Elk River Fire Department

About

The official Facebook page of the Elk River (MN) Fire Department. The city reserves the right to remove any comments that include offensive language.

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The intended purpose of the site is to serve as a communication tool and all page information and its list of fans are public records subject to the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act.

The city reserves the right to remove any comments, questions, or posting containing:
~Profane language or content
~personal attacks, harassments, or threats against any individual or
organization
~content that promotes, fosters or perpetuates discrimination on the
basis of race, creed, color, age , religion, fender, marital status, status
with regard to public assistance, national origin, physical or mental
disability or sexual orientation
~content not topically related to the particular social medium article
being commented upon
~support for or against any political campaign or ballot measures
~copyright infringements or other legal violations
~solicitations of commerce
~sexual content or links to sexual content
~conduct or encouragement of illegal activity
~information that may tend to compromise the safety or security of the
public or public systems
~content that violates a legal ownership interest of any other party

This social media page is intended to provide information in a timely manner to a wide audience and not as an in-depth or complete source of information. It is an evolving supplement to the Official City of Elk River website, press releases, and in-person communications. Responses will typically be posted within office hours and within varying parameters of staff availability. For these reasons, staff may not respond to every comment or question posted on the social media site.

The Elk River Fire Department is a full-service emergency response and public safety agency, offering a wide range of services to provide for a healthy and safe community. As a function of city government, the fire department is customer focused and committed to providing the residents of Elk River and its contractual partners with prompt, professional service.

The fire department, formally established in 1881, is a distinguished public service entity. Over the years, the department has transitioned from a single-mission of fire suppression, to providing many additional life-safety and value added services to the community. The modern-area fire department is focused on four specific service areas: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.

Administration

The Fire Chief, T. John Cunningham, is directly responsible for the operation of the fire department and overseeing the functional divisions within. In addition to providing leadership to the organization, the Fire Chief is also responsible for budgeting, personnel management and community relations. The fire chief is also responsible for policy research and development, strategic planning and overall organizational development. This position is also the city’s emergency management director and safety coordinator. A part-time administrative assistant provides clerical and records support to the fire chief.

Fire/Rescue Operations

A contingent of forty-three on-call firefighters respond to approximately 450 calls for service each year. The fire department’s service district is spread across 66-square miles which includes the City of Elk River and portions of Otsego and the Town of Big Lake. Front-line leadership and direction is provided by on-call officers that report to the fire chief. The fire department does not have dedicated, full-time emergency response staffing.

Fire & Building Safety

The Fire & Building Safety Division, under the direction of the building official, oversees all building, fire and rental dwelling inspections. The Fire & Building Safety Division review and approve construction plan and complete on-site inspections during the construction process to ensure compliance with applicable building and fire safety codes. The division also completes fire and life safety inspections on commercial properties and is responsible for inspecting all rental dwellings within the city. Through the division’s public outreach and education programs, staff also strives to educate at-risk populations on fire and life safety concerns.

Code Enforcement

The Code Enforcement Division seeks to enforce exterior maintenance and ordinance requirements throughout the city. This includes enforcing rules pertaining to property maintenance, setback requirements, commercial signage and various nuisance standards. While code enforcement primarily maintains quality of life standards, they also play an important role in the early identification of unsafe entry points, exterior hazards, public health hazard mitigation and ensuring compliance with humane pet standards.