The Northland FireWire

June 6 – Firefighters from Breitung Township, Tower, Greenwood, Eagles Nest, Vermilion Lake and Embarrass battled a garage fire this afternoon in Breitung Township.  The fire was reported at 5111 Highway 169.  The huge garage received extensive damage.  No injuries were reported.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Former Silver Bay Fire Chief John Fredrickson, age 54, passed away on Saturday, May 18 at his home.  Chief Fredrickson was a 34 year member of the Silver Bay Fire Department and served as Fire Chief for 24 years.  He was named December 2012 Firefighter of the Month by The Northland Fire Wire website.

May 16 – Firefighters from Gilbert, Fayal Township and Eveleth battled a late night fire in the 300 block of Wisconsin Avenue West.  The fire was reported around 10:45 p.m. and involved two houses.  A third house had damage when its vinyl siding melted.  No injuries were reported.  Two of houses were extensively damaged.  The cause of the fire was determined to be a discarded cigarette.  The Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office assisted in the fire investigation.

The State Fire Marshal Division has closed the books on the 2012 fire reporting with the highest-ever level of participation by Minnesota fire department.  The steadily-improving performance in Minnesota has almost reached that perfect 100.

Minnesota was one of 13 states selected by the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) in 1977 to participate in their National Fire Incident Reporting System.  The paperwork-heavy “hard copy” system gave way to a faster, easier, electronic reporting process, and USFA stopped supporting the paper reports.  After acquiring funding for software development in 2008, Minnesota led the nation into the age of on-line reporting with a fast, free on-line system available to every fire department in the state.

The Image Trend software does more for fire officials than submit facts.  It’s an entire suite that can be used for fire reporting, personnel data, training reports, equipment inventory and maintenance records, activity tracking, scheduling, inspections, pre-fire planning and investigations.

With 785 departments in the state, 776 of them reported in 2012; that’s 99 percent–arguably the second highest rate in the country.  Number one is North Carolina, where state aid to fire department depends in part on participation in fire data reporting.  In Minnesota, reporting is voluntary.  The participation rate is a source of pride, but it’s much more than that.  The annual report, “Fire in Minnesota,” guides public education efforts and helps us provide current data to the media.

Your data is also used in code development.  The Image trend system makes it easier to extract data, compare numbers and spot patterns–and those can help justify fire and building codes.  Data is also used to track arson activity and establish performance measures for fire departments, as well.  The more accurate and consistent your reporting, the more reliable our numbers are, and the more effective we become.  We’re shooting for 100 percent reporting in 2013, and we’re confident that you’ll help us reach that goal.

Story provided by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office

I am constantly amazed at this person’s level of energy.  As I follow this individual across Facebook and through the fire service, I am astounded at his participation level in fire training activities in northeastern Minnesota.  And, in addition to his numerous training sessions, he still manages to run a fire department, which in many instances has “set the bar” for public safety organizations.  I don’t know how Steve Flaherty does it, but he is like the famous Energizer Bunny, he keeps going and going and going.

As the Fire Program Manager with the Northeast Higher Education District and its new Advanced Project(customized training), you will find Steve Flaherty wearing a number of hats.  He is scheduling classes, organizing classes and instructing classes.  In addition, you will find him highly involved in various regional fire department undertakings from shared services studies to regional and statewide fire investigation programs.  His hard work and dedication have moved the fire training program at Advanced to new and exciting levels.  The program is providing the basics of firefighting, along with advanced courses and instruction.  The entire region has gained through Steve’s leadership, along with his team of dedicated instructors and support staff at Advanced.

As the Fire Chief of the Grand Rapids Fire Department, Steve is involved in those countless management and operations decisions which come with running a progressive organization.  On numerous occasions, I have had to rely on Steve for needed information related to policies and procedures.  He is a wealth of knowledge, which he freely shares with fellow fire service professionals.  The Grand Rapids Fire Department is one of those “shining star” departments in Minnesota.  From fire prevention to fire suppression to Haz Mat, this department is really out front on the challenges facing our profession.  It is not an easy task to always be on the forefront of something, but Steve Flaherty and his fellow fire department members seem to be there time after time.

There is no question that Steve Flaherty loves the fire service.  His countless hours of instruction, leadership and “just being there” have made huge impacts in the region.  He may not realize what he has done, but many of us do!  Thank you, Steve for your work on behalf of our region’s fire service, Minnesota’s fire service, and for that matter, our nation’s fire service.  It is a great honor to name you the May Firefighter of the Month.

April 6 – The Biwabik Township Fire Department hosted a “live fire” training session featuring the burn trailer from the Cloquet Fire District.  The training was in cooperation with Mesabi Range College as part of the Firefighter I and II certification.  Over 28 students from across the Iron Range participated in the training session.  The Fayal Fire Department provided the use of its Rehab/Air Trailer.  Organizers considered the training to be a great success and more training sessions are planned.

Photos: Biwabik Township Fire Department

On Sunday, April 14, at 10:30 p.m., the Minnesota State Patrol  closed its last remaining outstate dispatch center.  The Virginia center had been in operation for 60 years. Actually, the final announcement that the center was closing came at around 10:40 p.m. when Radio Communications Supervisor Tom Ralidak came on the air and said that “After 60 years of service, the Virginia Dispatch Center is now 10-7”.  Operations were consolidated with a dispatch center in the Twin Cities.  On Thursday, April 11, the State Patrol hosted an Open House to mark the closing of the Virginia center.  The guests included former dispatchers(Radio Communications Operators), former state troopers and even a few local community and public safety officials.  The closing of the Virginia Center also marked the retirement of Ralidak, the State Patrol’s longest serving RCO.  Ralidak has served 43 years with the State Patrol and has seen the Virginia Center move to several locations.  Originally, the center was located in a two story building on 9th Street North, across from the Greenwood Cemetery.  It later moved to the MN/DOT building on Hoover Road and then to the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board building south of Eveleth on Highway 53.  The center’s final move was back to the MN/DOT building.  The Virginia Dispatch Center closed with a long and proud history of serving northeastern Minnesota.  The only remaining structure of the Virginia operation will be the 300 foot tower, located in the Midway area of Virginia.

RCO Tim Twomey “working the board” at the State Patrol Dispatch Center in Virginia.  The center closed on April 14, after 60 years of service.

March 31- Firefighters from five Iron Range fire departments(Fayal Township, Eveleth, Clinton, Cherry, Biwabik Township) battled a cabin fire in the Half Moon Lake area, just off Highway 53 in Fayal Township.  The fire was reported around 12:50 p.m. and arriving firefighters found the cabin engulfed in flames.  Crews worked to prevent the fire from spreading to two nearby cabins.  The cabin was destroyed.  No injuries were reported.  The cause of the blaze is under investigation.