10 Minn. Fire Departments Nationally Recognized

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Ten Minnesota fire departments have received national awards for keeping their communities safer in 2014.

Along with 117 departments across the United States, the Minnesota fire departments received Life Safety Achievement Awards from The National Association of State Fire Marshals Fire Research and Education Foundation.

The main reason why the departments won the award is by actively promoting fire prevention.

"Minnesota firefighters know the safest fire to handle is the one that never starts," State Fire Marshal Bruce West said. "We are proud of these 10 departments and know that work is being done in hundreds of other departments in every corner of the state to keep Minnesotans safe."

Awarded fire departments must also have zero deaths in residential structures or a 10 percent reduction from the previous year.

The fire departments recognized in Minnesota include Albany, Alexandria, Cloquet, Hastings, Eden Prairie, Excelsior, Hopkins, Maple Grove, Minnetonka and White Bear Lake.