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2020 Annual Report • Fire Department • St. Anthony Village, Minnesota <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />43 | Page <br /> <br />XII. In Summary <br />Every year when I get to this point in putting the annual report together, I am always amazed at <br />all of the work that the department has done during the previous year. It really adds up when I <br />am able to step back and go month to month on the wide variety of accomplishments. This past <br />year is one where I cannot do the men and women of this department justice in their overall <br />performance and impact. <br />COVID-19 covered the world in its shadow and it caused us all to react in ways we could not <br />have anticipated. It affected not only our professional lives but also our personal ones. From <br />supply chain issues due to panic and the unknown to operational and response adjustments. <br />One of the biggest effects that many could not predict was the toll it would take from a mental <br />and emotional side. We both felt it and we dealt with it first hand as many of our patients were <br />struggling. The loss of a loved one, a job, your freedom to go and do what you normally would <br />and also the fear of the unknown. For us, that really posed a challenge, but the men and women <br />that make up this department were committed to not only doing their jobs but also supporting <br />each other while this was taking place. <br />As we modified our operations and response protocols, we also had to look at how we could <br />continue with our training. So much of what we do in training is focused on the hands-on <br />aspect so it was imperative that we do our best to continue down that path. Overall, we did very <br />well with keeping our distance, masking up and making sure we did not risk potentially <br />spreading the virus among us. <br />From a station operations perspective, we did a disinfecting of the station twice a day as well as <br />after each call. We also held true to our mask policy, distancing and washing of hands while in <br />the station. Masks were required in vehicles when there was more than one person and we <br />made sure that after calls, the vehicles and bags were thoroughly sprayed down. <br />I stated earlier in the report that other cities modified their responses based on COVID and <br />safety. Our mindset was one that was focused on the same level of service for the resident. <br />Pandemic or not, we are the professionals and we are the ones who needed to figure out how to <br />make that happen. Assistant Chief Chris Fuller was tasked with that challenge and he <br />developed a plan and protocols that were clear and easy to follow. I am very thankful to have