Marshall Fire Chief Quentin Brunsvold recently hosted the MnFIRE cardiac and cancer deep dive sessions for his department this spring. He shared how these trainings have had an immense impact on both his personal health and the health of his department.

Brunsvold heard the saying, “Are you the firefighter you want coming to rescue your family?” and before MnFIRE training, his answer was no. He knew he wanted and needed to do better for himself, his family, his fellow firefighters and the community he swore to protect.

“Between my full-time occupation, my other full-time occupation as the fire chief of a paid-on-call fire department, and my wife and four children under four years old, finding time and motivation was extremely difficult, in my head,” Brunsvold said. “[The MnFIRE training] really opened my eyes for what I should be doing, to be a better example to our firefighters.”

“I’m proud to say that the training gave me the motivation to want to be better, work out and eat better. I have the motivation and the knowledge to accomplish my goal.”

MnFIRE Awareness Training provides an overview of the main health risks associated with firefighting, as well as tips for prevention and screening. Two-hour deep dive sessions are catered toward those who have already completed our MnFIRE Awareness Training and want further education on cardiac, emotional wellness or cancer issues.

“We obviously train on accountability, how and when to rehabilitate firefighters and other fireground safety initiatives, but how often is the fire service prepared to train us on what we should do to take care of ourselves both mentally and physically when we aren’t wearing our turnout gear?” Brunsvold said. “In my 18-year fire service career, thanks to MnFIRE, the Awareness Training was the first time.”

Chief Brunsvold believes the most expensive piece of firefighting equipment is the firefighter. If our brothers and sisters in the fire service can’t take care of themselves, there won’t be anyone to run the other equipment our communities are paying for to keep people safe.

“This isn’t the normal training that we might use for structural firefighting, incident command or rescue situations – this is how to take care of YOU!” Brunsvold said.

Protecting your community starts with protecting yourself. So, what are you waiting for?

Sign up your department for training here. Thanks to a grant from the Fire Service Advisory Committee (FSAC), MnFIRE Awareness training and cardiac, emotional wellness and cancer deep dive sessions are being offered both online and in-person at no cost to Minnesota fire departments through June 30, 2021.

“Chiefs and training officers, take the six hours of free training available to you and give your firefighters the tools they need to succeed both in civilian life and life around the firehouse,” Brunsvold said.

MnFIRE training gives departments valuable information to keep their firefighters safe and protected from the three problems most commonly experienced by those in the fire service: cardiac, emotional trauma and cancer. If you participate in a MnFIRE Training session and complete a quick and easy six-question Course Evaluation Survey through a link we’ll provide at the end of the session, you’ll be entered into a drawing for a Streamlight Survivor flashlight (MSRP: $60).

These ultra-tough lights were built for firefighters and designed to see through smoke. Along with the chance to take home your very own Streamlight, your feedback will also help us make improvements to the courses. Each week, we’ll choose a new winner.

Congratulations to the following winners of our weekly drawing for a Streamlight Survivor flashlight:

Dan Bolton – Dover
Caleb Hovde – Leroy
Josh Jungers – Bird Island
Brandon Huls – Kandiyohi
Lily Sunnarborg – Fredenberg
Dustin Anderson – Victoria
Will Fischer – Virginia
Michael Horst – Ridgeway

We really appreciate the input and ideas from these winners and the hundreds of participants who have already filled out our survey!

Sign up your department for training here.

Thanks to a grant from the Fire Service Advisory Committee (FSAC), MnFIRE trainings, including general awareness training and deep dive sessions on cardiovascular disease, emotional wellness, and cancer, are being offered both virtually and in-person at no cost to Minnesota fire departments through June 30, 2021. Become MnFIRE Aware and potentially add your name to the list of winners above!

Whether you’re a firefighter, legislator or firefighter supporter we need your help to get the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program (HF377 & SF 621) passed in 2021!

What is the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program (HHAP)?

Sponsored by Sen. Jeff Howe (R, District 13) in the Senate and Rep. Cheryl Youakim (D, District 46B) in the House, the bipartisan bill costs $7.2 million annually to ensure all of Minnesota’s 20,000 firefighters have access to the care needed to handle a cardiac, emotional trauma or cancer diagnosis.

Minnesota currently ranks 48^th in the nation in per-capita fire service spending, making it difficult for fire service leaders to prioritize firefighter health measures and equipment, such as department-wide health checkups, gear-cleaning tools and mental health resources. Departments do what they can to address these issues, but with limited resources, firefighters receive limited help and education.

