It was 22 years ago when Ellen Kling decided to join the fire department in Ceylon. Her husband Larry had been active at the department since high school, and she was drawn to the comradery she had seen in the fire service. “You don’t have to like each other, but yet when you get to...Read More

Critical Illness insurance through Hometown Heroes Assistance Program has been a financial lifeline during difficult time While a colorectal cancer diagnosis is not what Richard Taatjes was expecting after scheduling his first colonoscopy just after turning 51 in April 2022, he faced it just as he does all his life endeavors – with positivity. “It...Read More

Since it was passed in July 2021, the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program (HHAP) has supported hundreds of peer support calls and visits with mental health providers, trained the majority of the state’s firefighters on their occupational health risks, and has paid out nearly $800,000 in critical illness claims – all at no cost to firefighters,...Read More

Since Day 1, William Ewald has fully supported MnFIRE and its mission, especially the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program (HHAP). “But I was the absolute last one who thought I would need it because I felt so good,” said William, who is a captain for the St. Bonifacius Fire Department. When William faced health challenges, the 59-year-old...Read More

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

The MnFIRE team is gearing up for the 2022 MnFORE Golf Tournament on Monday, July 25 – and we hope you’ll join us! The golf tournament will be held at the Bearpath Golf & Country Club in Eden Prairie on the luxurious Jack Nicklaus Signature Course. All proceeds benefit MnFIRE, which provides Minnesota’s firefighters with...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

International Firefighters’ Day is observed each year on May 4. Born out of a tragic loss of five firefighters in a wildfire in Victoria, Australia, this day was created to honor their lives, as well as firefighters around the world. This International Firefighters’ Day, we recognize and honor the sacrifices firefighters make across the globe,...Read More

Christian Worby, a firefighter for the Coon Rapids Fire Department, at first thought the pain in his side he started experiencing in summer 2020 was a fractured rib. The 42-year-old didn’t seek medical attention because he figured the treatment plan for such a break is allowing it to heal on its own; however, when the...Read More