Inver Grove Heights Fire Department

05/30/2026

NO burning restrictions today (Saturday), if you have a valid permit.

05/29/2026

Because of poor air quality in the area, there is no open burning allowed today. Campfires are discouraged.

Unsure of conditions expected tomorrow.

05/28/2026

At Tuesday’s Council meeting, we had the privilege of celebrating the swearing-in and badge pinning of our four newest full time staff members. Congratulations to Jon Renteria, our new Assistant Chief of Training, and to Matthew Kuefler, Alexandra Fordice, and Andrew Bergum, who were all sworn in as Shift Firefighters.

Assistant Chief Renteria brings an exceptional training background across Fire, EMS, and the Military. He has served as both a full time and on call firefighter with multiple departments, currently serves as an on-call firefighter with the Prescott, WI Fire Department, and has worked in EMS since 2000. He has also served 26 years in the North Dakota Air National Guard, where he deployed overseas three times and is presently a Chief Master Sergeant and Deputy Fire Chief. His most recent full time role was Education Captain for M Health Fairview Ambulance, the agency that covers IGH. He has Associate Degrees in both Fire Science and Paramedicine, a Bachelor’s Degree in History, and is working on his final course towards a Bachelor’s Degree in Management.

Firefighter Kuefler grew up in IGH and graduated from Simley High School. After studying two years at the University of Minnesota, he joined the IGHFD as an on-call firefighter and committed to pursuing a career in the fire service. Before stepping into this new role, he worked for Allina Ambulance, gaining valuable EMS experience and training.

Firefighter Fordice, also a Simley graduate and IGH native, recognized a need in her community and followed her interest in public safety by joining the IGHFD as an on-call firefighter. Before this potion, she worked to strengthen her EMS background by transporting BLS patients for HealthPartners and working in the Regions Hospital Emergency Room.

Firefighter Bergum is another proud Simley graduate and lifelong IGH resident. Growing up in a firefighter household, he continued that tradition of service by spending four years in the U.S. Marine Corps Infantry, attaining the rank of Sergeant. He later joined the IGHFD as an on-call firefighter before being hired into this full time position.

THREE, THREE, and THREE! All three of our newest Shift Firefighters grew up in IGH and all three graduated from Simley High School. Even more impressive—all three were hired from our on call ranks, meaning 100% of our full time shift personnel have come from within our own on-call program.

All four hires met specific requirements for training, certification, licensing, and service. Their hiring panels included on call and full time staff, City Human Resources, and outside fire personnel.

Congratulations to all four on this outstanding achievement and milestone in their careers!

05/25/2026

05/25/2026

On this Memorial Day … Honoring, remembering and thanking all those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms… 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

05/21/2026

Congratulations to Eagan’s new Fire Chief, Holly Mulholland, who was sworn in this week!

05/21/2026

Congratulations to South Metro’s (West and South St. Paul) new Fire Chief, Mike Nelson, who was sworn in this week!

05/21/2026

One of the largest IGH Recruit classes ever - completes training! In a time when, nationally, it is harder to recruit on-call firefighters, the IGH FD just had 11 recruits complete 18 months of training together as part of our annual recruit academy! Another 2 recruits hired with prior experience also finished about the same time, adding 13 additional firefighters to our department! Most recruit classes for IGH and other departments around the metro, typically land in the range of 4-6 recruits. This is one of IGHFD’s largest Recruit classes in the 69-year history of the department and is a testament to the training they all received and IGH officers and firefighters making them all feel welcomed!

Pictured here are 8 of the 11 firefighters who, with family and friends, were able to attend a formal badge pinning ceremony last week! In addition to the pinning, they got to cut up their recruit shirts they have worn for the past 18 months! One Recruit was not able to make it to the ceremony and 2 were hired into full-time firefighter positions, so will have a different badge pinning ceremony.

Congratulations to the following Firefighters: Carter Bollmann, Ryan Burke, Warren Claflin, Christopher Claypool, Alexandra Fordice, TaTyanna Hesser, Matthew Kuefler, Yale Nelson, Caleb Scherber, Michael Schmidt, John Zabinski, who were part of this one single class!

05/20/2026

If you see firetrucks on 65th, between Cahill and Blaine, they are training on low angle rescue emergencies. We have used ropes to rescue people in many different situations… such as someone who fell down a hill and injured themselves, a driver/passenger of a vehicle that was injured when their car went down an embankment, as well as during both ice and water rescue emergencies! Low angle rescues typically involve much more than trying to get somebody up a hill. Most of the time the people are injured, and those injuries have to be assessed, and possibly even treated, before the person is even moved. Then, depending on their injuries, they have to be placed on a backboard or put in a basket to be raised up the hill to an awaiting ambulance.

05/20/2026

8 lives saved! When the little ones decided to take a different route than mom, they found themselves needing a little help!! Firefighters to the rescue!