The HHAP establishes one-time lump-sum “Critical Care” grants for all Minnesota firefighters diagnosed with cancer or cardiac issues, guaranteeing $30,000 per diagnosis. Additionally, the HHAP creates an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for all Minnesota firefighters facing emotional trauma issues unique to their occupation. Support for annual MnFIRE Awareness Trainings is also included in the initiative.

What can I do to help?

We’ve had some great momentum over the past few months and the Capitol is abuzz with constructive conversations about this legislation and firefighter health as a whole. The single most impactful thing you can do to help is call your legislator today and ask them to support passage of this vital legislation. You can find your local representatives and senators here.

“Passage of the HHAP depends on fire service supporters reaching out to their legislators,” said George Esbensen, president of MnFIRE. “Without folks contacting their legislators, our state’s firefighters won’t get the support and resources they so desperately need.”

We can all do our part to help support the men and women who protect us and our communities every day – starting with advocating for the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program.

Enjoy an afternoon on the green while supporting Minnesota firefighters – join us for the 2021 MnFORE Golf Tournament on Monday, May 24!

We’ll be on Bearpath Golf & Country Club’s luxurious Jack Nicklaus Signature course to benefit the Minnesota Firefighter Initiative, which provides Minnesota’s firefighters with the tools they need to prioritize and protect their health.

MnFORE funds important programs designed to help firefighters and their families. Your registration fee includes:

• 18-Hole round of golf
• Cart
• Boxed Lunch
• Happy Hour
• Dinner

Non-foursome groups and single golfers are welcome – we will pair golfers for an afternoon of fun!

Timeline:

10:30 a.m. – Registration/Range Open to Golfers
11 a.m. – Silent Auction opens
Noon – Shotgun start
5 p.m. – Social Hour
5:45 p.m. – Silent Auction ends
6 p.m. – Dinner & Awards

Register for MnFORE here. We can’t wait to see you there!

If you have any questions regarding the event, or if you would like to volunteer, donate or sponsor, please contact Gina Calistro by phone/text at (612) 309-4462 or email at gcalistro@mnfireinitiative.com.

Thanks to a grant from the Fire Service Advisory Committee (FSAC), MnFIRE awareness training and cardiac, emotional wellness and cancer deep dive sessions are being offered both online and in-person at no cost to Minnesota fire departments through June 30, 2021. Nick Ferraro at the Pioneer Press recently wrote about the boosted efforts to educate firefighters on their mental and physical health. Read the full article here.

Taught by fellow firefighters and other health experts, these trainings teach firefighters how to protect themselves from the three problems most commonly experienced by those in the fire service: cardiac, emotional trauma and cancer. Firefighters are at a greater risk of cancer due to smoke and hazardous chemicals they are exposed to in their work, and firefighters and paramedics are twice as likely as the general public to experience PTSD, according to the International Association of Fire Fighters. In Minnesota, four to six active firefighters die from suicide each year.

“When you are a firefighter, we know there’s a moral imperative to your job,” said Wayne Kewitsch, MnFIRE executive director. “We know it’s dangerous and we know we’re going to be put in life or death situations. But we need to be able to give our firefighters the tools and knowledge to mitigate those dangers as much as we possibly can so that they continue to do their job and that they can be healthy, safe and have a nice long life.”

More and more Minnesota firefighters are tragically losing their lives due to occupational health issues. Take advantage of this free MnFIRE training to help your department become more aware of their increased health risks – before it’s too late.

Did you know that more than 93% of all Minnesota firefighters are non-career? Non-career firefighters are often busy serving their community at night – responding to a cardiac arrest, fatal fire or car wreck – only to have to work their “regular” job during the day while continuing to fulfill their roles as a parent, friend and spouse. There’s a mental health crisis sweeping through Minnesota’s entire fire service, but especially among volunteer firehouses.

Responding to a traumatic call can be especially difficult for volunteer firefighters in a small town, because they likely know someone involved in the incident. To make matters worse, many times these firefighters don’t go back to the firehouse and debrief with their team after a tough call. Instead, they return home to their families where they often refrain from discussing the difficult things they’ve witnessed on a call.

Firefighters often experience a “hero complex” – a feeling that if they go get help, then they’re not strong enough. Most firefighters can recall several traumatic events, but it’s the failure to talk about those memories that creates a dangerous feedback loop. Firefighters experience traumatic stress events on a weekly, sometimes daily basis, and this exposure accumulates over time and takes a significant toll on mental and emotional health. That’s why many end up suppressing their emotions in unhealthy ways.

This is unacceptable, and we need to do more to support our volunteer firefighters, our brave hometown heroes. That support starts with providing access to behavioral health services and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). EAPs are often provided through employer health plans, but because 93% of Minnesota firefighters are non-career, many don’t have access because of their part-time status. A proactive mental health program, which includes access to resources like counseling services and peer support, is also crucial to supporting the emotional well-being of our non-career brothers and sisters.

