The Elgin Fire Department was founded in 1905 and the current Fire Hall was constructed in the 1960s in a time when vehicles and the call area were smaller.
It is currently a twenty-five-member volunteer organization including a volunteer Fire Chief and officers that covers the City of Elgin along with 96 square miles across six townships.
The department is responsible for structural, wild land, and automobile fires along with vehicle extrication and general rescue.
Each new recruit must complete 120 hours of initial training. Thereafter, each member must participate in 30 hours of continued training each year.
The Elgin Volunteer Ambulance Service was founded in the 1964 and is one of the oldest services in the State of Minnesota. From 1964 to 2001 the ambulance service worked out of the Fire Hall. In 2001 the service was moved to its current location which was the former Olmsted Medical Center building.
Elgin Ambulance is currently comprised of volunteer Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), Emergency Medial Responders (EMRs) and a part-time Ambulance Director. Each member is certified and are required to complete 32 hours for an EMR or 40 hours for an EMT of continuing education hours every two years.
The ambulance service is mandated by the State of Minnesota to provide 24-hour, 7-day a week emergency medical services for their primary service area. This area covers the City of Elgin, Millville, Hammond, Potsdam, Viola and the surrounding townships, roadways and regions. Because of this mandate, members who do not live in the immediate area stay at the building to ensure a timely response.
As frontline responders to 911 dispatched emergency calls, the Elgin Volunteer Ambulance Service provides care in an array of areas, including but not limited to the following: Basic Life Support, AED/CPR, medical and trauma aid, advanced airway and oxygen support. Elgin Ambulance also is a training center and offers classes in CPR, First Aid, EMT, EMR and more.
