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DEPARTMENT PROFILE <br /> Operational since 1881, the 0 k River Fire Department provides all-hazard emergency <br /> and non-emergency services to the Cityof Bk River and its contractual partnersof <br /> Otsego and Big Lake Township. The fire department serves a population of <br /> approximately 35,000 residents within its 66-square mile coverage area. The <br /> department provides!a wide range of servicesto the community, which includes. <br /> • Fire suppression <br /> • Technical rescue <br /> • Hazardous materials response <br /> • Building, fire and life safety inspections <br /> • Community code enforcement <br /> • Education and fire prevention <br /> • Emergency management and disaster response <br /> The fire department is directed by a full-time fire chief who also serves as the city's <br /> emergency management director and safety coordinator. A part-time office assistant is <br /> tasked with handling data entry of fire reports and assisting the fire chief on <br /> administrative matters. <br /> Emergency Response Operation!, <br /> The department responds to approximately 450 calls for service annually, ranging from <br /> structure fires, to car accidents, to fire alarms. Emergency responses are handled by a <br /> 40-member on-call fire department. The fire department responds out of two fire <br /> stations and has a diverse fleet consisting of 3 engines, I ladder, I heavy rescue, 2 <br /> tenders, 4 grass trucks and various support vehicles. <br /> The fire district, at the time of this publication, has an Insurance Services Organization <br /> (ISO) classification of 3/9, and is currently being reevaluated. <br /> Over the years, the city has transitioned from an entirely volunteer contingent of <br /> firefighters to a paid on-call model. Department staffing levels and structure, with the <br /> exception of hiring a full-time fire chief in 1994, has remained largely unchanged over <br /> the past few decades. Today, firefighters are paid for actual hours worked, including <br /> training, event standbys and other formal duties. <br /> Through the Elk River Fire Department Relief Association, every on-call firefighter also <br /> earns a pension of$5,091/year as of 2012, which is paid in-full after 20 years of active <br /> service. <br /> While the fire department does not respond to medical calls, roughly 50% of <br /> firefighters are certified Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and are responders on <br /> the ambulance service, a separate 501(c)4 non-profit agency. <br /> Page 8 DRAFT <br /> liiver <br />