First responders experience several barriers to seeking help – and the leading barrier is the stigma around mental health. Volunteer and career firefighters can learn more about the impact of emotional trauma and what can be done to help alleviate it in our emotional wellness deep-dive training. The two-hour class is free until June 2021 and helps firefighters de-stigmatize talking about mental health in their department and provides practical information around how to properly debrief after a difficult call and what resources are available for those who need help. Register here.

MnFIRE also provides a 24-hour peer support hotline for firefighters who are impacted by emotional trauma, as well as cancer and cardiac issues. If you’re a Minnesota firefighter who needs help, dial 888-784-6634 to speak with a trained peer supporter today.

Our firefighters are tested both physically and mentally nearly every day on the job, and the health resources they receive now just aren’t cutting it. Cancer, emotional trauma and cardiac disease affect firefighters at rates that are approximately double those of the general public, and these health problems are the three reasons why Minnesota legislators need to pass the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program bill (SF621 and HF377) and provide first responders with the tools necessary to prioritize and protect their health.

Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease is the number-one killer of firefighters nationwide and is by far the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in the fire service. In 2020, Howard Lake fire chief Daryl “Taddy” Drusch tragically died of a heart attack just hours after responding to an emergency call. Even young and healthy firefighters suffer from hardened arteries and impaired heart function after just three hours of prolonged firefighting, according to a 2010 study from the Illinois Fire Service Institute.

Emotional Trauma

The mental and emotional costs of being a firefighter are high, and consequently those in the fire service experience much higher rates of mental health challenges than the general population – including sleep disorders, depression, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal ideation/action. In April 2018, Superior Fire Department battalion chief Erik Sutton died from suicide, just weeks after retiring. The on-the-job bravery of firefighters is legendary, but that doesn’t mean they should suffer in silence when facing occupational stress and emotional trauma.

Cancer

According to the National Fire Protection Association, more than 68 percent of all firefighters will develop some form of cancer in their lifetimes. The chance of lung cancer and leukemia diagnoses, and cancer-related death increases with the amount of time spent at fires. Consequently, Glen Solem from Grand Lake Fire Protection District died in early 2020, after a 14-month battle with esophageal cancer.

We must protect our firefighters from these chronic illnesses however we can, but currently, critical funding shortages make it difficult for fire service leaders to prioritize firefighter health measures and equipment. That’s why MnFIRE is championing the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program, a bi-partisan bill to improve access to care for firefighters in need of treatment by establishing a statewide $7.2 million appropriation of funds.

The bill will provide supplemental health insurance and Employee Assistance Program (EAP) resources, ensuring all of our state’s 20,000 firefighters have access to the care needed to handle a cardiac, emotional trauma or cancer diagnosis – and prevent these diseases from harming firefighters in the future.

The Hometown Heroes Enhanced Critical Illness plan complements existing medical coverage and helps fill financial gaps caused by out-of-pocket expenses such as mortgage payments, college tuition or treatment not covered by firefighters’ medical plans. In addition to providing coverage for cardiac, cancer and mental health issues, the EAP benefits provide coverage for non-career and volunteer firefighters, who have historically not been covered by these programs. Support for annual MnFIRE Awareness Trainings is also included in the program.

All public decision-makers – from the State Capitol to city halls – must make Minnesota fire service a funding priority to give our firefighters the help they need to stay healthy and continue serving their communities.

February is American Heart Month, and we’re marking the occasion by highlighting the importance of cardiovascular health and spreading awareness for the unique cardiac risks facing Minnesota’s firefighters.

Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the U.S., but did you know it’s also the number-one killer of firefighters nationwide? More than 12% of all firefighters will develop heart disease at some point in their lives. General risk factors for heart disease include smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, age, gender and family health history – but firefighters are at an even greater risk for cardiac issues due to the following occupational risk factors:

1. High physical exertion

Most people who have heart disease don’t experience the levels of exertion that firefighters face daily. Firefighters experience sharp bouts of intense physical activity on a regular basis, and when the heart has to work harder and there’s plaque obstructing the arteries, heart attacks occur.

2. Chemical hazards

While on the job, firefighters encounter a variety of chemical hazards, including carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, fine particulates and more that can lead to cardiac problems. Even though firefighters use self-contained breathing apparatuses, high levels of exposure to these chemical hazards demand more oxygen from the body.

3. Environmental issues

During firefighting activities, a firefighter’s heart rate is elevated, there’s extreme heat, adrenaline is pumping, they’re potentially working overtime and they’re at risk for secondhand smoke. These environmental factors and more make the normal risk for heart disease we see in the general population even higher for firefighters.

