January - March 2024

Fire Department Updates

Chief’s Message

Thank you for reviewing our quarterly report. Over the past couple of years we have been putting out a monthly report. In an effort to compile more information and hopefully provide a better product, we are transitioning to a quarterly report for the Fire Department. We will be putting out reports in April (Quarter 1), July (Quarter2), October (Quarter 3), and January (annual report). It is our goal to have these newsletters be more robust with what the department has been up to as far as emergency response, training, and community outreach and events!

The Roseville Fire Department is coming off our busiest year we have ever had for emergency call volume in 2023; we responded to over 6,900 total emergency incidents. And this does not count our community outreach events and fire prevention/inspection responsibilities. We have set record call volume amounts year over year for the past several years and are currently pacing ahead of our 2023 call volume thus far in 2024.

One particular item I do want to address in this quarterly report is the critical fire dangers of smoking. It is clear the health and personal wellness concerns of deciding to smoke that has been documented for years, but in addition to this, careless smoking is the leading cause of fatal fires in Minnesota. In March, we experienced a fire fatality in Roseville that was due to smoking. Most fires started by cigarettes start in bedrooms, living rooms, dens, and family rooms. And in most cases it is due to the discarding of the cigarette allowing it to continue to burn and it gets close enough to something combustible to grow the fire. Please, if you choose to smoke, smoke outside. Do not smoke while using medical oxygen, and do not discard your cigarettes in potted plants. It is preferred to have an ashtray that is deep and filled with water or sand.

The NFPA has more information found here.

The Fire Department will be continuing our summer tradition of hosting Friday’s with Firefighters at the fire station! We are excited to have as many of you back as ever and to see some new faces as well. We will have more information on our website and Facebook as the dates approach, but events will be from 10AM-Noon at the Fire Station, 2701 Lexington Avenue:

Friday, June 14^th
Friday, July 12^th
Friday, August 9^th

Community Outreach

School Visits

Even during the chillier months we make it a point to welcome and reach out to the community. In early March we welcomed an entire preschool to a tour of the station where they learned a lot about fire trucks, fire safety, and the daily tasks of our firefighters. We always welcome scheduled tours, and if you or a group are interested please reach out to Emily at 651-792-7009.

We also were able to make a special visit to the Four Seasons A+ Elementary school, where one of our firefighters who uses American Sign Language was able to do a presentation for students.

Firefighter I and II

The department hosted and taught three Ramsey County Fire Academy classes this quarter with topics including Ropes and Knots, FF Survival, Rehab, Forcible Entry and FF Tools and Equipment. These classes help teach the fundamental skills for firefighters around the County.

Ashes

Therapy K9 Ashes was extremely busy during the first quarter of the year. She had multiple visits to departments all over the county including Ramsey County DIspatch, MNDOT, MN State Troopers and multiple visits to Roseville City Hall.

She keep busy with her handlers and does training each and every day. Also, each week she does one or two trainings with Soldier 6 and their amazing trainers. Sometimes these trainings take Ashes on field trips, you might run into her at Rosedale Mall, Cabela's, or even Como Zoo!

Fire Investigation Classes - RAHS

Our fire investigators wrapped up the trimester 2 forensics class at RAHS and are preparing to start trimester 3 classes. In this class students learn about fire investigation and create a "doll house" to investigate their own fires. It is a great opportunity for students to see how the fire service includes all types of careers.

Notable Events

In February the first responder community, and MN as a whole, mourned the loss of three heroes, Firefighter/Paramedic Adam Finseth and Police Officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge. Our department was able to honor these fallen heroes during their funeral processions through the metro area. Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to the City of Burnsville, and the friends and family of these three incredible first responders.

Townhome Fire

On January 14th crews responded to a townhome fire at the 2800 block of Asbury St. Upon arrival one of the victims was located outside of a second story window and needed to be rescued. Firefighters quickly used a ladder to bring the resident safely to the ground and away from the threat while other members of the team worked to extinguish the fire.

Fatal Fire

On March 11 at 9:03 a.m., a passerby noticed smoke exiting the door and windows of a single-family home in the 300 Block of County Road C in Roseville, Minnesota. Roseville Firefighters were on scene approximately 4 minutes later.

One adult male was immediately located inside the residence and was declared deceased at the scene. No others were inside the home during the fire. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire without any damage to neighboring homes and will continue to investigate today. The cause of the fire has not been identified at this time.

Roseville Police Department, Allina Medical Transportation, St. Anthony Fire Department, Lake Johanna Fire Department, Little Canada Fire Department, and Maplewood Public Safety assisted with the incident.

Norwood Inn & Suites Fire

On March 3rd Firefighters responded to a report of smoke and flames coming from the bathroom ventilation fan of a guest room in a hotel. While responding updates indicated that the fire had spread to the third floor of the hotel. Crews arrived and found smoke coming from the third floor windows. Quick actions by the firefighters upon their arrival stopped the fire from spreading further into the attic space. No injuries were reported with crews remaining on scene for about an hour.

Vehicle Fires

A fire occurred in a truck under one of the parking ramps at Rosedale Mall. Firefighters were able to put out the fire with the engine's tank water once they arrived on scene. There were 5 vehicle fires during the first three months of the year.

In March firefighters responded to a report of a garbage truck on fire. Crews arrived on scene and were informed that the vehicle was a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered vehicle. CNG vehicles create a significant increased risk to responders due to the explosive potential of the CNG. You may have recently heard about an incident in Los Angeles involving a CNG vehicle on fire that exploding injuring several firefighters. Thankfully with quick action, our firefighters were able to extinguish the fire, and secure the CNG fuel source to mitigate any hazard to the public.

Training Events

Firefighters trained in all types of conditions this quarter. Whether it was in the rain, sleet, or snow or in a nice classroom environment, the firefighters were ready to learn and practice their skills.

Roseville Firefighter/EMTs and Firefighter/Paramedics went through an Airway refresher class instructed by our Medical Director partners at Regions EMS.

Our Paramedics will now have the ability to perform endotracheal intubations in the field, adding one more potentially lifesaving intervention to their cache of procedures they can perform at the ALS level.

The department also worked with Ramsey County Sherrifs to conduct Ice Rescue training at Lake Josephine. They were able to don their protective gear and take a chilly dip into the lake to practice saving people or animals that might have fallen through the ice.