Long Lake & Orono Joint Fire Forum (May 8, 2025)
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Fire services joint open forum
Consolidation of Long Lake and Orno fire departments
Transition to a single fire department for 2026
Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) implementation
Capital equipment funding and rising costs
Addressing aging fire station infrastructure
Staffing challenges in volunteer fire services
Governance structure for the new joint department
Future expansion to include neighboring cities
Cost-sharing formulas for fire services
Notable Quotes (3)
It's in everyone's best interest to have a single department that delivers top-notch public safety.
The politicians have come to an agreement and gotten out of the way of the fire firefighters and the department's ability to work together.
It takes over eight minutes at least that was the record to get there from Long Lake where it would take about six minutes from Wayzata.
People (4)
Moderating the forum and discussing history of fire service contracts.
Co-hosting the forum and discussing future governance and service plans.
Member of the fire negotiating team with past experience as a fire chief.
Raised concerns regarding response times in the Chevy Chase area.
Places Mentioned
Events & Meetings (3)
- Fire services joint open forum - Date unspecified, Lawn Lake/Orno co-hosted
- Target date for Joint Powers Agreement approval - July 1
- Target date for full operational status - January 1, 2026
Ordinances & Resolutions (1)
Formalizes cooperation between Long Lake, Orno, and potentially other cities for a unified fire department.