Fire Wire Exclusive Report

State Fire Marshal concerned about recent fire deaths

   Minnesota State Fire Marshal Jerry Rosendahl says he's very concerned about the recent rash of fire deaths in the state.  Rosendahl stated to The Northland Fire Wire, at the beginning of March, that he speaks of Minnesota's fire fatalities with alarm and sorrow, at the same time sending a message of caution.  "There have been 15 fire fatalities in Minnesota already this year and the year is barely over two months old," said Rosendahl.  "This is a horrifying fact no matter what you compare it to.  These aren't statistics, they're people, but we didn't see this number of deaths until mid July last year."

   Rosendahl says the numbers tell us that public isn't taking fire prevention seriously enough.  "Almost every fire death is preventable.  All this grief and loss can be avoided with knowledge and planning, but people have to believe it can happen to them."  Rosendahl is calling upon the fire service and for that matter, everyone, to double and even triple fire prevention efforts.  "Maybe we can at least slow down this dangerous 2006 trend," stated Rosendahl.

Editor's note:  Two of these fire deaths occurred in the Arrowhead Region,  one was in Babbitt and the other in Loman.  As State Fire Marshal Rosendahl so clearly stated in his statements, these tragedies need not happen!!