Last month the Hugo Firefighter’s Relief Association was glad to donate the purchasing of food and drink items to send overseas to a group of deployed firefighters. Relief Association member’s went out and purchased the food and delivered it to Hugo City Hall, where Yellow Ribbon Network volunteers helped package and ship it.

The Fire Department overseas is comprised mainly of guys and girls from the 148th Fighter Wing ANG out of Duluth and some from a Pittsburg Air National Guard Base. Duluth ANG Fire Department has about 30 some members. Pittsburgh has about 20 some members. They have a few active duty personnel to round out the department from Alaska, West Virginia, Texas.  A  little over half of the 148th Firefighters there are full-time Firefighters back home. Departments they work at are : Duluth, St. Paul, St. Cloud, Mpls, Richfield, MnANG/Duluth Airport, Adberdeen (SD), and St.Paul.

All of the items purchased were specifically requested by the deploy firefighters and we are glad to help make their time away from home a little easier and hope they all make it safely home.

Last year the Relief Association purchased exercise equipment for firefighter use at the station. Promoting exercise and wellness is a key element to help firefighters stay ready for the rigorous requirements at times during performance of their duties.

Some of the equipment purchased included:

• Various Kettle Bells in different sizes
• TRX Training Suspensions Straps and Wall mounted bars
• Free Weights
• Training Sled
• Timer
• Weight Bag

To read more about an evolving health and wellness awareness in the fire service click here.

Last year the Hugo Fire Relief Association used donated funds to purchase a gear dryer for the Hugo Fire Department.

The gear dryer will be multi-purpose. It will enable the department members to more efficiently and quickly dry their turn out gear while cleaning it after response to a fire scene. This will help ensure a better state of readiness to serve the community in the event of responses that are close in time.

Secondly, this will help ensure that firefighters are washing their equipment after every use. In recent years cancer has become a prevalent and growing issue in the fire service. One of the most important precautions firefighters can take is to make sure their equipment is always washed after coming in contact with dangerous carcinogens on the fire ground. This gear dryer will help ensure we can get all firefighters equipment washed and dried efficiently.

To read more about the unit we purchased click here.

To read more about the growing cancer epidemic in the fire service click here.