SHERIFF’ S COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES PROMOTE A SAFER COMMUNITY
Ramsey County Undersheriff Terry Soukkala
The Sheriff’ s Public Safety Services Division is responsible for providing patrol, investigative, waterway and community services.
The Community Support Services Unit promotes a safer community through volunteerism, outreach, and educational programs. Sheriff’ s staff and volunteers combine their efforts to educate the public and build relationships within the community and within the organization. Volunteers attached to the unit include Community Affairs Officers, Sheriff’ s Chaplains, Community Emergency Response Team, and Citizens Civil Defense Corps.
Some of the programs and activities coordinated include: Crime Prevention, Neighborhood Watch, Crime Free Multi-Housing, Contract City Events, Scouting Day, School Safety Patrol, D. A. R. E., Night to Unite, Citizen Academies, Community Affairs Officer Academies, Community Emergency Response Training( CERT), Theft from Auto programs, and Gas Drive-off Investigations.
Night to Unite is the first Tuesday of August each year; the Sheriff’ s Office joins the community at events in neighborhoods throughout Vadnais Heights – to celebrate public safety partnerships that work year round.
Ramsey County Sheriff’ s Department: www. RamseyCountySheriff. us
Vadnais Heights Fire Department: www. cityvadnaisheights. com / 177 / Fire
Allina Health Emergency Medical Services: www. allinahealth. org / ems
FIRE DEPARTMENT’ S PERFECTION ACHIEVED THROUGH RICH HISTORY
Vadnais Heights’ Fire Chief Ed Leier
The Vadnais Heights Fire Department( VHFD) has the best fire rating of all fire departments in the State of Minnesota. The rating is determined by number of stations, equipment, staffing, training, water flow and communications, and it translates into lower costs for property owners.
The VHFD was founded in 1972 as an allvolunteer fire department and operated out of one location with a few used and / or cobbled-together vehicles; only 47 calls went out for fire protection, for a population of 3,500.( Today’ s population is nearly 13,000.) Little Canada’ s fire department had protected the( then) Village of Vadnais Heights, but increased homes and wildfires in the Village led it to propose changes to the Council. Present-day Chief Ed Leier has been a firefighter since 1979 and is the City’ s sixth chief – its first full-time chief. He recounts his department’ s early history:“ A
group of men who regularly
Through its inspection program, the VHFD has worked to establish Vadnais Heights as a Heart Safe Community. Deaths from sudden cardiac arrest can be prevented by increasing community and public awareness, placing automated external defibrillators( AEDs) wherever people live, work and play, and by educating the public on how to administer CPR.
met at the local gas station / auto repair shop agreed to organize and serve the community. The Community Club held a fundraiser, and an affordable, bright red grass-fire truck was found;‘ Vadnais Heights Fire Department’ was painted on its sides. Two pumpers were added, and the council appointed its first chief and voted to spend $ 30,000 on the construction of a steel-sided building next to Village Hall( on the present-day North Station and Public Works site). The volunteers completed much of the interior of the building.
“ Little Canada and White Bear Lake fire departments provided equipment and training, and the Vadnais Heights’ firefighters built a 2,000-gallon tank truck for hauling water to fires. Still, they faced a big challenge because there was no municipal water system – no hydrants.”( Vadnais Heights did not install a municipal water system until after 1975).
1972, inaugural year of the Vadnais Heights Fire Department: All-volunteer members with 1938 GMC Pumper, 1961 International Scout, and 1951 Ford Pumper
VADNAIS HEIGHTS – A HEART SAFE COMMUNITY
Inspectors locate AEDs that are in the City and gain the permission of the AED owners so that their AEDs can be used in emergencies. The department logs them into a Minnesota AED Registry Database for all responders to use. The department also provides heart-safe CPR training, not only to the business community but also to the community free of charge.
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