Former State Auditor Rebecca Otto Joins MnFIRE Team

We’re thrilled to announce that former Minnesota State Auditor Rebecca Otto has joined MnFIRE as our first-ever Director of Business Affairs. Rebecca brings nearly four decades of public, private and nonprofit experience, deep financial expertise and strong relationships across the state to the MnFIRE team.

A well-known and well-respected leader, Rebecca served as Minnesota State Auditor from 2007 to 2019, where she led fiscal/legal compliance oversight of $50 billion in local government spending. Most recently, Rebecca served as executive director of the Ernest C. Oberholtzer Foundation, a conservation-minded nonprofit in Northern Minnesota. She also has experience as a state representative, teacher and small business owner.

“From Ada to Zumbrota, firefighters play an incredibly important role in every Minnesota community, and I am honored to be able to help MnFIRE strengthen its mission, build an even stronger and sustainable foundation and support these hometown heroes into the future,” Rebecca said.

“Rebecca has been a supporter of Minnesota’s fire service her entire career, and has built strong relationships with firefighters, legislators and community leaders all across the state,” said MnFIRE Board President George Esbensen. “As the health and wellness resources MnFIRE provides to firefighters and their families become more and more critical, Rebecca’s expertise and passion for the fire service will help our organization become even more effective and further elevate our important mission.”

You can reach her at rotto@mnfireinitiative.com. Please join us in welcoming Rebecca to the team!

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Kudos to Marshall, MN Fire Department for recently completing sleep training – a deep-dive class focused on helping firefighters in their department rest well. 💤

Shift work and nighttime disruptions prevent most firefighters from getting adequate sleep on a consistent basis, but our sleep training can help. Find more information about all our training options: mnfireinitiative.com/training/
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Kudos to Marshall, MN Fire Department for recently completing sleep training – a deep-dive class focused on helping firefighters in their department rest well. 💤

Shift work and nighttime disruptions prevent most firefighters from getting adequate sleep on a consistent basis, but our sleep training can help. Find more information about all our training options: https://mnfireinitiative.com/training/

Firefighter advocates ☑️
Personal stories ☑️
Awareness ☑️

Schedule a MnFIRE training for your department today: mnfireinitiative.com/training/
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Firefighter advocates ☑️
Personal stories ☑️
Awareness ☑️

Schedule a MnFIRE training for your department today: https://mnfireinitiative.com/training/

At MnFIRE, our hearts beat for firefighter health. ❤️

If you're a Minnesota firefighter, check out our Hometown Heroes Assistance Program resources, or spread the love and share with a firefighter you know! mnfireinitiative.com/hhap/
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At MnFIRE, our hearts beat for firefighter health. ❤️

If youre a Minnesota firefighter, check out our Hometown Heroes Assistance Program resources, or spread the love and share with a firefighter you know! https://mnfireinitiative.com/hhap/

At lunch during the Firefighter Health Forum, Monte Fronk, Head of Tribal Emergency Management for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, presented Garrison Fire and Rescue Captain and MnFIRE peer supporter Jen Elleraas with a special gift.

Garrison Fire and Rescue is a volunteer fire department and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe – one of 11 federally recognized tribes in Minnesota – is one of the largest communities they serve. Under Jen’s leadership, the department has worked to improve its communications and outreach, including participating in the annual Mille Lacs Band fire prevention/safety day at the tribal schools on the reservation and assisting Monte with already established NFPA 1300 community risk reduction efforts.

Jen was recently recognized as the 2024 MSFCA Fire Officer of the Year for populations under 10,000. But to personally thank Jen and show his appreciation, Monte gave her a traditional gift of a blanket that recognizes her passion and efforts to improve safety for the Mille Lacs Band. Thanks for all you do, Jen!
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At lunch during the Firefighter Health Forum, Monte Fronk, Head of Tribal Emergency Management for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, presented Garrison Fire and Rescue Captain and MnFIRE peer supporter Jen Elleraas with a special gift. 

Garrison Fire and Rescue is a volunteer fire department and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe – one of 11 federally recognized tribes in Minnesota – is one of the largest communities they serve. Under Jen’s leadership, the department has worked to improve its communications and outreach, including participating in the annual Mille Lacs Band fire prevention/safety day at the tribal schools on the reservation and assisting Monte with already established NFPA 1300 community risk reduction efforts. 

Jen was recently recognized as the 2024 MSFCA Fire Officer of the Year for populations under 10,000. But to personally thank Jen and show his appreciation, Monte gave her a traditional gift of a blanket that recognizes her passion and efforts to improve safety for the Mille Lacs Band. Thanks for all you do, Jen!
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