By SHANA ADKISSON/City of Ark City
For Gary Bowker, being a firefighter is just in his blood.
It’s what he knows, and it’s what he loves. His career has spanned almost five decades.
And he’s not done.
Today, he’s the Chaplain at the Arkansas City Fire Department.
“I’ve been thinking about somewhere I could serve and not have to be involved with all the physical work,” Bowker said. “I love working with people. I feel called to help lift up the Arkansas City department. I want to do positive things, be a positive role model, be a positive voice. I want to serve a great city.”
“I’ve been around a long time. I was thinking, and I’ve been in this business longer than most of the firefighters in Ark City have been alive. In one year, I’ll have 50 years. I aim to make it at least 50 years doing what I love.”
Bowker started his career as a firefighter in Winfield. Following his employment in Winfield, he and his wife, Pam, made a move to Ponca City. That resulted in Bowker enlisting with the Air Force.
“I spent the next almost 20 years serving in the Air Force and worldwide,” he said. “I got to do everything I had set my mind to do, everything from a firefighter to the ranks in training. I was a training instructor for almost five years and became a deputy chief and then fire chief at several Air Force bases.
“My last assignment was at McConnell Air Force Base. That’s where I retired.”
After Bowker’s retirement, he started his own business in fire investigation work for insurance companies. A lucrative business, but being a firefighter is just in Bowker’s blood. It’s what he knows, and it’s what he loves.
“I missed the fire department,” Bowker said. “When the Winfield Fire Department fire marshal was retiring, he encouraged me to put in for his job. And I thought about it. And I thought, well, I don’t have anything to lose. I’ll try it. I spent the next ten years there until I started to have health issues with my heart.”
Those health issues eventually required Bowker to have a seven-way heart bypass which took him about a year to recover.
“I had to decide whether I was going to try to go back to work, not knowing what my physical limitations might be, or go ahead and opt-out for our medical retirement,” Bowker said. “I thought about it, prayed, and took the medical retirement.
“When I was healed, I’d lost about 50 pounds and felt better than I had since I was 30.”
For the next few years, Bowker spent time being a volunteer fire chief for Sumner County. Bowker has also served as an interim Ark City fire marshal and an extensive fire instructor with the University of Kansas.
“I’ve been blessed in my career over the years with everything that I’ve gotten to do and people I’ve met,” Bowker said.
Bowker knows personally the challenges that a career in firefighting can bring, but he also knows the challenges by watching all four of his children, Jason, Josh, Janna, and Jeff, who are all employed in emergency service fields.
“People don’t understand how traumatic emergency scenes can be, he said. “Firefighters need a way that they can positively deal with that. And the chaplaincy program is one area that can have a positive influence on helping firefighters cope with these things. It’s important to help firefighters cope healthily and be a resource for that family.”
Bowker also sees the chaplain program with Ark City Fire/EMS as a chance to connect with members of the community that undergo a fire or traumatic situation.
“Those people are suffering,” he said. “They’ve had a loss right here in the community, and to be a resource to help them in that time of great need, it’s a way to provide a ministry to the community and our department.”
Bowker shows no signs of slowing down. Being a firefighter is just in his blood. It’s what he knows, and it’s what he loves.
“The good Lord has more for me to do because I’m still going,” Bowker said. “The old fire horse is still raring to go.”
