The resolution also honored the courage and service of the Minneapolis Fire Department
 Minneapolis City Council members Jason Chavez and Robin Wonsley (pictured center) read the Firefighter Remembrance Honorary Resolution alongside Minneapolis Fire Department leadership at the Sept. 19 council meeting.
Every year since 2011, hundreds of people have gathered on the grounds of the Minnesota State Capitol on the last Sunday of September for a solemn ceremony to remember firefighters who have died in the line of duty.
At the Sept. 19 city council meeting, the Minneapolis City Council honored the Minneapolis Fire Department for their courage and service, as well as recognize the fallen members of the Minnesota firefighters, by passing an honorary resolution to dedicate Sunday, Sept. 29 as Minnesota Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service Day. Read the full Firefighter Remembrance Honorary Resolution.
At the meeting, Minneapolis Fire Department Chief Brian Tyner said he was grateful to the council for the recognition of his department, as well as those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in this line of work. Tyner also expressed great gratitude to his team.
"I want to thank all the men and women of the Minneapolis Fire Department who are doing this work every day - putting out the fires, handling the hazardous materials incidents, and serving the citizens of our city. I really do appreciate your work that you do, each and every day."
Fire department leaders present at the council meeting included (l to r): Assistant Chief Wesley VanVickle, Deputy Chief Colm Black, Chief Bryan Tyner, Deputy Chief Michael Terry, Fire Motor Operator and International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 82 President Mark Lakosky, and Deputy Chief Sean Olson.
The Minneapolis Fire Department has 434 active-duty firefighters who operate out of 19 fire stations across the city. In 2023, they responded to nearly 60,000 calls, with Rescue and Emergency Medical Service calls making up 65.7 percent of calls.
This year's Minnesota Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service will take place this Sunday, Sept. 29 at 1:00 p.m. at the Minnesota State Capitol. Learn more about the memorial service.
 The Minneapolis City Council honored retiring MPD Commander Kathy Waite (center) for her dedicated 30 years of service by passing an honorary resolution at the Sept. 19 meeting.
After a distinguished 30-year career, Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) Commander Kathy Waite is celebrating her retirement. The Minneapolis City Council honored Waite with a resolution at the Sept. 19 council meeting to recognize her exemplary and longstanding service to the city.
"Anyone who gives three decades of their lives, so relentlessly dedicated to the city, deserves this honor and there is no question that Kathy does," said MPD Chief Brian O'Hara at the council meeting. "You are absolutely loyal to your oath, and people don’t understand how hard you worked, every single day, 24 hours a day. You are just incredibly dedicated to what we do."
Throughout her career, Waite ascended through the ranks of MPD, serving as an Officer, Lieutenant, Inspector, Deputy Chief, and Commander. Most recently, Waite served as the Community Service Outreach Commander, a role in which she led initiatives aimed at strengthening community relations and enhancing public safety through outreach programs and collaborative efforts with community organizations. The Office of Community Safety extends its gratitude to Waite for her exceptional leadership and service and congratulates her on her retirement. Read the full honorary resolution.
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 Minneapolis 911 Emergency Dispatch Supervisor Parker Tuttle was greeted with a standing ovation as he completed his final shift prior to his deployment. Tuttle will deploy to the Middle East to serve with the National Guard.
Minneapolis 911 Emergency Dispatch Supervisor Parker Tuttle has always been one who answers the call of duty. Now, after gaining valuable experience and knowledge in the Minneapolis Emergency Communications Center, Tuttle is taking his public service overseas. Tuttle, who is an active-duty member of the National Guard, has recently been called to deployment. He will serve as a mortarman for one year with the Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry Regiment with the Wisconsin National Guard in the Middle East.
Serving the city and residents of Minneapolis for nearly three years, Tuttle has helped field countless calls to assist residents when they need it most. He first joined 911 as a call taker in 2022, advancing to 911 dispatcher then supervisor in 2024.
“Parker’s understanding of chain of command and strong leadership has positively influenced him in his role as a 911 Supervisor,” said Jennifer Geiselhart, 911 Operations Manager. “He has strong communication skills and has a good understanding of public safety. We are very supportive of Parker and his service to his country - we will be thinking of him while he is away.”
At the conclusion of his final shift on Sept. 20, Minneapolis first responders gave Tuttle a proper send off and ovation to show their respect and gratitude to his service. The Office of Community Safety and its departments salute Tuttle for his dedication to service and wishes him a safe deployment.
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 In recognition of National Forensic Science Week, held Sept. 16-20, 2024, the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) and the Office of Community Safety are recognizing the MPD Forensic Services division. Watch the video to learn more about the crucial work of this division as Director Shannon Johnson highlights each unit and explains the day-to-day work performed by MPD forensic scientists to help solve crime and seek justice for victims of crime.
Learn the basics of emergency preparedness at Ready Camp, hosted by the City of Minneapolis' Emergency Management department, on Oct. 22 and 23. The free two-day training at the Emergency Operations Training Facility will provide you knowledge and skills to build an emergency kit, develop a communication plan, prepare for severe weather emergencies and recovery from an emergency or disaster.
All ages are welcome. Children who are 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Registration is now available on the Eventbrite website. Class capacity is 50 people. View the Ready Camp flyer for additional information.
Please note: The event location has been updated and will now be hosted at the Emergency Operations Training Facility, 25 37th Ave NE, Minneapolis.
Questions about Ready Camp can be directed to LaVina Branscomb, Emergency Management communication and outreach coordinator, at lavina.branscomb@minneapolismn.gov.
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