Key Points

• Paul Park firefighters and police officers will have access to EMT certification training to expand emergency medical response in surrounding communities.
• Newport firefighters are gaining battery-powered rescue tools, while Cottage Grove firefighters received equipment for confined-space emergencies.
• Grants and training support from Marathon Petroleum’s St. Paul Park refinery are helping local first responders prepare to serve their communities.

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On National First Responders Day, we’re recognizing those who help keep our communities safe and supporting the work they do.

Our St. Paul Park refinery in Minnesota is helping strengthen local emergency response through several recent grants.

One grant supports EMT certification for all firefighters and police officers with the City of St. Paul Park. This training will help expand emergency medical response capabilities in St. Paul Park and surrounding communities, including Grey Cloud Island and Newport.

The refinery also provided a $25,000 grant to the Newport Fire Department for new battery-powered rescue tools. The equipment will give firefighters greater flexibility at emergency scenes, helping them free people from damaged or submerged vehicles, gain access to buildings and respond to other emergencies without being tied to a fire engine.

In nearby Cottage Grove, the refinery provided the fire department with a technical rescue tripod to help firefighters respond more quickly and safely to confined-space emergencies, including incidents involving manholes, sewer systems and underground vaults.

The refinery fire department also recently supported specialized rescue training for firefighters from Cottage Grove and Newport, providing its own confined-space training equipment to help crews prepare for these emergencies.

“It’s a great example of how equipment, training and partnerships come together to strengthen emergency response in our community,” said Cottage Grove Fire Department Chief Jon Pritchard.