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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />One of the highest priority goals of the City’s 2021 goals is to study and address fire service staffing <br />needs. The City Council authorized Fire Chief Jim Compton Jr. to create a staffing plan for how to <br />address staffing issues within the department. Chief Compton’s vision was to grow the department with <br />a growing city. <br /> <br />The City of Hugo has a population of approximately 16,000 and encompasses 36 square miles. City of <br />Hugo is in Washington County, 20 miles northeast of St. Paul. The City has experienced a rapid rate of <br />growth, with its population growing steadily over the last decade and is projected to continue a high <br />growth rate to 2040. The City has a diverse landscape with rural lands, subdivisions, commercial <br />establishments and municipal buildings. <br />Background <br />At the present time, the department has 25 members which include 3 Chief Officers, 2 Captains, 3 <br />Lieutenants, 1 Fire Marshal, 1 Chief Engineer, and 15 Firefighters. The Department operates out of one <br />fire stations and the current ISO rating is 5/5Y. The Department responds to over 355 calls annually with <br />an average yearly increase in call volume of 9%. Prior to 2015 the Hugo Fire department provided basic <br />life support on all emergency calls in the City of Hugo. In July of 2015, in order to help provide better <br />service to the citizens of Hugo, the fire department reevaluated the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) <br />partnership with White Bear Lake Fire Department. The city decided to cancel agreement with White <br />Bear Lake in order to provide better service, lessen the burden on the paid on call firefighters, and help <br />with firefighter retention. The city at that time decided to use North Memorial Ambulance for EMS <br />services in Hugo. In 2020, M Health Fairview took over the PSA from North Memorial, and M Health <br />Fairview provides EMS services in Hugo today. <br />The administrative duties to keep the department operating effectively is distributed amongst 11 paid <br />salary positions. The extra time needed to complete these duties has continued to increase year after <br />year, regardless of an increase or decrease of call volume. Training requirements, personnel issues, <br />technology updates, vehicle maintenance, fire code questions, site plan review and inspection, <br />equipment ordering, and personal protective equipment maintenance are just some of the areas of <br />duties split among the 11 paid positions. These tasks and the duties associated with them have <br />City of Hugo Fire Department <br />5323 140th Street North <br />Hugo, Minnesota 55038 <br />PH: (651) 762-6362 FAX: (651) 429-3212