Firefighters are far more likely to die on the job from a heart attack than an objective hazard of firefighting such as a building collapse. Firefighters can reduce these risks and improve their health on the job and at home by embracing the pillars of a healthy lifestyle:

• Healthy diet
• Exercise
• Sleep
• Stress management
• Healthy relationships
• Avoiding substance abuse

To learn more about firefighters’ higher risks for cardiovascular disease – and what can be done to help prevent it – consider enrolling in our cardiac deep-dive class. The two-hour class is free until June 2021 and educates firefighters on heightened risk factors, the types of cardiovascular diseases that most commonly impact firefighters and prevention strategies to help firefighters lessen their risk. Register here.

As Minnesota lawmakers meet to kick off the 2021 legislative session, we’re urging them to support the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program (HF0377) and prioritize funding to combat the life-threatening health issues facing Minnesota’s fire service.

Minnesota ranks 48^th in the nation in per-capita fire service spending. Critical funding shortages make it difficult for fire service leaders to prioritize firefighter health measures and equipment, such as department-wide health check-ups, gear-cleaning tools and mental health resources. That’s why MnFIRE is lobbying Minnesota legislators for $7.3 million to ensure all of our state’s 20,000 firefighters have access to the care needed to handle a cardiac, emotional trauma or cancer diagnosis through the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program.

If the Minnesota legislature appropriates funding, the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program will:

• Provide a statewide “Critical Care” policy for all Minnesota firefighters which covers diagnoses of cancer or cardiac issues. Coverage amount is $30,000 per diagnosis.
• Create a MnFIRE Assistance Program (MnAP) for all Minnesota firefighters targeting emotional trauma issues unique to the fire service.
• Ensure additional MnFIREAP support for firefighters who remain in need beyond initial treatment sessions.
• Support ongoing annual MnFIRE Awareness training for every Minnesota firefighter. Changing the current culture and practices in the Minnesota Fire Service is integral to long-term reduction of the incidences of cardiac, emotional trauma and cancer.
• Sustain annual MnFIRE Awareness Training for medical doctors and mental health professionals statewide so all firefighters in Minnesota have regional access to informed and trained medical professionals to help with prevention, mitigation, diagnosis and treatment of cardiac, emotional trauma and cancer.

Bottom line – the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program will ensure all Minnesota firefighters can access the care they need for occupational health issues. It is soon to be introduced by Rep. Cheryl Youakim in the House and by Sen. Jeff Howe in the Senate.

Another focus for MnFIRE this legislative session is the Cancer Line-of-Duty-Death Survivor Benefit.

According to the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association, one in five Minnesota fire departments have reported at least one firefighter diagnosed with cancer. Minnesota has considered cancer to be an occupational disease since 1988 but still does not recognize firefighters, who by statute would be eligible for presumptive workers compensation benefits, that pass away from cancer while still employed as Line-of-Duty Deaths (LODD). The end result is that families who have lost a loved one due to a duty related illness do not receive any compensation, even though their firefighter made the ultimate sacrifice for their community.

At least 20 other states recognize firefighter deaths from cancer to be an occupational illness by statute. Minnesota firefighters deserve to know that if they should die as a result of occupational cancer that their families will be compensated.

Contact your state legislators today to let them know you support the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program and the Cancer Line-of-Duty-Death Survivor Benefit.

Wayne Kewitsch brings 25 years of experience in Minnesota’s fire service — and harrowing, first-hand understanding of the dangers firefighters face — to his new role helping firefighters across the state as MnFIRE’s first executive director. On Sunday, KSTP’s Eric Chaloux spoke with Kewitsch about his 20 years with the Richfield Fire Department, including the past nine as chief, and his goals for MnFIRE moving forward.

Kewitsch brings a dramatically unique perspective to the organization, after three recent life-threatening cardiac episodes. Cardiovascular disease is the top killer of firefighters nationwide and is by far the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in the fire service. Kewitsch is working to prevent health scares like his own from happening to any other firefighters.

Consequently, Kewitsch is leading MnFIRE’s efforts to provide all of Minnesota’s 20,000 firefighters with free health and wellness training to become “MnFIRE Aware” of their own occupational risks, thanks to a $400,000 grant from the Fire Service Advisory Committee. The training, taught by firefighters and other health experts, teaches firefighters how to protect themselves from the three most common problems experienced by firefighters: cardiac, emotional trauma and cancer, so they can continue to do their jobs and protect others.

“We want to make sure we take care of our firefighters while they take care of the community,” says Kewitsch.

Thanks to Eric Chaloux for highlighting this critical work. Watch the full interview here.