Formed in 1986, Alaska Volunteer Fire Department provides fire coverage to the rural townships of Alaska, Nebish, Roosevelt and Maple Ridge. The firefighters, many of whom are state licensed (licensure by the state is not required of volunteer units) are true volunteers in that they are only minimally compensated for their time spent at training or on a fire scenes. State licensure requires that a
firefighter receive 24 hours of training annually in order to maintain that license. This training is conducted at the fire hall using videos and the internet, as well as instructors from DNR Forestry, the Minnesota State Fire Marshals and private training companies. Occasionally firefighters travel to other cities, such as Mahnomen, Alexandria or Duluth, to attend fire schools put on at technical colleges. Even if firefighters are not state licensed, training is still required. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) requires that every firefighter receive 40 hours of training in basics prior to working on the fire scene. These basics are known as Firefighter 1, and all of AVFD's firefighters have been though it, as well as several refreshers for the veterans. The officers of AVFD have the added responsibility of attending meetings with Beltrami County Emergency Management, keeping track of truck maintenance, balancing the financial statements and arranging training. Along with our own fire coverage area, AVFD can also be called by any of our neighboring departments to assist them as well. It's called a "mutual aid agreement" and it means that if any department has a fire that stretches their resources, they can call on their neighboring departments for help. It has been put to use many times. The 2022 AVFD personnel roster includes:
Dave Wielenberg - Chief
Jim Morgan - Assistant Chief
Amy Zubke - Secretary / Treasurer
Ryan Benson - Firefighter
Matt Hawthorne - Firefighter
Carl Hightshoe - Firefighter
Gene Olson - Firefighter
Charlie Anderson- Probationary Firefighter
Rick Gorden - Firefighter
Andy St. Peter - Firefighter & Training Officer
Daniel Fraser - Probationary Firefighter
Jason Stubbe - Firefighter
Jason Petersen - Firefighter
Jon Jorgenson - Firefighter
Alexander Aman - Probationary Firefighter
Colton Jorgenson - Probationary Firefighter
Samuel Wielenberg - Junior Firefighter
