South Metro Fire

08/28/2026

Back-to-School Superhero Fun!

We had a great time partnering with the West St. Paul Police Department at the Holiday Acres Superhero Back-to-School Backpack Event!

It was a fun afternoon spent connecting with kids and families, handing out fire and police department swag, and helping get everyone ready for the new school year. We love opportunities like this to build relationships with the families in our community!

A big thank you to Holiday Acres and all of the amazing community partners who helped make this event possible. We’re already looking forward to next year!

City of West St. Paul

08/23/2026

SUNDAY SPOTLIGHT 🔦 - Leadership Spotlight: Week 2

This week, we’re highlighting Chief 2 – Deputy Chief of Operations

The Deputy Chief of Operations oversees the day-to-day response side of the department, ensuring fire crews have the staffing, equipment, and other resources needed to respond safely and effectively to every call. The chief’s oversight duties include scheduling, truck and equipment purchasing, maintenance and communications. This position also works closely the Dakota911 dispatch center and neighboring fire departments to ensure appropriate resources are dispatched to calls within West St. Paul and South St. Paul. Additionally, the deputy chief oversees the department special operations to ensure we are prepared to respond to water, technical rescue and hazardous materials incidents. This also involves working closely with the Dakota County Special Operations Team. On the street, the deputy chief often serves as the incident commander at structure fires and other large or complex incidents.

Internally, the Deputy Chief of Operations works closely with the fire chief to build and manage the annual budget, assist with capital planning, set annual priorities. Many support services, such as IT support also fall under this position.

Chief 2 is currently held by Deputy Chief Mark Erickson

08/21/2026

Can we find your house in an emergency?

When seconds count, clearly visible house numbers can help us find you faster!

Make sure your address numbers are:
* At least 6 inches tall
* Well-lit or reflective
* Easy to see from the street

Take a quick look at your house numbers this weekend. A small improvement could make a big difference when you need us most.

Have a great weekend and stay safe!

City of South St. Paul, Minnesota
City of West St. Paul

08/20/2026

Yesterday we had the privilege of recognizing our newest firefighters as they received their probationary badges.

Before receiving this badge, each firefighter completed 9 weeks of training in the fire academy, followed by 12 weeks in our Field Training Officer (FTO) phase. This time is spent building skills, gaining experience, learning our department, and putting the lessons from the academy into practice alongside experienced firefighters.

The probationary badge represents more than the start of a career—it represents the hard work, dedication, growth, and commitment to the communities we serve.

Congratulations to our newest firefighters!

08/19/2026

🔥 Fire Safety in Action at the Dakota County Fair! 🚒

We were proud to team up with other Dakota County fire departments to provide some hands-on fire safety education at the Dakota County Fair!

Throughout the day, we showed off fire apparatus, demonstrated what happens during a kitchen fire, and used a scaled-model house to illustrate the effects of fire flow paths and how quickly conditions can change inside a burning home.

These demonstrations are a great way to show the public what firefighters encounter during emergencies and, more importantly, provide simple lessons that can help keep families safe.

A big thank you to our fellow Dakota County fire departments for working together to make this a great community event! 🚒🔥

Know the flow path. Close the door. Get out. Stay out.

08/19/2026

We recently had the pleasure of taking several kids fishing at Seidl’s Lake in the City of South St. Paul, Minnesota. It was a great opportunity to spend time together, enjoy the outdoors, and catch a bunch of fish!

We also took some time to talk about water safety and the importance of staying safe around lakes and other bodies of water.

A big thank you to South St. Paul Parks, Recreation and Events who helped make this a fun and memorable experience for the kids!

https://youtu.be/Z4tLRC7KQzw?si=S_lKlgkywr4zGnEk

See how the South St. Paul Parks and Recreation Department partnere...

08/18/2026

Working Together, Training Together

South Metro Fire joined fellow Dakota County fire departments to bring FTOs and officers together for focused training ahead of the upcoming joint academy.

Crews worked through several key topics, including search operations, traditional standpipes, and horizontal standpipes. These sessions provide an opportunity to share knowledge, strengthen skills, and ensure we’re all working from the same playbook when training the next generation of firefighters.

08/17/2026

Congratulations to our very own Alex Koch, who was recently awarded Firefighter of the Year by The Chaska Fire Department.

Alex began his fire service career in July of 2021 with the Chaska Fire Department. He joined South Metro in February of this year.

We’re proud to have Alex as part of South Metro Fire and excited to see him recognized for his dedication and service in Chaska. Congratulations, Alex! Well deserved!

08/12/2026

K-9 Finnegan was on hand for Safe Kids Safety Camp at Harmon Park in West St. Paul today! The kids were excited to meet and pet him, while also learning how valuable he is as an emotional support dog for our firefighters. Finnegan was a big hit with the kids!

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