Moorhead Firefighters Local 1323

06/04/2026

I was honored to receive the Golden Axe Award from the Minnesota Professional Fire Fighters.

This award is given to legislators who helped pass legislation supporting firefighters, and it means a lot to me personally. My dad was a firefighter and fire chief for many years, and I also spent a short time as a firefighter before beginning my career in law enforcement.

Firefighters show up on some of the hardest days people will ever face. They protect our homes, our families, and our communities, and they deserve support from the people making decisions at the Capitol.

Thank you to the Minnesota Professional Fire Fighters for this honor. I’ll be proud to display the axe in my office as a reminder of the men and women who serve our communities every day.

06/04/2026

05/22/2026

🙌 Ballot Box Victory: Measure 3 and Union Advocacy Deliver Nine New Firefighters to the Fargo-Moorhead Metro

FARGO – The Fargo-Moorhead metro area is safer today thanks to the relentless political action of local union members. By taking their case directly to the voters and city leaders, Fargo Firefighters Local 642 and Moorhead Firefighters Local 1323 secured funding for nine new full-time firefighter positions.

Pictured below are the nine newest members of their ranks following their swearing in as union brothers and sisters. These fresh faces represent the tangible outcome of what happens when organized labor fights for safer staffing levels.

🗳️ Fargo: Measure 3 Public Safety Sales Tax

In Fargo, Fargo Firefighters Local 642 championed Measure 3 on the 2024 ballot - a 0.25% sales tax dedicated exclusively to city fire and police operations, buildings, and equipment. Fargo Firefighters spent weeks knocking on doors, educating, and promoting across the community. Voters approved Measure 3 with nearly 70% of the vote, creating a dedicated revenue stream for the next 20 years that funded six of the new graduates seen in this photo.

"The passage of Measure 3 was a defining moment for our local," said Ron Guggisberg, President of Local 642. "These new graduates are the direct result of that political action. It proves that when we unite to educate our community, we secure the resources necessary to save lives and protect our members."

🗣️ Moorhead: Advocacy in Action

Across the river in Minnesota, Moorhead Firefighters Local 1323 fought a parallel battle in the council chambers. By presenting undeniable data on call volume spikes, the union successfully lobbied the Moorhead City Council to prioritize public safety. Their advocacy secured budget authorization for the remaining three new firefighter graduates pictured here, a critical step toward meeting national staffing and safety standards.

"Seeing these new members graduate and stand ready to serve is incredibly rewarding," said Eric Welk, President of Local 1323. "Securing these positions required persistent engagement with our city leaders, and it shows that our political voice is our most powerful tool for ensuring our crews have the backup they need."

💪 Union Strong

Whether at the ballot box in Fargo or the budget hearings in Moorhead, Fargo Firefighters Local 642 and Moorhead Firefighters Local 1323 have shown that safety is non-negotiable. Please join us in welcoming these nine new brothers and sisters to the frontline!

Stay engaged. Stay united. Stay safe.



Fargo Firefighters Local 642
Moorhead Firefighters Local 1323
IAFF 5th District
International Association of Fire Fighters

05/20/2026

Strong work by the MPFF leadership team & our lobbyists 🎉🔥🚒👨‍🚒

Another huge legislative win for the MPFF! Governor Walz just signed the bill that will reduce the waiting period for PERA Police & Fire plan retirees to receive their first Cost of Living Adjustment, or COLA. Previously, new retirees needed to wait two years before receiving their first COLA—that time has been cut in half to twelve months.

Inflation is a major factor when it comes to the long term buying power of our retirees’ pensions. In multiyear stretches of high inflation, retirees watch their hard-earned pension income struggle to keep pace with rising costs of day to day life. Reducing the waiting time to receive a COLA helps to close that gap.

Securing a win like this one is no small feat in a bonding year, and is a testament to the tenacity of our officers, the relationships we build with our legislators, and those legislators’ commitment to supporting our members who have given decades in service to their communities.

Over the next week, we’ll be recognizing some of the lawmakers who led the effort on passing pension improvements and changes to the Minnesota PSOB—stay tuned!

05/16/2026

While lithium-ion battery fires are often devastating for the average consumer, they can also be catastrophic for waste treatment and recycling facilities. https://www.investigatetv.com/2026/05/11/hidden-heat-battery-disposal-gaps-keep-fueling-fires-states-consider-who-should-foot-bill/

05/15/2026

This Week in the News --
Jack Sunday

Fire Destroys Moorhead Duplex

The Moorhead Fire Department was called to a fire at 4541 10th St. S. late Monday morning. Crews found a heavy fire on the west side of the building. Moorhead PD immediately began assisting residents in evacuating the duplex.

What began as a call to extinguish a deck fire became a major conflagration, consuming one unit’s living space, roof and attic. The adjacent home sustained significant fire damage. A neighboring home had significant heat damage.

No injuries resulted, but neither home can be occupied.

Natural gas and electrical service were disconnected for safety. No injuries were reported, but neither unit of the duplex can be occupied due the damage. No initial damage estimate is currently available.

The Fargo Fire Department, Sabin‑Elmwood Fire District, Dilworth Area Fire Department, F‑M Ambulance Service, Salvation Army and American Red Cross also assisted.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal.

Read more local and regional news briefs in the May 14 edition of the FM Extra -- on newsstands now, and online at https://www.thefmextra.com/this-week-in-the-news/

05/13/2026

A huge congratulations to everyone that worked so hard to get this important legislation passed. MPFF President Scott Vadnias, MPFF Executive Board, Representative Pete Johnson and everyone else involved. Well done!! Fire Fighters across Minnesota are cheering tonight 🔥🧑‍🚒👩‍🚒👨‍🚒🏆

HUGE news from the state capitol tonight:

The Minnesota Legislature has passed legislation that will add cancer as an eligible condition for the state Public Safety Officers’ Benefit (PSOB), which is a benefit paid to the families who lose a firefighter or police officer in the line of duty. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk for a signature.

Cancer is the most common cause of firefighter LODDs—this law ensures those who make the ultimate sacrifice are treated the same, no matter if the cause is cancer, heart disease, stroke, or injuries sustained at a fire.

This law mirrors the federal HONOR Act passed in December last year, which ensures families of firefighters who perish from job-related cancer receive the federal PSOB, and they will now receive the Minnesota PSOB too.

This massive legislative victory represents years of hard work by the MPFF board, especially by President Scott Vadnais, who has worked tirelessly this session to push for this bill until it became law.

Special thank you to Senator Judy Seeberger and Representative Pete Johnson for leading the charge on this bill in their respective houses. Thank you to Representatives Kelly Moller and Paul Novotny for finding the vehicle to move the bill through the legislature, and to Senator Erin Murphy for getting this bill added in late into the session.

Thank you especially to Julie Paidar, who has been a champion of this legislation and a driving force that inspires all of us.

Lastly, thank you to all of our members across Minnesota. Your support and participation in this union is what makes change like this possible, and you are who we fight for every year at the Capitol. It’s an honor to serve our members!

05/11/2026

05/07/2026

Emergency crews are currently on scene of a house fire in Moorhead, located at 2415 13th St. S.