07-10-24 PC Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

LAKE JOHANNA FIRE DEPARTMENT 5545 LEXINGTON AVENUE NORTH, SHOREVIEW, MN 55126 OFFICE (651) 415-2100 Page 1 of 2 Date: May 24, 2024 Community Development Director Jessica Jagoe 1245 West Highway 96 Arden Hills, MN. 55112 Dear Jessica, I would like to provide some additional information and address a few questions about our Headquarters Fire Station project to be located at 3535 Pine Tree Dr. Lake Johanna Fire Department The Lake Johanna Fire Department was incorporated in 1943 and serves the cities of Arden Hills, North Oaks, and Shoreview. The department operates a total of three fire stations to provide service to over 31 square miles, and a combined population of over 42,000 residents. We staff all three stations with Firefighters who are on duty 24/7. Our firefighters are EMTs or Paramedics and will respond to about 4,800 calls this year. The primary Advanced Life Support (ALS) transport services are provided by Allina for all three cities. Building Use This new Headquarters Fire Station facility will house our administrative staff as well as a response crew. There will be offices for the Fire Chief, three (3) Assistant Chiefs, and the Office Manager. The fire station will have a crew of three (3) Firefighters on duty 24/7 to respond to fire and EMS calls. The building will have a large training room and many different built-in training props for use all year long. There is a 4- story training tower in the rear of the station that will have live fire props on multiple floors. These props will be fueled by natural gas and use theatrical smoke which is non-toxic and dissipates very quickly. Noise Concerns Fire trucks leaving the station to respond to emergency calls will turn on their flashing emergency lights which will capture the traffic signal at Pine Tree and County Road E. After pulling forward out of the station onto the apron (driveway) they will make a left turn to the north on Pine Tree Drive. As they approach County Road E, they will activate their sirens, and turn to the west or east as needed. The only exception to this northerly route will be to respond to emergencies in the Hunters Park Condos, Hunters Park neighborhood, or Catholic United building. Some fire departments used to have large sirens on telephone poles that sound when there is a fire call. Our department does not use those. When there is a fire or EMS call, the firefighters are alerted by lights and speakers inside the building, as well as their radios and mobile phones. For training occurring at this station, most of the training will occur inside the building, either in the classroom or apparatus bays. The training occurring outside will typically include fire truck pumping operations, aerial ladder training, and ground ladder training. On occasion the firefighters will be running chain saws and other rescue tools.