Summer 2018 Hometown Messenger

Why firefighters train When you think of a fire department, most people think of fighting fires or helping at a car accident.

CHIEF’S NOTES

Summer is here and with it comes many community outreach programs we hope you join us for. There is no bigger night this summer than Night to Unite. This year's Night to Unite will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 7. Night to Unite is important for so many reasons. It’s a great opportunity to meet and reconnect with your neighbors. Neighborhood Watch works by having active, informed neighborhoods that look out for one another. It enhances safety and quality of life. Second, Night to Unite is an

The fire service, however, has many more jobs about which most people usually don't think. Fire departments all over the world need to be ready to perform many different tasks at any time. Shakopee firefighters conduct building inspections to make sure they are built to the Minnesota fire standards. They provide many public education activities from visits to schools, home fire safety visits, fire stations open houses and various other education opportunities. The Shakopee Fire Department staff must also know how to operate different types of fire trucks and

opportunity to meet and get to know city leaders and staff. We will have staff and equipment from police, fire and public works visiting neighborhoods. Please consider registering your neighborhood block. You can

Shakopee firefighters participated in an emergency responder training at Canterbury Park in April.

Shakopee Police Chief Jeff Tate

register online beginning June 1 at www. ShakopeeMN.gov/nighttounite or call 952- 233-9441. Be on the lookout for other events we have planned like the Special Olympics Torch Run in June and Popsicles with Police in August. Have an idea for us? Let us know! Connect with us on Facebook or email police@ ShakopeeMN.gov. If you are over 55 years of age, please join us every third Tuesday through September for Lunch and Learn with the police. We will be speaking on a variety of topics and lunch is free. Each session takes place at the Community Center. The schedule and registration information is available on our crime prevention calendar (page 18). Finally, I invite

11 CORE ELEMENTS 1. Safety and Protective equipment 2. Chemistry of Fire and Fire Behavior 3. Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus 4. Fire Streams 5. Hoses 6. Pumping Fire Apparatus 7. Ladders 8. Rescue 9. Forcible Entry 10. Ventilation 11. Administrative and Command Duties

equipment. We have fire engines, ladder trucks, rescue trucks and brush trucks, not to mention fire boats. These vehicles all have varying jobs to do and carry lots of different tools. A Shakopee firefighter will spend his or her first two years on probation, learning the basic skills of firefighting at the Scott County Fire Academy. He or she is also learning how all the trucks work, what equipment they carry and what jobs the trucks can do. The reason for all this training is so when firefighters are called to an emergency, they are ready for any situation - no matter what it is. Our firefighters are required to attend ongoing training. Our department hosts one to two sessions per week, covering 11 core elements. Each element has many different sections and minimum time standards that must be followed to be compliant with Minnesota OSHA and the National Fire Protection Association. The Shakopee Fire Department also has specialty teams that require extra training sessions each year to stay compliant. Those teams consist of high/low angle rescue, rescue diving and swift water. In short, our firefighters must train for anything because when the call comes we don't know what type of emergency to which we'll be called.

you to check out our 2017 Annual Report. It can be found on our website at www. ShakopeeMN.gov/ police. 2017 was the third lowest crime rate in our city’s history. Shakopee remains a safe community. Please be active in your

neighborhood and do your part to help us reduce opportunities for thieves and vandals. As always, please do not hesitate to contact us directly with any questions or concerns you may have.

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