St. Anthony Professional Firefighters - IAFF Local 3486

04/25/2026

Probationary Firefighter/Paramedic Robarge put in work at today’s live burn 🔥

He gained critical reps in search and rescue, hose management, flow patterns, and fire attack—sharpening the skills that make a difference on the fireground.

Keep grinding, Robarge, the work shows. 💪

04/19/2026

Please keep our brothers, sisters, and the Columbia Heights community in your thoughts and prayers as they face an incredibly difficult time.

Tony was the kind of firefighter you never forget—selfless, compassionate, and deeply committed to the job and the people he served. For several years, he answered the call with pride, earning the respect of everyone who had the privilege to work alongside him. We were honored to stand beside him over the years as mutual aid partners, and his impact reached far beyond any single department.

This is a tremendous loss to the fire service and the community he dedicated his life to protecting.

Rest easy, brother. We’ll take it from here.

It is with deep sadness that I share the unexpected passing of Fire Captain Anthony “Tony” Cuzzupe on April 17, 2026.
Tony began his service with our department as a Reserve Firefighter on June 17, 2002, where he earned his Firefighter and EMT certifications. He was appointed to the Paid-On-Call Division on July 1, 2003, and hired as a full-time firefighter on September 13, 2005. Tony was promoted to Fire Captain on October 27, 2016.
I had the privilege of working alongside Tony for several years when I was a Fire Captain. In the fire service, people often talk about brotherhood, but it is difficult to fully understand unless you have lived it. It goes beyond trust on the fireground. It is built over countless 24-hour shifts, shared challenges, and a level of connection that stays with you for life.
Tony was not only a trusted colleague, but a close friend. He was one of the most competent and compassionate firefighter/EMTs I have had the honor to work with.
Throughout his career, Tony made a lasting impact on our department, the fire service, and the thousands of people he served in our community. His presence in the firehouse and on the job will be deeply missed.
Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with Tony’s family, friends, coworkers, and all who knew him.

— Fire Chief Daniel O’Brien

04/13/2026

04/12/2026

04/12/2026

04/11/2026

04/11/2026

Huge thank you to Council Member Nadia for stepping into the role of firefighter for a day!

From vehicle extrication and forcible entry to hose line advancement and aerial ladder operations, Nadia fully immersed herself in the hands-on experience. She also participated in a cardiac arrest scenario, search and rescue, and navigated the SCBA confidence maze—gaining a firsthand look at the skills and teamwork required on the fireground.

We’re incredibly grateful to all the council members and state representatives who took time out of their busy schedules to attend Fire Ops today and see this work up close.

A special thank you to Saint Paul Professional Firefighters Local 21 and Minnesota Professional Fire Fighters - MPFF for hosting, along with the many volunteers from across the state who made this event possible.

03/21/2026

Please keep our fellow brothers and sisters at White Bear Lake Professional Firefighters in your thoughts and prayers as they process a tragic call during this difficult time.

Sending love to the the family affected and the White Bear Lake community. ❤️

It is a very difficult and sad day for our community. We will provide updates when it is appropriate. Our main focus at this time is on everyone affected by this tragedy.

03/20/2026

Local 3486 has grown in numbers for the first time in 40 years! We are so excited to introduce our 3 newest brothers and sister. 🥁

👩‍🚒Firefighter/EMT Anna Kimball

Anna grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa before moving to the Twin Cities to attend the University of Minnesota, where she earned her degree in computer science. After college, she worked in weather research for NOAA, but her desire to serve her community led her to join the fire service. What began as a way to give back quickly became a true calling. Anna discovered a deep passion for firefighting and is proud to now serve full time as a firefighter for the city of St. Anthony. Outside of work, she plays women’s tackle football for the Minnesota Vixen, volunteers at an equine therapy center for children with disabilities, and enjoys rock climbing, camping, and curling up with a good book alongside her two cats.

👨‍🚒Firefighter/paramedic Jason Robarge

Jason grew up here in Minnesota before growing tired of shoveling and moving to Florida. In Florida, Jason became a Paramedic, but soon. Made the decision to have children. When their oldest was an infant, he and his wife moved back home, wanting their child to grow up a humble, hardworking midwesterner. He then spent 11 years serving Hennepin County as a Paramedic with HCMC. Though very experienced as a Paramedic, Firefighting is a new challenge. To be the best he is going to learn from the best. Jason spends his off time at his real job, raising two little girls. He has somehow become a dance Dad and secretly takes pleasure in the annual Daddy-Daughter dance routine at the recital.

👨‍🚒Firefighter/paramedic Thao Vang

Prior to St. Anthony, Thao proudly served our country. Thao is a United States Army Veteran, where he served as a patriot operator and maintainer. During his time in the Army, he had two deployments: Camp Arifjan, Kuwait and Al Udeid Air Base, Kuwait. He has a background in customer service and marketing and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication from Minnesota State University Mankato. Thao reported that St. Anthony Fire interested him because of the strong community ties and ability to work in the paramedic role. He enjoys the camaraderie of the fire service.

03/06/2026

We can’t wait to introduce you to our three new full time fire fighters.👨‍🚒🚒 Stay tuned!

🚒 40 Years in the Making: A Big Week for St. Anthony Fire

This week marked our first full week with three firefighters on shift, a milestone 40 years in the making. For the past four decades, our department has operated with just two firefighters per shift, managing a growing number of calls for service.

Last year alone, our crews responded to more than 2,000 calls—including medical emergencies, structure fires, hazmat incidents, vehicle accidents, and more. Often, multiple calls come in at the same time. On Monday alone, our crew of three handled 11 calls during their shift.

The fire service is evolving, and departments are increasingly becoming all-hazard response agencies. We are committed to staying ahead of these trends to provide the best service to our community.

As ambulance wait times increase in many areas, St. Anthony Fire was one of the first departments to staff a paramedic on every shift. With an average response time of about 2 minutes and 30 seconds, lifesaving care can begin when every second counts.

A huge thank you to our community and City Council for their continued support—your partnership allows us to deliver the highest level of care and response to our residents. 🔥