By Emily Lemmenes 

According to Roseville Fire Chief David Brosnahan, the Fridays with Firefighters events have been a summer tradition at the Roseville Fire Department since 2016. 

While the department opened its doors to visitors for the July 11 event, community members learned the importance of closing doors in their homes during a fiery demonstration. 

Brosnahan said the event’s goal is not only to teach fire safety but also to build connections between the community and the city’s busy fire department. He said the events allow children and families to engage with firefighters and their equipment in a non-emergency setting. 

“It’s really important for them to get to know us and us to get to know them,” Brosnahan said. 

As firefighters chatted with visitors, children sprayed the fire hose, toured an ambulance and fire truck, and bounced in a fire station-themed inflatable. Brothers and annual attendees Efram, 13, and Jonas, 10, said they come not only for the activities but also to see the station’s silver Lab, Ashes. 

Fridays with Firefighters events feature both fun and educational experiences. Fire Inspector Steve Erickson ran a booth that taught visitors about fire prevention. Erickson said learning how to prevent fires is more effective than rescuing people from a burning structure when it comes to saving lives. 

Erickson explained that community tax dollars fund the department, so it’s crucial that residents feel the benefit of their contributions. He said Fridays with Firefighters events aim to do just that. 

In the event’s main demonstration, firefighters showed how closing doors can prevent fires from spreading through a home. They simulated a house fire inside a trailer divided into two rooms. A couch was set on fire in one room, while the adjacent room remained unburned behind a closed door. 

Community member and mother of three, Julia Dembeck, said interactive experiences like this help children become less afraid of emergency responders and their equipment. 

Firefighter Oursam Ali said Fridays with Firefighters brings together firefighters and community members they might not otherwise meet. For Ali, the best part of the job is working with his crew to improve life in Roseville. 

“To me, if there was a day that goes by where we don’t do anything, I think that would be crushing,” Ali said. “The whole purpose is to make a difference.” 

Photo credit: A fire safety demonstration at Roseville, Minn.’s ‘Fridays with Firefighters’ event. Photo by Emily Lemmenes.