By Mara H. Gottfried
Pioneer Press
BURNSVILLE, Minn. 鈥� When a over the weekend, it was law enforcement from West St. Paul, Hastings and other agencies on patrol in Burnsville who responded.
And when there was a rash of recent fatal overdoses in Burnsville, it was Eagan police investigators who were called out.
Law enforcement and firefighters from the south metro 鈥� and farther 鈥� are taking turns patrolling in Burnsville and have been handling all the city鈥檚 emergency calls since Feb. 18 , when a . It鈥檚 their way of supporting the Burnsville departments as officers and firefighters take some time to grieve.
Burnsville Fire Chief B.J. Jungmann on Monday said the coverage from other agencies has allowed 鈥渙ur staff to focus on supporting the families of the fallen and one another.鈥�
He thanked 鈥渙ur regional public safety partners that have stepped up in a time of need and ensured that the city of Burnsville would continue to receive the police, fire and EMS services that they deserve.鈥�
Law enforcement and fire department chiefs worked together to make arrangements to cover all shifts.
鈥淣o one had to ask us to help,鈥� said Apple Valley Fire Chief Matt Nelson. 鈥淚t was like: 鈥榃e鈥檙e here. Let us cover calls for you. You can take some time to heal.鈥欌��
Agencies covering for memorial service
On Wednesday, law enforcement from Rice County and firefighters from Minnetonka and Richfield will be stepping in to handle emergency calls in Burnsville to allow their Dakota County counterparts to attend the memorial service for Burnsville officers .
Rice County Sheriff Jesse Thomas said his office鈥檚 correctional officers also approached him and offered to help in the Dakota County jail on Wednesday, so Dakota County jail correctional officers can go to the service.
To allow a large contingent of Dakota 911 workers to attend the , employees from other 911 centers 鈥渁re volunteering to step in and help,鈥� said Heidi Hieserich, Dakota 911 executive director.
A sign left at the memorial for the first responders and signed 鈥淵our dispatchers鈥� said: 鈥淲e will forever remember your voices on the other end of the radio. The silent echo leaves a void in our hearts.鈥�
911 telecommunicators are the 鈥渇irst, first responders to really kick off the response鈥� to emergency calls 鈥渁nd they鈥檙e there every step of the way,鈥� Heinrich said.
Dakota 911 provided a critical incident debriefing to employees, along with having mental health practitioners who are available and doing individual outreach, Hieserich said.
Law enforcement, fire leaders quickly coordinated
On Feb. 18, the day the first responders were killed, 鈥渨e didn鈥檛 even have to discuss it 鈥� we knew we were taking over Burnsville calls for them,鈥� said Dakota County Sheriff Joe Leko of the coordination between police chiefs throughout the county.
鈥淧retty much every agency in Dakota County is providing officers to be in Burnsville,鈥� said West St. Paul Police Chief Brian Sturgeon. More recently, Bloomington and Anoka County has been sending law enforcement to partner with Dakota County officers in their squad cars in Burnsville, Sturgeon said.
Law enforcement also covered shifts for Mendota Heights police when Officer in 2014.
Fire departments have been taking turns stationing their equipment and firefighters at Burnsville stations, so they can respond to Burnsville鈥檚 calls.
The Apple Valley fire department was called out to Burnsville when the incident Feb. 18 was underway to be available to respond to other emergency calls as needed, said Chief Nelson. They ended up staying when the magnitude of the situation became known.
鈥淲e help each other every day,鈥� Nelson said of regular operations. 鈥淚f there鈥檚 a fire, car accident, someone not breathing or cardiac arrest鈥� and it鈥檚 near the border of another city, the closest firefighters will respond.
Now, 鈥渨e鈥檙e all helping because, if the same thing happened in our city, we know that everybody else would be there for us as well,鈥� Nelson said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e one big family.鈥�
Allina Health Emergency Medical Services, along with other agencies, have been helping provide EMS services for Burnsville since Feb. 18.
Burnsville police are scheduled to resume taking calls on Friday and firefighter/paramedics are to return to regular duties on Saturday, though that could change, according to Tuesday morning information from the city.
It鈥檚 meaningful that so many people want to help Burnsville, Lakeville Fire Chief Mike Meyer said, but he added: 鈥淲e also need to think longer term of watching out for our first responders and our community, too. This is going to take time for all of us to heal.鈥�
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