Cloquet Area Fire District Stations 1 and 2 responded to a report of "heavy smoke in a basement" Upon arrival the home had moderate to heavy smoke in the basement and main floor with smoke also coming out of the attic vents. The fire was quickly knocked down and the house was ventilated.

The picture shows the area of the basement that sustained the most graphic fire damage, and the house suffered from some smoke and heat damage. A large supply of firewood had to be moved out a basement window to insure there were no smoldering materials.

The homeowner had evacuated the home prior to CAFD arriving. CAFD was assisted by the Carlton Fire Depertment

Rescue 1 was put into service on January 01, 2009. It is a desginated Heavy Rescue, and currently the only vehicle of its kind in Carlton County.

Rescue 1 responds out of Station 1, and is equipped to handle all types of rescue related incidents including Vehicle Extrication and Industrial Rescue, Ice/Water Rescue, Confined Space Rescue, and High/Low Angle Rescue.

Rescue 1 was built by E-One fire apparatus, and sits on a custom Typhoon chassis with an 18' non walk in rescue body. The vehicle is equipped with a 20 KW hydraulic generator, 6000 watts of scene lighting including a 15' light tower, live hydrualic rescue tool reels in the front bumper, and a 250 gpm pump with 400 gallon water tank giving it "protect" capabilities at motor vehicle crashes.

CAFD firefighters from stations 1 and 2 responded to a garage fire that was engulfed with fire upon arrival. Houses on either side sustained some heat and fire damage, but the fire was quickly knocked down.

In the photo firefighters remove siding to check for extension into the walls of the house. Priority was given to the houses to ensure no hidden fires were burning.

Photo courtesy of Lisa Baumann/ Pine Journal

The members or our highly specialized confined space rescue team refine their skills during a training session at the MP&L; dam on the St. Louis River in August of 07.

Opportunities to train at locations that someday could be the site of an actual rescue call are invaluable to the team.