One of the fundamental services that local governments have provided for hundreds of years is fire prevention and suppression services. It's not too much of a stretch to say that cities have always had Fire Departments. In Eden Prairie, we have what we call a "paid on-call" Fire Department. Most of our 80+ fire fighters are not full-time career fire fighters. They have full-time employment outside the fire service, but fight fires for our Fire Department out of a combination of civic duty, psychic rewards and a small pension when they hang up their red suspenders someday.
Because we don't have a Fire Department full of full-time fire fighters, we are able to offer Eden Prairie residents and taxpayers a very, very good deal. But, that good deal is all based on the position that we will be able to recruit, train and retain 80+ individuals who will do all this dangerous work for little to no pay. So we're always in the recruitment business. In fact, we've got a big recruitment event coming up in June called the Women's Fire Service Expo at which we are hoping to bring the message of fire service to a whole new group of potential recruits: Women.
Now women are not entirely new in the Fire Service. We have female fire fighters on our force right now. But we feel they are, as a group, a largely untapped resource for the fire service. We feel that the fire service, if marketed to them in the right way, could become a desireable place for Eden Prairie women to give back to their community.
A member of our Fire Department, Kim Hanlon, is the coordinator for the Women's Fire Service Expo. Yesterday morning, Kim coordinated three local morning tv shows to promote the event by coming out the South Metro Public Safety Training Center in Edina to give fire fighting a first hand try.
In the center of this photo, facing the camera with no hat on, is M.A. Rosko, morning show field reporter for KMSP Channel 9.
Here's a shot of Kim Hanlon being interviewed by KSTP Channel 5 reporter Jennifer Griswold.
And finally, here's another shot of Kim, this time being interviewed by WCCO Channle 4 reporter Karla Hult.
The three reporters wore the fire fighter turn-out gear; entered a smoke filled training building; and rode our ladder truck bucket to a height of about 70 feet on a windy day. Each of them talked about the excitement of the opportunity and were helpful in encouraging the women in their audience to learn more about fire fighting.
It was a busy early morning, but a fantastic opportunity to get the word out about the expo. Great work, Kim Hanlon. Very well done.
