About the Hamel Fire Department

Make a Difference!

posted Aug 26, 2017, 8:19 AM by System Administrator [ updated Aug 27, 2019, 6:34 AM ]

Did you know that that 70% of all firefighters in the country are volunteers ? Did you know that 100% of the men and women that serve as firefighters for Medina are volunteers? Did you know that they also respond to calls for emergency medicals, rescues and hazardous material situations?

The men and women of the Hamel fire Department, which serves 75% of Medina, are ordinary people from the local community. They have jobs, raise families and do all the other activities you do. However, when the call for help comes, these same people transform into firefighters/medical first responders and come together as a team to do extraordinary things!

Bonded by a passion and a commitment to serve, they train, prepare and make ready to stand in harm’s way to protect the community … sacrificing their time, efforts and energy in the service of others. It’s not done for pay, recognition or notoriety...but rather for the personal satisfaction of helping someone in a time of need. Don’t be confused by the label “volunteer”... they train to the same level and face the same risks as full-time firefighters. They are the .4% of the population, fueled by the need to serve, that earn the title “Firefighter”!

Hamel Fire is always looking for new members. You don’t need special skills, you don’t need to be strong, you don’t need to be young … there is a role for everyone! Would you answer “YES” to any of these questions?

Do YOU want to do something important for the community?
Do YOU want to take on new challenges and push yourself to new limits?
Do YOU want to learn new skills?
Do YOU want to be part of a high-performing team?
Do YOU want to be part of the “.4% club”?
Do YOU want to have an impact?

If you answered YES to any of these, so, we have a great opportunity for you .... fill out an application and find out how you can help!

How Much Time Does it Take to Become a Firefighter?

posted Feb 10, 2016, 1:14 PM by System Administrator [ updated Aug 27, 2019, 6:41 AM ]

All members of the Department to become MN Certified Firefighters as well as First Responders (Emergency Medical Responders). There are (4) core courses required and they are:

Firefighter I
Hazardous Materials
Firefighter II
EMR (First Responder) or higher (e.g. EMT)

There is some variation, but in general the time required for those core courses is about 160 hours of classroom time.

Classes are generally done in the evenings in local fire departments,meeting 2 times a week. New members are expected to completed this training in the first 2 years as a members, but most attack it and complete it within the first 6 months.

While we want to get everyone trained and productive as quickly as possible, we recognize there are limits to schedules and make our best efforts to accommodate everyone, within reason.

Who Does the Hamel Volunteer Fire Department Serve and What do they do?

posted Feb 10, 2016, 1:14 PM by System Administrator [ updated Aug 26, 2017, 8:22 AM ]

Currently the Hamel Fire Department operates under contract with the City of Medina. It provides coverage for about 75% of the residents and property in the city, protecting more than 5,000 residents and $1,200,000,000 worth of property. As Medina grows, so does the responsibility of the Department. Geographically the Department generally covers the area of Medina from County Road 101 in the east, to Willow Drive in the west, County Road 47 to the north and County Road 24 to the south. The coverage for the remaining 25% of Medina is split between Long Lake FIre, Maple Plain Fire and Loretto Fire.

The Department responds to between 180 and 200 calls annually. These include fires, hazardous material incidents, emergency medical, rescue, good service and server weather incidents.

The image below shows the coverage areas of the Fire Departments serving Medina:

What Does it Take to Join the Hamel Fire Department?

posted Feb 10, 2016, 1:14 PM by System Administrator [ updated Aug 27, 2019, 6:39 AM ]

The requirements to apply for membership with the Department are fairly simple:

Be at east 18 years old
High School diploma or equivalent
Hold a valid Minnesota Drivers License
Be within 9 minutes of driving time from the station
Reasonably able to meet the Department attendance standards (25% of service calls measured quarterly)
Able to attend business and training sessions and all required trainings (50% of training events and 33% of meetings measured quarterly)
Physically able to perform the duties of a firefighter
Willingness to serve your community
Desire to be part of a team of like-minded people
No experience needed. All required training provided by the department

How can I find out more information and learn about ways I can help?

posted Feb 10, 2016, 1:14 PM by System Administrator [ updated Jun 13, 2017, 9:22 AM ]

There are a number of ways you can learn more about us ...

Visit Us

We meet at the Station (92 Hamel Road, Hamel, MN) on Monday Night's at 7pm. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th Monday's of each month will generally be attended by a large group of firefighters. Stop by and watch one of our training sessions, come early to tour the station and ask questions. Our doors are always open to our community!

Call Us

Even though we don't regularly staff the station, we do respond to voice mails. Call the office at (763) 478-6621 and leave your name and contact information and someone will get back to you! It might take a day or so, be we won't forget.

eMail us

Send an email to us at: joinus@hamelfire.org

Follow Us

Hamel Fire Department Facebook Page, @HamelFD on Twitter and @HamelFD on Instagram

What is the ongoing time commitment for members?

posted Feb 10, 2016, 1:14 PM by System Administrator [ updated Aug 27, 2019, 6:42 AM ]

To maintain status as a member in good standing in the organization, there are a number of elements which are measured on a quarterly basis:

Attend at least 25% of all paged calls
Attend at least 33% of all Business meetings (held on the 2nd Monday of each month)
Attend at least 50% if all Department training (typically done on 3rd, 4th and 5th Monday of the month)
Maintain required certifications

What is the Hamel Volunteer Fire Department?

posted Feb 10, 2016, 1:12 PM by System Administrator [ updated Aug 27, 2019, 6:36 AM ]

The Hamel Volunteer Fire Department is a not-for-profit, private corporation that provides emergency fire and medical services to the City of Medina. Our mission is the protection and preservation of the lives and property of the people it serves. The members of the Department are men and women from the community that have a passion for service!

Members of the Department are considered "paid on call" which means that the receive a nominal reimbursement for responding to calls and attending training. Additionally, after 5 years of service, members begin vesting in a small pension plan. While appreciated , these benefits are not the driving force behind the energy of the Department ... rather it is the passion to serve the community that fuels our efforts!

The fire station is not staffed and there are no sleeping quarters. When a call for service comes in, members who are available respond to the station and staff the apparatus. In that sense, responding to a call is still "voluntary". Some members have more availability during the day, others in the evening. Everyone has a place and something to offer.