A major health diagnosis, especially cancer, can be a lot to process. There are likely medications, hospital stays or ongoing doctor appointments to manage. This can mean a disruption of daily routines and usually a halt in work schedules. Plus, it’s mentally taxing on everyone – the individual, family members, friends and loved ones included....Read More

By MnFIRE Assistance Program partner, Optum As the world at large wrestles with the pandemic, systemic racism and social injustices, among other complexities and difficulties, one thing you can control is how you treat yourself. It’s so important to support your own health and well-being. Whatever you’re going through — good, bad or neutral —...Read More

By MnFIRE Assistance Program partner, Optum People in the fire service experience much higher rates of mental health challenges than the general population – particularly in the areas of sleep disorders, depression, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal ideation/action. The stigma associated with mental health conditions causes many firefighters to stay quiet about what...Read More

Most of us have probably felt the strain of our job or the difficulty of balancing the fire service with other areas of our lives. It’s easy to try to muscle through it knowing we have an important job helping others and keeping them safe. However, there comes a point where we need to let...Read More

We are counting down the days until the Outdoor Memorial Day “Murph” event! This exciting fitness event will take place in Long Lake, Minnesota. It includes a workout done in memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, New York, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2005. The workout includes the following: one-mile run,...Read More

MnFIRE thanks Sarah Moe from Sleep Health Specialists for guest authoring this blog and sharing her expertise around this critical component of wellness.  It’s National Sleep Awareness Week – a whole week dedicated to bringing awareness to the importance of sleep! Does this sound excessive to you? If you’re thinking “we all sleep every single...Read More

MnFIRE recently launched the MnStore – an online store where those interested in supporting our mission can buy MnFIRE-branded merchandise, like t-shirts, hats and sweatshirts. Support our mission of helping Minnesota firefighters prioritize and protect their health, and add some great looking pieces to your wardrobe in return! These also make great gifts for the...Read More

It’s a new year, and with it, there are some exciting new changes to announce for our MnFIRE board. The MnFIRE board is comprised of individuals who are passionate about firefighter health and have the fire service experience to match. We’re so grateful that they invest their time, energy and talents into driving our mission...Read More

2020 was one of the deadliest years in modern memory for Minnesota firefighters, including multiple suicides of active firefighters, numerous deaths from cancer and two Line of Duty Deaths from cardiac issues. On Sunday, Roshini Rakjumar spoke with MnFIRE president George Esbensen on WCCO Radio’s Real Talk With Roshini about this critical time and the...Read More