On Thursday, the Minnesota Firefighter Initiative (MnFIRE) awarded Sen. Paul Gazelka (R – East Gull Lake) its coveted bronze axe to commemorate his leadership in the fight for firefighter health and wellness.

“I am extremely grateful to receive a legislator of the year award from MnFire for my work on the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program,” Senator Gazelka said. “Firefighters are heroic public servants. We ask them to risk their lives to save our loved ones, homes, and communities. They are heroes and deserve our support in whatever mental or physical health issues they face, and I’m proud to be an advocate for them in St. Paul.”

In July 2021, the state legislature passed the most comprehensive firefighter well-being legislation in the nation. The bipartisan Hometown Heroes Assistance Program dedicates $4 million per year to ensure that every Minnesota firefighter will have access to the education, prevention, and care needed to handle a cardiac, emotional trauma, or cancer diagnosis.

“Minnesota’s fire service is grateful for Sen. Gazelka’s unwavering support to provide our state’s hometown heroes with the health and wellness resources they need and deserve,” said MnFIRE President George Esbensen. “The commemorative bronze axe is the highest honor we can bestow to show our appreciation for the commitment and support Sen. Gazelka has demonstrated for Minnesota’s 20,000 volunteers, paid-on-call, part-time and full-time firefighters.”

This major milestone for firefighter health in Minnesota combines three vital elements: an assistance program with expanded emotional trauma resources, and up-to-$20,000 critical illness policy, and ongoing health and wellness training. All active Minnesota firefighters – volunteer, paid-on-call, part-time and full-time – can access the MnFIRE Assistance Program, are automatically enrolled in the Critical Illness insurance policy, and can receive training – all at no cost.

Minnesota firefighters can receive help for a crisis, find out more information or file a claim by calling 888-784-6634 or visiting www.mnfireinitiative.com.