Fire Station 15 Update

Fire Station 15, located at 2701 Johnson Street NE in the Audubon neighborhood, will be temporarily relocated to allow for much needed facility upgrades beginning August 28th.  The planned renovation of the entire station includes the replacement of the apparatus bay floor, entire kitchen area remodel, wiring, repair of all roof and ceilings on both the first and second floors, and replacement of all flooring. The work is expected to take a total of 10-12 weeks. While the station building is out of commission, Ladder 7 will be relocated to Station 2 and Engine 15 will relocate to Station 19.

EMS Pathways Academy Student Internship Program

The EMS Pathways Academy is a partnership between the Minneapolis Fire Department, the Minneapolis Foundation, Hennepin County Medical Center, Project for Pride and Living, and other healthcare organizations. The goal is to provide a pipeline of diverse candidates for the Minneapolis Fire Department and the emergency medical workforce of our community. This student internship career pathway will target low-income, minority, male and female young adults of Minneapolis between the ages of 18-30, to be eligible to receive free Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training and certification.

The training course is 11-13 weeks and participants are paid $15 per hour. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED, be authorized to work in the United States, and will be required to pass a physical exam. Applications are being accepted Feb. 13 - Feb. 24. To apply, visit www.minneapolismn.gov/jobs.

City Offers Paid EMT Training Internships

Starting April 1, the Minneapolis Fire Department is taking applications from men and women ages 18-30 for a certification course in emergency medical services (EMS). The Fire Department offers the EMS Pathways Academy with Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) to train Minneapolis residents from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds as emergency medical technicians. Twenty-five candidates will be accepted into the program. Graduates of the program will get preference points on the next Fire Department entrance exam, which will take place in the spring of 2017. Graduates will be eligible to apply at HCMC for jobs in EMS, and if hired they’d have the option of further education for paramedic certification. There is no cost to trainees. Trainees will be considered City of Minneapolis student interns and will earn $14.93 hourly to take this college-level course two days a week for 12 weeks.

The goal is to provide a pipeline of candidates for the fire service and the Hennepin EMS workforce. This career pathway program will provide free EMT training and certification to young adults from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds and low-income families. Becoming a certified emergency medical technician opens the door to many career paths. This is a rapidly expanding field, and as more jobs for EMTs are created demand will increase for qualified candidates who reflect the multilingual and culturally diverse communities they serve.

Candidates follow four steps to apply:

1. Check out the basic eligibility requirements.
2. Attend an information session April 5, 7 or 9.
3. Apply by 11:59 p.m., April 18, at www.minneapolismn.gov/jobs/index.htm under “Internship Opportunities.”
4. Applicants who meet the eligibility requirements for the program will attend further screening.

Find more information at www.minneapolismn.gov/fire.

Ward One 2015 Highlights

Rail Safety Resolution

CM Reich brought forward a City of Minneapolis resolution urging legislation at the State and Federal level to enhance rail safety. This resolution was preceded by a First Ward Rail Safety Forum in June that featured panelists from BNFS and Canadian Pacific, as well as Rep. Ellison, Sen. Dziedzic, Rep. Hornstein and Fire Chief Fruetel. The concerns expressed at that forum by Ward One residents and the research and input of the Minnesota chapter of Citizens Acting for Rail Safety (CARS) were key elements in developing the Rail Safety Resolution. Click HERE for the full text of the resolution.

Hollywood Theater Renovation
Local developer Andrew Volna closed on the purchase of the long-vacant theater from the City of Minneapolis and is continuing the work of restoring the building’s historic elements and converting it into creative office space. Click HERE to read more about the Hollywood’s ongoing revitalization.
Northeast Minneapolis Arts District #1 in the Nation
USA Today named the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District #1 in the Nation in 2015. We’ve always known it was true but it’s nice to have it called out! Click HERE to read more about the Arts Districts that were competing against us.

