Over the past year, Minnesota has seen a significant increase in the number of wildfires, including the devastating Brimson Complex Fire, which burned nearly 40,000 acres, and most recently, the Crosby Fire, which was 300 acres.
Firefighting is more than just a job — it’s a physical, mental, and emotional battleground, and with 90 percent of Minnesota firefighters working as volunteers, what is being done for these hometown heroes to fight the fire in their own lives?
“We got sick of going to funerals, and we were realizing that we were going to funerals for the same reason,” said Mike Dobesh, President of Minnesota Fire Initiative (MnFIRE). “We knew firefighters that were committing suicide. We knew firefighters that were dying from cardiac disease. We knew firefighters that were dying of cancer, and we needed a way to support Minnesota firefighters, so that we weren’t going to those funerals over and over again.”
The Minnesota State Fire Chief’s Association held their annual conference where Minnesota’s 700 fire departments gathered for three days of expos, workshops, and educational sessions.
One important topic discussed throughout the event was mental health among firefighters, especially after the wildfire season the state endured.
MnFIRE offers one-on-one peer support, where firefighters can call their 24-hour hotline and get matched with a fellow Minnesotan fire service member who has a similar background.
