NE Minneapolis firefighters museum could climb the ladder, earn state designation

A facility that already honors men and women who put their lives on the line to save others could receive a state designation.

Rep. Sydney Jordan (DFL-Mpls) sponsors HF194 to appoint the Bill and Bonnie Daniels Fire Hall and Museum in Northeast Minneapolis as the state fire museum.

The cost-free bill was approved Thursday by the House State and Local Government Finance and Policy Committee and is blazing a trail to the House Floor.

“It’s already supporting the fire departments and has artifacts from 550 of the (more than) 700 fire departments in our state. There might be fire-related objects at our county museums and we have a great museum in Hinckley, but that museum is only dedicated to one specific fire,” Jordan said. “…This museum is dedicated to firefighting in Minnesota generally.”

She said the 12,000-square-foot facility is also vital for teaching about fire safety, especially to children.

[MORE: Museum information presented in the 2021 session]

Tom Brace, a former state fire marshal and current museum chair, wants to make people aware of the museum’s existence and continue to showcase the role fire service personnel have played, currently play, and will play.

And maybe the designation will help with recruitment.

“We need firefighters, we need them throughout the state, and we need EMTs,” said Rep. John Huot (DFL-Rosemount). “Stories like this should be told so people can come and look at our unique history.”