Station 15 Ladder & Engine TrucksFor the first time in Station 15's history, it now has two brand-new trucks: a Ladder truck and an Engine truck. The new Ladder truck, which arrived last January, was especially welcome because Northeast Minneapolis had't had a ladder truck since 2003. The acquisition of this new equipment, which has been one of CM Reich’s top priorities, represents a significant investment in public safety in the First Ward and Chief Fruetel commented that having a ladder truck in Northeast would positively impact response times. Click HERE to learn more about Station 15’s resources and the community event to celebrate the arrival of the Engine Truck.

New Development on Central Avenue
Central Avenue continued to display a flurry of development and revitalization in 2015. Neighborhood HealthSource’s new clinic opened at 22nd and Central, while a new Walgreens store rose on the vacated corner of 26th and Central. Meanwhile, across the street Eastside Food Co-op launched a multi-million dollar expansion of their store that will significantly increase their offerings and amenities. The City of Minneapolis contributed $450,000 to the project in a Great Streets Gap Financing Loan. Click HERE to read more about the expansion timeline.

MWMO's Stormwater Park & Learning Center
The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization's headquarters on the banks of the river opened Stormwater Park last fall. This unique green space welcomes the public to view state-of-the-art stormwater recapture and reuse infrastructure in action. MWMO remediated signifcant amounts of industrial contamination to create a sustainable landscape and an accessible pathway to the river. They have also transformed the first floor of their headquarters into a public Learning Center that features a variety of educational and interpretive elements, including a Magic Planet digital globe, interactive touch-screens and water-themed art.

Edison Athletic Field
Thanks to an innovative partnership between Minneapolis Public Schools, the City of Minneapolis, Edison Community & Sports Foundation, the Minnesota Vikings, the NFL/LISC Grassroots Program and the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, Edison High School’s Pete Guzy Field received a sustainable redesign in 2015. The renovation incorporated cutting-edge infrastructure to manage stormwater onsite, as part of the larger Green Campus initiative launched in 2010. Read more about the field’s sustainable technology HERE.

Highlight Center Opens
The former Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) headquarters building at 807 Broadway Street NE re-opened as the Highlight Center in 2015. When MPS decided to move their headquarters to a new location, they and the City of Minneapolis undertook a careful selection process with significant input from the Logan Park community’s 807 Broadway Task Force. After being selected to develop the property, Hillcrest Development purchased the former MPS headquarters in 2014 and began the process of rehabilitating the 100-year-old building into a multitenant office space. The building's new name references its origins as a lightbulb factory in the early 20th century. The Highlight Center has attracted a number of unique and creative occupants, including the newly opened Able Seedhouse Brewery.

Oct. 6 – 12 Fire Prevention Week Events

Learn about simple steps to prevent kitchen fires during National Fire Prevention Week

As part of National Fire Prevention Week, October 6-12, the Minneapolis Fire Department is teaming up with National Fire Prevention Association to raise awareness of kitchen fire prevention. This year’s theme focuses spreading the word that more fires start in the kitchen than in any other part of the home and teaching people how to keep cooking fires from starting in the first place.

Kitchen fire safety is explained in English, Hmong, Somali and Spanish as part of the City’s “Did you know.,.” series of short videos that can be viewed on the City’s YouTube channel and cable channels 14 and 79. Residents who have friends or neighbors who speak these languages are encouraged to share links to the videos. The City’s website and National Fire Prevention Association website have additional information on kitchen fire prevention.

The Minneapolis Fire Department is also participating in community events to help residents learn fire safety tips and educate people on the importance of having smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers throughout their home. The public is encouraged to attend these events to learn about staying safe, and it’s a great chance for families and kids to get an up-close look at fire trucks and other firefighting equipment.

• Saturday, 10/5, 9 a.m. – noon. Family friendly safety event at Home Depot, Quarry Shopping Center.
• Saturday, 10/12 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Firefighters Hall & Museum, 664-22nd Ave NE. Family friendly safety event, with wood crafts, fire extinguisher demos, antique fire engine rides and more.