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,...Read More

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...Read More

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...Read More

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,...Read More

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...Read More

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...Read More

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 48th in the nation in per-capita fire service spending. Critical funding shortages make it difficult for fire service...Read More

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...Read More

While civilians may experience traumatic events only a few times in their life, firefighters experience stressful events on a weekly, sometimes daily basis. As a result, research shows that those in the fire service experience much higher rates of mental health challenges than the general population – particularly in the areas of sleep disorders, depression,...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