BC Fire Chief Volunteers with Southern MN Flood Response
After historic flooding in Waterville, Minn., Brooklyn Center’s fire chief and therapy dog traveled south to lend a hand.
Located about an hour south of the Twin Cities, Waterville has seen unprecedented flood levels during this rainy summer season.
According to Brooklyn Center Fire Chief Todd Berg, Waterville’s firefighters have been working around the clock to combat the rising flood waters.
It has left their staff — some of whom have seen their own homes flooded — feeling exhausted.
“None of us sign up for this job to be a 24/7 job,” Berg said. “The firefighters down in Waterville had been working 24/7 for approximately a week with flooding and their normal fire calls and medical calls. And they were just wore out.”
As a result, Waterville’s fire chief asked for assistance from a network of other fire departments across the state.
Berg said he’s made similar calls for help to other agencies, and felt obligated to help out.
“I knew exactly the situation they were in, he was in, and wanted to pay it back,” he said. “In the fire service, we’re here to help, and that’s really the main point. We’re here to help our community, and we’re here to others. And we’re here to help each other, and sometimes, fire departments need help too.”
With other departments helping to answer Waterville’s routine calls, the city’s approximately 25 paid-on-call firefighters were able to get a 48-hour respite from their work.
A second member of the Brooklyn Center Fire Department, a therapy dog named Brooklyn, also went to Waterville.
Berg said Brooklyn brought a calming presence to the city’s worn-out firefighters.
“She was met by all the other firefighters, people that walked by the fire station,” Berg said. “She changes the spirit of the room when she walks into a room, for sure.”
A photo taken by Brooklyn Center Fire Chief Todd Berg shows extensive flooding in Waterville, Minnesota.
Asking for Help in Brooklyn Center
Berg said he’s looking for new firefighters to join the department.
Citing his time in Waterville, he said the fire service can offer a variety of experiences.
“Fire departments are involved in a whole lot of different things — it’s not just firefighting,” he said. “It’s not just responding to medical situations or car accidents.”
To apply, contact the Brooklyn Center Fire Department.
