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Grant money for equipment is always a bonus for the entities that apply and earn it, and this is the case for the Cottage Grove Fire/ EMS Department. The city released a statement on January 20, 2022.

Fire Investigation Grant Will Help Keep Residents Safe The Cottage Grove Central fire station The Cottage Grove Fire Department has received a $2,500 grant from FM Global to purchase fire investigation equipment and supplies.

Fire officials say the new equipment will help them keep Cottage Grove residents safe by helping department investigators more efficiently investigate and determine the cause of a fire.

How can a fire investigation help prevent future fires?

“Once we know what caused a fire, we can help educate the people so they can prevent a similar tragedy in their home,” said Cottage Grove Deputy Fire Chief Jon Pritchard.

Pritchard said the department will use the $2,500 to purchase a camera, lights, hand tools and other equipment in the coming weeks.

“We never want someone to experience a fire,” he said. “That’s why fire investigation is so important. The answers we uncover can help save lives and prevent property damage. There can be some positive out of a devastating fire.” The Cottage Grove Fire Department has a team of highly trained fire investigators that investigate fires that happen in Cottage Grove. The investigators look for where the fire started and what caused the fire, a difficult and time-consuming task that can take months.

FM Global is a commercial property insurer. They award grants to fire departments — as well as national, state, regional, local and community organizations worldwide — that best demonstrate a need for funding, where dollars can have the most demonstrable impact on preventing fire or mitigating the damage it can quickly cause.

“Your grant application … stood out among the hundreds we received,” said Michael Spaziani, FM Global’s assistant vice president and manager of the fire prevention grant program.

The Cottage Grove Fire Department reports its findings each year to the National Fire Incident Reporting System, which helps state and federal officials identify common causes of fires and focus on how to prevent them.

Unattended cooking is the leading cause of house fires in Minnesota. Smoking is the leading cause of fatal fires.

Prevent a fire in your home Stay in the kitchen while you have food cooking on the stove. Have something in the oven? Set a timer so you don’t forget it.

If you smoke, smoke outside. Put out your cigarette in a sturdy container filled with sand or water.