For Immediate Release — February 25, 2025
Hermantown Police and Fire Review Strong Year
Hermantown, Minn. – Both the Hermantown Police Department and the Hermantown Fire Department shared an increase in calls and a decrease in response times in 2024. The two departments, who compose the City of Hermantown’s Public Safety division both presented their annual reviews at a recent city council meeting.
“We have specific goals across both our police and fire departments, but in every case, our ability to quickly react and get on scene to support residents is always paramount,” said Jim Crace, Hermantown’s Director of Public Safety. “To continue to meet our marks, especially in the fire department’s first year with a new model, is a testament to the people we have in our ranks.”
The Hermantown Fire Department transitioned in 2024 from a volunteer department to a hybrid model, utilizing a pair of full-time firefighters and a crew of more than 20 paid, on-call firefighters. The HFD handled a record-setting 1,483 calls for service in 2024, an increase of more than 100 calls over the previous high in 2023. Response times for the HFD in 2024 were 5 minutes, 42 seconds, compared to just over eight minutes in 2023.
“The shift to a hybrid model with both full-time and on-call firefighters is a huge advantage in our ability to respond quickly to the needs of our community,” said Zach Graves, Hermantown’s Fire Chief. “Our volunteer fire department was an incredible and dedicated group, but the call volume in our growing community really necessitated our change.”
Calls to the Hermantown Police Department were nearly 9,500 in 2024, eclipsing the five-year average of 8,980. The HPD also saw improved response time, arriving at the 5 minute, 47 second mark for their most frequent calls.
“We want our community to know when they are in need, we are close at hand,” said Crace. “Our police officers and firefighters did a fantastic job serving Hermantown and the greater community in 2024.”
Year-end reports for both departments can be found on the City of Hermantown website.
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For more information, contact Joe Wicklund, Communications Director, City of Hermantown, at [email protected] or 218.729.3614.