November 2023

Fire Department Updates

An additional item to keep in mind in an effort to keep your family safe is to have an escape plan.  An escape plan is a plan a family creates to allow for the rapid exit of their own home or apartment in case of a fire.  Experts at the United States Fire Administration (USFA) estimate that, due to rapid fire development and toxic gases, you have as little as two minutes to safely escape your home once the smoke alarm sounds.  

First off, designate a safe meeting place outside your home everyone can get to once the smoke alarm sounds; the mailbox, parking lot, or a neighbor’s house, for example.  Make sure each family member is aware of escape options from each room, especially their bedroom.  Use a piece of paper or graph paper to draw a floor plan to show two ways out of the home.   Then practice your plan!  Find more information about escape planning here.

November Community Education

High School Forensics Class

In November we were able to do some new and interesting community engagement and training. The Roseville Area High School Forensics Class invited our fire inspectors and investigators to their class to learn more about burn patterns and arson. First the students built model homes and created a story for each on how it was burned. Next, our investigators created a model room and started a fire. The students then came up with hypotheses, selected one and wrote a fire investigation report. This was a unique partnership that we will be continuing the next two trimesters and hopefully down the road for a long time!

MOPS Group Tour

In the beginning of November we welcomed a large MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group to tour the station. We love having people from the community come and visit and learn more about the fire station, firefighters, and how we help the community. If you have a group interested in a tour please contact Emily at 651-792-7309.

K9 Ashes Update

Our Comfort Therapy K9, Ashes, has been very busy this past month! She's growing and learning each day with her handler, Assistant Chief Sjostrom, and she's been able to get out in the community and meet new people. Some fun field trips to Rosedale Center and Makwa Coffee really wore her out!

She was able to visit Ramsey County Emergency Communications and provide some support for employees that recently lost one of their team members to cancer. Ashes stays busy with frequent training sessions from Soldier 6 and vet visits at Rice Vet Clinic. We love watching her grow!

November Notable Events

New Firefighters

In November we had three new  firefighters complete their two and a half week academy, which finished with an entire day spent at the East Metro Training Facility conducting live fire training. Putting on an academy is an "all-hands" endeavor and our staff stepped up to assist with all of the sessions and working with our new firefighters.  The firefighters have all started working with their new shifts now and are a much needed addition to our staffing. Welcome Firefighter Mario Terrazas,  Colvin Slattery, and Karli Kopietz!

BC Retirement and Promotion

At the end of the month we said goodbye to Battalion Chief Israel Diaz, as he embarks on a new career at St. Anthony Fire. Chief Diaz was with the department since 2008 and has been an integral part of our team as we've changed and grown over the years. Good luck, Izzy!

With the battalion chief position open we went through an interview process to fill it. Please help us welcome Battalion Chief Chris DuBay, who has been with the department since 2021 and involved with other departments in the area. He brings a wealth of relationships throughout Ramsey County and will be an excellent addition to our leadership team. Congratulations Chief DuBay!

Vehicle Fire - Hwy 36

A pickup truck was being towed by a tow truck when a fire started. Roseville crews responded quickly and were able to extinguish the fire before additional damage occurred to the truck.

Deer Rescue

RFD firefighters were dispatched to a report of a deer stuck on the ice of Lake Owasso. RFD Firefighters were able to utilize our ice rescue training and equipment to assist the deer off the ice safely. This is a good reminder for everyone as we head into the colder months, ice is never truly ‘safe’ and you should never attempt to walk on thin ice. Always call 911 if you see a hazard on the ice.

Vehicle in Building

On November 27 Roseville Firefighters responded to a report of a vehicle that had crashed into a building. Upon arrival crews found a vehicle that had crashed through the glass office window of the business. Thankfully no injuries to any building occupants occurred and the driver only suffered minor injuries that were treated at the scene by Roseville Firefighter/Paramedics. The building was assessed to have not sustained any structural damage.

Active Shooter Training

Over the course of November our crews spent time on a very specific and valuable topic of hostile incident response.  We worked with the Roseville Police Department as well as neighboring Police and Fire agencies.  This training was conducted over multiple days at Rosedale Center.  During off mall hours, the participants worked on law enforcement tactics and then transitioned into victim rescue, triage, transport, and joint-agency command.  The teamwork that was exhibited was outstanding.  We greatly appreciate the participation of all of the neighboring agencies.  Also a huge thank you to the Rosedale Center Staff who worked with us to make sure the training sessions were successful.