Presidents of MSFDA/MSFCA Address Arrowhead Meeting

Dan Winkel of Andover, president of the Minnesota State Fire Department Association, paid a visit to the Arrowhead meeting on December 2 in Mountain Iron. Elk River Fire Chief Bruce West, who is president of the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs' Association also stopped in to address the gathering. Both Winkel and West talked about the legislative goals of their respective organizations and both urged the Arrowhead to participate in the Fire Service Day at the Capitol event in St. Paul, which is set for March 8. "We really need you in St. Paul," said both men. "It is important that we show state lawmakers that we have important issues for them to resolve." In past years, the Arrowhead Regional Firefighters' Association sent a busload of firefighters to the event, but opted last year not to fund the effort. International Falls Fire Chief Jerry Jensen called for bringing back the bus trip while Esko Fire Chief Jeff Juntunen outlined past concerns about organizing the event. Arrowhead President Ron Minter of Hermantown encouraged area fire departments and firefighters to make the trip and even offered to drive interested individuals to St. Paul. In the end, it was decided that area state lawmakers would be invited to the Arrowhead meeting on February 10 in Esko.

Winkel also spoke about his organization's proposed telemarketing effort, which is designed to deal with a $40,000 budget deficit and prop up the organization's finances. A number of regions, including the Arrowhead, have voiced opposition to the plan and, according to Winkel, the issue is likely to be re-visited. The association's board of directors voted to approve the telemarketing venture on a narrow vote, but with growing opposition, the decision could be reversed.

West talked about the 2006 annual MSFCA meeting, which was held in October in Duluth. "We had the second highest attendance on record and we had to turn vendors away," said West. "We are already getting inquiries for next year's event in Rochester."

After the regular meeting, both men stayed for a while to meet with Arrowhead fire department representatives. "We've been visiting many of the regions," said both men. "We do this so we know what is going on with the state's fire service."