How We Work
Comfort and serve everyone within our community, while preserving life, health, property and the environment. We will accomplish this by continually offering high quality fire prevention, community education, and emergency response services
To serve our community daily with pride, commitment and integrity while providing a superior level of community protection.
We will continuously strive to:
• enhance the quality of life as well as the health and safety of the people we serve by way of creative fire and safety prevention activities and timely emergency response,
• be role models in the community and leaders in our profession,
• provide excellent public service using innovative training, education and equipment while ensuring a cost effective and efficient fire department,
• persistently move the fire department into the future through dynamic teamwork, professional development, and technology, and
• remain loyal and dedicated to serving the public as well as each other.
IGHFD Values
Community: This is the reason for our existence as we are all part of a greater community. We believe in the value and promotion of collaboration and cooperation.
Trust: The community places its trust in us to do the right thing. Open and honest communication is essential to keep the community informed along with fostering a positive and trusting working environment for employees.
Respect: We need to respect everyone as an individual who is important in the community we protect. Everyone, no matter what their background, deserves the same care and professionalism.
Excellence: While total excellence may not be achievable, it needs to be our goal. We believe that continuous improvement and quality are the marks of professionalism and are committed to applying these principles to the services we offer and the development of our personnel.
Commitment: Without commitment, a fire department could not be successful. We are role models in our community and as such, we represent the IGHFD in everything we do – not just when the pager goes off.
Pride: We take pride in the community we protect as well as our fire department. Our pride is not just the present but also the past – how the fire department was formed, how it developed, and all it has stood for since its inception in 1957.
Integrity: We must always have the highest integrity in our dealings with each other and those we serve. Adhering to a sound code of moral and ethical conduct and maintaining compassion and respect for the members of our community is of highest priority.
Loyalty: We are loyal in our devotion to helping others. This loyalty is evident in our strong allegiance to the community we serve, as well as to each other.
The IGH Fire Department operates out of three stations, which serve the IGH community and provide mutual aid assistance to neighboring cities. Our firefighters respond to fire, rescue and medical emergencies, manmade and natural disasters, as well as hazardous materials incidents.
The IGH FD incorporated nine new full-time staff into its team in spring of 2022. This brings the total full-time response staff to 12, which consists of three existing Captain positions, plus three new Lieutenants and six new Firefighters. The IGH FD also has six other full-time employees in leadership, inspections, training, and administrative support roles along with two Paid-On Call leadership roles. Meet our leadership staff here.
The 12 full-time responders will supplement the City’s average of 40-50 paid-on-call firefighters to staff two of the three stations 24/7, 365 days a year. One crew responding out of Station #1 located at 70th St. and Clayton Ave, and the other out of Station #2 located near the intersection of Courthouse Blvd and Concord Blvd. Having a crew ready at two stations shortens the response time to emergency calls and ensures help arrives as quickly as possible.
Learn more about how to become a firefighter
IGH firefighters are certified by the Minnesota Fire Service Certification Board (MFSCB) to a minimum level of Firefighter II, HazMat Operations, and Fire Apparatus Operator III.
Several IGH FFs are also MFSCB-certified to higher than minimum levels and for different areas of expertise such as fire instructors, inspectors, investigators, and/or officers. When eligible, IGH FFs are licensed by the Minnesota Board of Fire Training and Education (MBFTE).
For emergency medical and rescue response, IGH FFs are required to be certified by the Minnesota EMS Regulatory Board (EMSRB) to the level of Emergency Medical Responder (EMR), at a minimum, with several variances for more advanced care allowed by the department’s medical director. Several IGH FFs are certified to a higher level, including Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and certified paramedics. EMTs and paramedics are each certified through the Minn. EMSRB, and the National Registry of EMTs. All career response staff are certified to the level of Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), at a minimum.
IGH FFs licenses and certifications are maintained by ongoing training curriculums set forth by the IGH FD Training Division and overseen by the IGH FD medical director.
Mutual Aid
IGH FD maintains mutual aid agreements with all its surrounding neighbors within two counties, including public and private entities. These mutual aid agreements are maintained through the Dakota County Fire Chiefs Association and the Wakota Mutual Aid Fire Association.
Its most dynamic mutual aid partnership is with the South Metro Fire Department. A ladder company from IGH is built into the first alarm assignment for any working structure fire in South St. Paul and for any working structure fire in most of West St. Paul. An additional engine company from IGH is built into the third alarm assignment for the same incidents. In return, an engine company from the south metro is built into any working structure fire assignment along the northern border of IGH. The two departments also work and train together to provide protection for the combined miles of the Mississippi River which borders the eastern edge of both departments’ response areas.
We also maintain automatic mutual aid agreements with the Eagan and Rosemount Fire Departments to provide additional resources to any working structure fires in the city’s south end.
Neighboring Fire Departments
- Eagan Fire Department
- Mendota Heights Fire Department
- South Metro Fire Department
- Dakota County Special Operations Team
- Rosemount Fire Department
Dakota 911
Shared Services and Collaborative Efforts
The Inver Grove Heights Fire Department prides itself on the number of partnerships and collaborative efforts that have been developed over the years. By utilizing these partnerships, efficiencies have been implemented, which in turn have resulted in cost savings.
IGH Internal Departments
o Dispatching Services MHealth Ambulance
| Inver Hills Community College (IHCC)
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