Fire Stoppers of Cowley County, a community-based program that provides counseling and intervention programs for youth who have an unsafe or unhealthy fascination with fire.

Some of Bowker's other achievements include: implementing a fire safety

educational program for at-risk single parent families through EagleNest, assisting the community smoke detector program with more than 3,300 detectors installed, initiating the Winfield Fire Prevention Fund for securing donations for local fire prevention materials.

Bowker is proud that during his time in the fire department, they have been able to save many structures -- including some significant downtown and Strother Field facilities.

"I can't say enough about the firefighters in Winfield. If they have an opportunity to save a building, they do, and they do a good job," said Bowker.

His biggest regret was that they were unable to save 13-year-old Lexy Crittenden, who died in 2004 in a house fire. "Whenever I drive by there, I think of that night," Bowker said. "The

absolute lowest part of being a firefighter is to have to deal with

something like that."

A close call

Bowker knew that in recent years, he didn't quite have the strength and stamina he once had. That was discovered in late August, when the Winfield Fire Department responded to a report of a duplex that had caught fire on Eastman Drive near Southwestern College.

Not long after being on the scene, Bowker found himself short of breath and completely exhausted. On the verge of collapsing, he had to be transported to William Newton Hospital.

"I knew that wasn't right," said Bowker. "I had been in hotter conditions for longer periods of time and was fine."

He simply assumed it was just a matter of needing to lose a little weight and get into better physical shape. In another month and a half, he learned it was more than just the need to shed a few pounds.

Fire Prevention Week had arrived, and Bowker was preparing for a day's work.

But his regular morning pre-work routine was interrupted. While shaving, Bowker noticed a dull ache in his chest. He also had a radiating feeling in

his left arm.

He sat down and the symptoms subsided, so he got back up. The sensations returned, and he knew he needed help. "I didn't want it to be what it was, but I knew what it was," Bowker said.

Bowker contacted his colleagues at the fire department, and they transported him. After going to the Kansas Heart Hospital in Wichita, Bowker learned that he did not have a heart attack, but he did have 98 percent blockage of

his arteries.

"The doctors told me it was a miracle I didn't have a heart attack that day on Eastman Drive. The Lord's blessed me very much in my career," Bowker said.

The next day, Bowker went in for surgery; seven bypasses were done. He said he almost immediately felt an improvement.

"I could tell I felt better," he said. "I felt like I had energy.

The recovery

Bowker has been on a steady road to recovery since his surgery. He's taking good care of himself and is getting a healthy dose of exercise. He spends about 30 minutes on the treadmill a day, though he noted he is glad the weather is nicer so he and his wife Pam can go for walks in the park.

The results so far have been good. He's lost nearly 50 pounds.

"I feel better than I've felt since I was 30," Bowker said. "It's amazing how much energy and stamina I have.

I'm very blessed to still be here, and I'm able to have my health back and enjoy my family."

With a new granddaughter, Marley Bowker, the retiring fire marshal is happy that he will have the opportunity to get to watch her grow up.

"I want to see her graduate, and all that good stuff," Bowker said.

The future

Bowker described his retirement as bittersweet. He's enjoying his freedom to spend more time with his family, yet he says he already misses the people at

the fire station and the public he worked with while on the job.

"I've been blessed that I've been allowed to do what I've loved for 34 years," he said.

But he will still have another career in fire service. He will be teaching fire management and officer development classes with the University of Kansas and Butler County Community College.

And there will be more Bowkers to don a firefighter's uniform. All three of his sons are either firefighters or training to become them. His oldest son, Jason, Marley's father, has been a member of the Wichita Fire Department for about six years.

Another son, Joshua, has worked with the fire department in Arkansas City and is currently attending Kansas State University with hopes of getting on with a fire department in the Winfield area.

His youngest son, Jeff, is taking fire science classes at BCCC.

His daughter Janna, is pursuing a nursing career. "The bug has bitten all three of our boys, even though I never really encouraged them," Bowker said. "I did tell them that whatever you do, find a career you enjoy, and you'll never work a day in your life."

The search for a replacement

The city is now in the process of finding a replacement for Bowker.

"Just with any opening with the city, we will evaluate the position in how and when it will be filled. We are considering ways where we could enhance the position," said city manager Warren Porter.

A replacement may have additional administrative duties, Porter indicated, noting that "all jobs change over time."

Because of the training that Winfield firefighters have received -- much of it from Bowker -- Wilson said there is a possibility they could promote one of the current department members to the fire marshal's position.

"It would be nice if we could find a replacement internally," said Wilson. "We would rather be able to use that training to help our own department, rather than to train them and then lose them to another department."