On Friday, January 3, representatives of the Minnesota Power Foundation presented a grant of $12,000 to be used toward a new fire support trailer for the community. Joe Frederickson, a fuels technician at the Minnesota Power Taconite Harbor Energy Center (left) and his son Zack with Taconite Harbor Managing Superintendent Dave Rannetsberger presented the grant to Lutsen Fire Chief Paul Goettl. Frederickson is the worker who was seriously injured in a coal dust explosion at Taconite Harbor in October 2012. He has returned to light-duty work at Taconite Harbor for a few hours each week and was happy to be part of the presentation supporting local fire departments.
On Friday, January 3, Lutsen Fire Chief Paul Goettl was happy to open the Lutsen Fire Hall for a small gathering. He was more than happy to accept a grant of $12,000 from the Minnesota Power Foundation to be used toward a new fire support trailer.
Presenting the check was Minnesota Power’s Taconite Harbor Managing Superintendent Dave Rannetsberger, Minnesota Power Foundation Director Aimee Curtis and Joe Frederickson, a fuels technician at Taconite Harbor Energy Center.
Frederickson is the worker who was seriously injured in a coal dust explosion at Taconite Harbor in October 2012. After two months in the hospital, skin grafts and extensive physical therapy, Frederickson has returned to lightduty work at Taconite Harbor for a few hours each week.
“Our local firefighters are volunteers who protect our plant and related operations, as well as the surrounding communities, on a daily basis. We want to express our gratitude and support their vital services by giving them this grant to purchase this much-needed equipment,” Rannetsberger said.
The grant will be used to purchase an air pack fill station for the support trailer, an enclosed utility trailer that will also contain a generator, portable lights and other firefighting equipment. Firefighters will be able to quickly and easily fill and refill the air bottles carried in their backpacks from the air pack station’s cylinders of compressed air.
Fire Chief Goettl said breathing air filled with smoke and soot is one of the biggest dangers faced by firefighters like those who responded to the October 2012 coal explosion at Taconite Harbor.
The Lutsen Fire Department will house and maintain the support trailer, the first of its kind in Cook County, but it will benefit all of Cook County and part of Lake County through mutual aid agreements with other volunteer departments, including Tofte and Schroeder. Goettl said all of the local departments work together and share equipment, such as the ladder trucks maintained by the Tofte and Grand Marais fire departments.
“We’re pretty excited about it,” Goettl said. “Everybody benefits because of this.”
The Minnesota Power Foundation grant will cover half of the project’s $24,000 cost with the Cook County Sheriff ’s Office, mutual aid fire departments and local businesses contributing the rest.
“The Minnesota Power Foundation is proud to support the volunteer firefighters who help save lives and protect property,” Curtis said. “We are grateful for all they do.”
Rannetsberger added, “I’m glad this grant is being presented to the local fire departments. They deserve the help and recognition for the service they have given our operation, our staff, and our local communities, over the years.”
Leave a Reply