Hermantown Fire Department Launches New Program

HERMANTOWN, Minn. — The Hermantown Fire Department has launched its new community connect program.

This program is about supply first responders with vital information to better meet the needs of the community when they are called upon. Hermantown residents and businesses can voluntarily input any information that they think will aid responders. Users can outline their health or mobility issues, pets, hazards, or anything else that may affect how the responder’s approach.

“So, for instance if I had someone in my house that was wheelchair bound – it’s ‘this person is wheelchair bound is in this back bedroom there’s a ramp at the back door’, stuff like that. Or ‘my child has a peanut allergy, the EpiPens here,'” said Steve Johnson, Hermantown Deputy Fire Chief.

Homeowners can also request smoke detector checks. And businesses can schedule their life and safety visits. Hermantown Fire says the program is a first of its kind in the Northland.

“Also, on the community connect part it’s not just to tell us about stuff, it’s stuff we can tell you too. You actually are allowed to opt in to notifications, anything from weather, community events, if there’s something going on, let’s say there’s an accident on Midway and we need to close Midway. We can send out a mass email to all the users saying ‘Hey midway is closed. Find a different way home for the next hour,’ and it notifies them right away,” said Johnson.

Check out Hermantown Fire’s website to get signed up. All you will need is an email, number and physical address.