(KNSI) – The Rice Fire Department has been named best in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
The award was handed out last week by the Minnesota State Fire Department Association. Rice was nominated by a former employee now with St. Cloud. Rice Fire Chief Scott Janski explains why Pete Kedrowski decided to honor his old department. “He remembers when he started out here, our drive, our culture, that made him want to continue moving forward in the fire service.”
Janski says the two spoke over the phone after the announcement. Janski believes the award is validation of something he has known for years now. “Rice firefighters are a dedicated group of people that enjoy helping out their community. I mean, they’re community leaders.”
Rice is a volunteer department servicing the city of Rice and nearby Graham, Langola, and Watab Townships. It covers about 100 square miles. Janski says his department goes on about 180 calls per year.
As nice as the accolades are, Janski notes Rice suffers from the same staffing shortages as other volunteer departments in the state. He encourages community members to join the group. Those interested in helping out in other ways are encouraged to attend the department’s Turkey Bingo just before Thanksgiving.
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