Brooklyn Park Fire Department Strives to Extinguish Loneliness
Brooklyn Park Fire Department says COVID-19 is not the only threat we should be worried about. Another is the number of people isolated due to social distancing, causing loneliness.
The Brooklyn Park Fire Department has offered to video or audio chat with residents who could use a friend.
“Some residents might not have friends or families to contact them,” explained Dan Krier, deputy fire marshal for Brooklyn Park. “We wanted to give them an opportunity to be with somebody virtually and talk about whatever’s on their minds.”
All you have to do is message the Brooklyn Park Fire Department with your name, phone number and whether you want to video or audio chat. Krier will then call you the following business day between 10:30 and 11:30 a.m.
The department began this effort last week but so far, only one person messaged them about doing a video chat.
“I also sent a direct message to one of our senior facilities, hoping they would spread the information,” Krier told CCX News. “We’re trying to help the seniors, calm their worries and give them someone to talk to.”
Currently, only the fire marshal division staff will be interacting with residents virtually. If the video or audio chats gain enough popularity, Krier envisions it going out to include firefighters.
“It would be cool for our community to interact with the firefighters on the front lines who are keeping them safe,” Krier said.
Brooklyn Park Fire Department plans to do this as long as there is some sort of stay-at-home order or quarantine in place.
