North Mankato Firefighters Relief Association

06/11/2026

North Mankato Fire Department Partners with American Red Cross. More details in comments.

06/11/2026

Reaching New Heights for Community Safety

Night one of our smoke detector campaign is officially complete! It was a pleasure meeting many wonderful residents in North Mankato. We appreciate the opportunity to partner with the American Red Cross to ensure local homes are equipped with life-saving alarms.

​Our department takes community risk reduction seriously. We encountered a few exceptionally high ceilings on our routes, requiring us to bring out the big guns. Just kidding. Ladder 64 is not standard issue for a smoke detector installation; however, our crews pride themselves on remaining adaptive to any challenge if the need arises!

​🚨 Schedule Your Free Installation:
​We will be out in the neighborhoods all week. Please reach out to get on the schedule if your home needs updated alarms. (Note: Certain rules and eligibility requirements apply to qualify).
​Register Online: Click the link in our bio or visit: https://www.redcross.org/local/mn-nd-sd/about-us/our-work/home-fire-campaign/smoke-alarm-request.html?hl=en-US
​Call to Schedule: Contact our dedicated line at 612-460-3674 to book over the phone.
​Let's make our community safer, together!
​

06/09/2026

The gear is staged, the trucks are ready, and our team is set to roll!

​This week, the North Mankato Fire Department is proudly partnering with the American Red Cross to hit the streets and install life-saving smoke alarms for our neighbors.

​Our primary focus area for this campaign is the neighborhood between Range Street and Highway 169. If you live outside this area, please don’t hesitate to register anyway—we want to ensure everyone is protected, though your installation may be scheduled for a later date. (Note: Standard Red Cross eligibility requirements apply).

​🚨 How to Schedule Your Free Installation:

​Online: Secure your appointment instantly by clicking the link https://www.redcross.org/local/mn-nd-sd/about-us/our-work/home-fire-campaign/smoke-alarm-request.html?hl=en-US

​Phone: Give our dedicated line a call at 612-460-3674 and leave a message.

​Let’s look out for one another and make our community a safer place to call home. See you out there, neighbors!

​

06/08/2026

Need help getting to that outdated smoke detector? Let North Mankato Firefighters help! We have teamed up with the red cross to give away *FREE* smoke detectors!

We will be installing smoke alarms during our community campaign from June 10-14, 2026. This is your chance to enhance your family's safety with new, effective alarms.
​Don't wait! Smoke alarms save lives.

Register online for your appointment by clicking the link in our bio or directly at: https://www.redcross.org/local/mn-nd-sd/about-us/our-work/home-fire-campaign/smoke-alarm-request.html?hl=en-US
​Or, call our dedicated line at: 612-460-3674 to schedule over the phone.

​Let's make our community safer, together!

06/07/2026

Hi neighbors! Quick question for you; when was the last time you thought about your smoke alarms? 🧑‍🚒

​North Mankato Fire and the Red Cross are coming together from June 10–14 to provide and install FREE smoke alarms.

​This year we are focusing our block-by-block efforts on the area between Range St and Hwy 169. If you live in this neighborhood we would love to stop by to help protect your home! Don't worry if you live outside this zone, the Red Cross can still get you taken care of on a different date.

​Spots are by appointment, so let us know if you are interested:

1️⃣ Call 612-460-3674 and leave a message.

2️⃣ Fill out the quick online form: https://www.redcross.org/local/mn-nd-sd/about-us/our-work/home-fire-campaign/smoke-alarm-request.html

​Help us look out for everyone on the block by sharing this post with your local friends and family! Have a great week!

​

06/07/2026

This week, we welcomed three new firefighters into our ranks. Congratulations to Firefighters Gabrielsen, Peters, and Sullivan. Welcome to the family.

From Chief Zwaschka: What does it take to become a firefighter? Time: missed family dinners, interrupted holidays, sleepless nights, training hours, station work, community events, and the willingness to answer a page when someone else is having the worst day of their life. These three individuals have made a commitment to give the gift of time to their neighbors, friends, and complete strangers. This commitment is what defines the fire service.

To our new firefighters, thank you for your willingness to serve. To their families, thank you for your support and your willingness to share your loved one with this department and this community.

05/30/2026

Simply put, this is concerning.

Did you know that in over 1/3 of all house fire deaths, smoke detectors are not present. Please make sure that your home has smoke detectors and that they are working properly. The lives of you and your family could depend on it.

Nearly three dozen Minnesotans have already died in fires this year, and it’s only May.

They were mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends and so much more.

Take steps today to protect yourself and your loved ones:
• Test and check the batteries in your smoke alarms.
• Create and practice a fire escape plan for your household.
• Keep the exits in your home clear.
• Never leave cooking, candles, smoking materials or other sources of fire unattended.

These small steps can save lives. Don’t wait until a tragedy strikes close to home to take action.

05/03/2026

Top notch work by Mankato Police and Fire!

🚨 Life Saving & Medical Intervention Awards 🚨

On January 30, 2026, Mankato Public Safety responded to an unresponsive adult at the YMCA.

Before first responders arrived, YMCA staff members Katie Murphy and Warren Peterson immediately began CPR and used an AED, providing critical, life-saving care in those first moments.

Firefighters Robert Atzenhoefer and Keith Klinder continued advanced care, including airway management and defibrillation, helping the patient regain a pulse before transport.

👏 Please join us in recognizing:
• Katie Murphy – Citizen Life Saving Award
• Warren Peterson – Citizen Life Saving Award
• Firefighter Robert Atzenhoefer – Medical Intervention Award
• Firefighter Keith Klinder – Medical Intervention Award

This is a powerful example of how early action by bystanders, combined with advanced care from first responders, saves lives.

05/02/2026

Carbon monoxide is invisible, odorless, and dangerous—but protection can be simple.

The Saint Peter Fire Department is offering FREE CO monitor installation for Saint Peter residents. Our firefighters will install the monitor for you, making it easy and stress-free.

✔️ Free monitor + installation
✔️ Installed by trained firefighters

Sign up today while supplies last: https://buff.ly/5Xr30H3

05/02/2026

🚒 Confined Space Rescue Training. There are numerous areas within North Mankato that are considered confined spaces. Our goal is to be prepared in the event that someone becomes injured or incapacitated within a confined space.

With the proper training, air monitoring equipment, and rope rescue equipment, we are set up for success!👨‍🚒