St. Paul Firefighters Provide Coats with Operation Warm Program

Minnesota is famous for its winters. They are cold and unforgiving. Most years there are weeks to months of subzero temperatures which prove difficult for everyone. For many Minnesotans, we put on another layer of clothing, and wrap ourselves in a warm, bulky coat. Unfortunately, there is a vulnerable population amongst us, that must face these temperatures without the appropriate clothing to keep them safe. In our economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, it is common to see children braving the weather on our coldest days without a proper winter coat.

The real payoff for all this work comes at the coat distribution events.

One of the advantages of being a firefighter is that it gives the opportunity to interact with the community in a very personal way. We are welcomed into people’s lives and homes when they need help the most. Sometimes this reveals the negative effects poverty has on large swaths of our population. Seeing children suffer through the cold provided motivation to solve a problem. Firefighters in the Twin Cities met this heartbreaking need like any other aspect of the job and attacked it.

Taking action

In 2012, Capt. Justin Johnson from the Minneapolis Fire Department, started the first Firefighters for Operation Warm program in Minnesota. With the support of his union, International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 82, the firefighters of Minneapolis partnered with the national non-profit Operation Warm. Operation Warm provides new winter coats to children in need. The following year, St. Paul firefighters, under the banner of IAFF Local 21, took on the challenge with Operation Warm to make our city a safer place for children.

When we began St. Paul Firefighters Operation Warm, there was a steep learning curve. None of our firefighters had any experience in running a non-profit, or even fundraising. While challenging, it gave us an opportunity to build relationships with local businesses and community leaders. These relationships have developed over the past 5 years and continue to grow. We are proud to have partnered with over 50 businesses as well as local activists and politicians.

In addition to connecting with the community at large, I felt that there was an opportunity to grow the camaraderie within our own firefighting community. Operation Warm provided a platform to host fun events staffed by our local firefighters. This way, we could interact with each other, de-stress, and work together for a good cause.

With the support of IAFF Local 82, the firefighters of Minneapolis partnered with the national non-profit Operation Warm to provide new winter coats to children in need.

Initially our fundraisers were small. The main goal was not only to support those in need, but for firefighters to have fun together while off-duty. We ran a “Nails and Ales” game at a local Oktoberfest celebration. The monetary aspect wasn’t exceptional, but our people were hanging out together, and interacting with the public. It was a great way to promote the work we do in a fun and inviting way.

We partnered with local breweries to host parties for us. Utilizing the multi-talented people within our department we were able to have firefighters play live music. Our team canvassed the city’s businesses for silent auction and raffle donations. It was an amazing step toward building new relationships.

Our fundraising efforts have grown over the years. The small events at the breweries have been replaced by full-scale block parties with multiple live bands, food trucks and beer tents. Our greatest fundraising asset has been the development of relationships with local businesses. Partnering with companies focused on public safety has been a natural fit. Our local Pierce distributor, MacQueen Equipment Group, hosts a golf tournament with all proceeds directed to Operation Warm. Similarly, the Common Ground Alliance promotes the 811 Run 5k, once again proceeds are directed to local children in need.

Mutual aid

In 2015, firefighters from Minneapolis and St. Paul made the decision to join our Operation Warm programs into one. It was valuable for all to interact with those from the neighboring department. With such similar missions in close proximity, we were no longer competing for sponsorship dollars, but working together for a shared goal. Since combining these two programs, we’ve been lucky enough to welcome firefighters from three additional surrounding cities. Having so many brethren under one umbrella for a common cause has brought our entire firefighter community closer. It’s also allowed us to expand our fundraising efforts.

The real payoff for all this work comes at our coat distribution events. We identify high-need schools utilizing free and reduced lunch data numbers. If a family qualifies for free or reduced lunch, it is a good indicator that the family may be struggling. In the Twin Cities, there are no shortage of schools where over 95 percent of the students rely upon this program. A month before the event, we send a sizing kit to the schools. The schools then size every student, which allows us to make sure every child gets a properly fitted coat for the winter.

Distribution days bring a whirlwind of activities for us, the students and the schools. Uniformed firefighters, our corporate sponsors, local politicians and news crews show up at the school to give every student their new coat. The children get to choose which color coat they would like. For many of the children, they’ve never had a new coat. After they choose their coat, we help them to write their name on the inside label which says, “Made just for you!” After receiving their coat, the children go outside to tour our fire trucks. These events are filled with smiles, some tears, and an occasional hug from grateful kids. To date, we have worked with more than 25 schools and community organizations to distribute 13,152 coats to students in need.

Operation Warm makes sure every child gets a properly fitted coat for the winter.

On Jan. 1, 2018, another subzero morning in Minnesota, St. Paul Medic 4 was dispatched to a duplex on the east side of our city for a report of a person not feeling well. Upon arrival, all individuals in the duplex complained of headaches and nausea. The medics identified that the family was suffering from CO poisoning due to a faulty boiler. Four adults and six children needed transportation to local emergency rooms. As the medics assisted in removing the children from the home, the children put on their only winter coats. All of them wore coats that these same firefighters had given them just two months prior at their school’s distribution.

Twin Cities Firefighters Operation Warm has provided a way to grow and strengthen the bond within our own firefighting community as well as with the community we serve. By partnering with each other and local businesses, we can ease a little bit of the burden on these struggling families. We strive to provide more than just a coat. Every child, especially in a climate like Minnesota, deserves to feel the warmth, confidence and hope that comes from the gift of something new, made just for them.