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Responder uses fire suppression device to help save dogs, home
The tool – known as a Fire Suppression Tool (FST) – was deployed by a Washington County Sergeant who arrived at the St. Paul Park home before fire crews did.
ST PAUL PARK, Minn. — Washington County Sheriff’s Sergeant Bill Harrell, like most officers of his rank, has received training in many areas important to a first responder.
Firefighting… is not one of them.
And yet Harrell’s actions while responding to a house fire in St. Paul Park on February 19 saved the lives of two beloved family pets, and possibly kept the home from becoming a total loss. Upon arrival at the burning structure, he deployed a first-of-its-kind fire suppression device he had learned how to use just days before.
The device is called a Fire Suppression Tool (FST), a compact device that first responders can carry in their vehicles and deploy on a moment’s notice. Simply pull two pins, toss the FST inside the burning structure, and it releases non-toxic aerosols into the air to knock down a fire up to 5,300 square feet in volume (think an average two-stall garage). The manufacturer, Fire Suppression Solutions Inc., says deploying the device can decrease the temperature of a fire by about 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit in less than a minute.
It sure worked on Linn and Mark Gisselquist’s home. Linn and her daughter were at the dentist and Mark was at work, which is close to home. He was cleaning some carpets, looked out and saw the house was on fire, and then called 911. Sergeant Harrell, who had just been trained on the FST the Friday before, arrived before fire crews and put his knowledge to work.
“For us, it was the right timing, the right fire, our Sergeant Bill Harrell go down to the scene, it basically suppressed the fire enough for the fire department to come in and do what they needed to do,” remarked Washington County Sheriff Dan Starry.
St. Paul Park Fire Chief Mike Kramer said deployment of the FST bought enough time to get engines set up and start an offensive attack of the fire. His firefighters soon located the dogs – Coda, a golden lab who serves as an emotional support animal for the Gisselquist’s daughter, and a Goldendoodle they were dogsitting named Cooper – in the basement of the home and led them out under the dogs’ own power.
“Because of that device, I think those dogs are here today,” shared Lin Gisselquist. “If it wouldn’t have been for that, I don’t know.”
The dogs were quickly taken to an area vet, where they were given hyperbaric treatment and given IV fluids.
Gisselquist thanked Deputy Harrell, firefighters and first responders from multiple local departments and the Masonic Lodge for making the device available.
The FSTs are being put to use in Washington County thanks to St. John’s Masonic Lodge, who are donating the funds to purchase them at $1,000 apiece. The Feb. 19 fire is believed to be the first time an FST was deployed in the state of Minnesota.
Anyone who would like to help the Gisselquists cover the costs of damage from the fire and vet care for the dogs can donate at the City-County Credit Union in Woodbury.
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The chief was discussing the shooting of Davis Maturi, who for months had been contact with the MPD about escalating harassment from his neighbor, John Sawchak.
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said his department “failed” after a man was shot, allegedly by his neighbor in the city.
“We failed this victim. 100%, because that should not have happened to him,” said O’Hara in a Sunday evening press conference.
The chief was discussing the shooting of Davis Moturi, who for months had been contact with the MPD about escalating harassment from his neighbor, John Sawchak.
Sawchak was charged with shooting Moturi as he was pruning a tree on his front yard on Oct. 23.
Moturi remains hospitalized with a fractured spine, two broken ribs, and a concussion.
O’Hara and the MPD came under a heavy attack from the Minneapolis City Council after it was revealed that the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office had charged Sawchak, but the MPD had not arrested him.
“MPD still has not arrested the suspect despite charges from the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for Attempted Murder, 1st Degree Assault, Stalking, and Harassment and a request from the HCAO for a warrant with $1 million bail. MPD told the HCAO they do not intend to execute the warrant ‘for reasons of officer safety,’” said the letter from the Minneapolis City Council.
“We failed to act urgently enough,” said O’Hara, before citing staffing concerns as a contributing factor.
It was a stark difference from the tone the chief initially took on Friday, then saying “If we wound up in a deadly situation, the headlines would read ‘MPD shot mentally ill person’.”
On Sunday, O’Hara said his previous comments were meant as a response to accusations that the MPD “didn’t care,” about the case.
“This is the result of over-politicizing policing in Minneapolis,” said O’Hara.
O’Hara stated that the MPD will, for the moment, continue waiting for Sawchak to exit his home to arrest him, but the chief added “We are running out of options before we have to escalate the matter.”
The heated back-and-forth between the city council and the chief continued earlier Sunday when Minneapolis City Council member Emily Koski released a statement questioning O’Hara and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey actions in the matter.
“Our Chief of Police is hiding behind excuses, and our Mayor…is just hiding.” said Koski in the statement.
Cities across Minnesota expanded voting hours and locations for the upcoming presidential election.
MINNEAPOLIS — Expanded early voting hours and locations are giving Minnesotans more opportunities to cast their ballots before the general election.
Over 1,000 people visited Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services over the weekend to make their voice heard.
“We have always voted as a family. We have this right as Americans to vote, and we wanted him to know right from the get-go that you’ve got to vote in every single election because this is our voice, this is our opportunity to really pick the future that we want based on the candidate that we vote for,” said Kelly Wallander.
Kelly and her husband, Claude, picked up their son Harrison from college, so they could all vote in the general election for the first time as a family.
“It’s interesting. It’s cool to see elections on TV, basically as long as I can remember, and now know that I’m a part of it and being able to vote with my parents is cool,” Harrison said.
“I like voting early just because exactly you miss the line and you get it in there,” Claude said.
Director of Elections and Voter Services for the City of Minneapolis Katie Smith said the past two days have been busy.
“We’ve had really solid turnout. We’ve had about 42,000 people who have already voted in this election,” she said.
She anticipates next weekend will be even busier.
“Every year we kind of looking at how many people we’re planning for and how many people are coming through. We try to always expand our service hours as we get closer and closer to the election,” she said.
Smith said they’ve also started using pop-up voting locations to reach more people.
“In 2023, there was a legislative change that allows for us to have sites around the city that are open for different lengths of time as well as different dates form our main site. We’ve really taken the opportunity to host some one-day early vote pop-ups… in some unique and really great spaces throughout the city,” Smith said.
Sunday’s pop-up was at the Capri Theater. Paige Gayle voted here along with her sister.
“I like early voting because it’s convenient, it’s fast and it’s quick,” she said. “I work on actual election day, so for me it was important to get out beforehand.”
Smith said offering more voting opportunities for people in Minneapolis is crucial to their work.
“It’s so important to be able to offer all of these voting methods so that people can find something that works really well for them and make their voting plan,” Smith said.
Voters tell KARE 11 one of the perks to early voting is little to no wait. Voting early also gives them peace of mind and is one less thing to do on election day.
“It’s so much more convenient. This way I don’t have to worry about it. I’ll still be working on election day, so I would have had to go in before or after work. Now, I don’t have to worry about it. I know my vote will be counted,” Macy Bauers said.
Bauers said she votes in every election and hopes more people take advantage of early voting in the coming days.
The two adults who were killed were both male, according to the department, which is investigating the shooting.
MINNEAPOLIS — Three people were shot, two of them fatally in a Minneapolis encampment on Sunday afternoon, according to the Minneapolis Police Department.
The shooting occurred on the 4400 block of Snelling Avenue shortly after 3 p.m., said the MPD.
The two adults who were killed were both male, according to the department, which is investigating the shooting.
A woman was also taken to the hospital after the shooting and is in critical condition, said the MPD.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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