St. Anthony Professional Firefighters - IAFF Local 3486

08/22/2026

Cody is a passionate and knowledgeable individual with extensive experience working
with unions. Cody's attention to detail and history of working with MPFF make him a
great candidate for the position. 🚒

08/10/2026

Support our friends over at North Memorial as they take steps to unionize. 👏🏻 All For One and One for North

08/07/2026

25! 🎉

Captain Basara, our Union President, has officially been with the City of St. Anthony for 25 YEARS!

That’s thousands of medical calls, countless fires, and 25 years of collecting an absolutely ridiculous amount of knowledge.

When union members were asked to describe Joey in one word, the overwhelming winner was “knowledgeable.”

And honestly, that might be the understatement of the century.

Need to know how to handle a fire? Ask Joey.

Need to troubleshoot a sprinkler system? Ask Joey.

Wash a truck to perfection? Joey all day.

Something wrong with the apparatus? Ask Joey.

Electrical problem? Joey knows.

Building construction question? Joey knows.

Station maintenance? Joey knows.

New technology? Used to be Joey.

Animal stuck somewhere? Joey probably knows.

Want to talk training? Definitely Joey.

Need to know how to smoke a brisket? Obviously Joey.

After 25 years, Joey has accumulated enough knowledge and experience that the rest of us have basically stopped Googling things.

So, enjoy 25 photos of Joey throughout the years and join us in congratulating Captain Basara on 25 years of service, leadership, and being the guy everyone asks when they need to know how something works.

Congratulations, Joey! 25 years down—and we’re sure you still have an opinion on how we’re doing it wrong. 😂👏🚒

08/06/2026

👏🏻

We are extremely excited to announce a new step forward with our association. Our members voted overwhelmingly to become an affiliated local of International Association of Fire Fighters and MN Professional Firefighters. We still be the Hennepin County Association of Paramedics and EMTs, but we will also be . We are very grateful to Mahlon, Scott, Cody, Kyle, Josh and all our union brothers and sisters who supported us in making this change. Our future is bright as we forge even stronger alliances across organized labor and public safety.

06/25/2026

One question firefighters will sometimes get is: “So you get paid to sleep at work?” Here’s the truth: Yes, sometimes we do get to sleep at work. However, most nights your L1215 firefighters are up 3,4,5 times helping members of the community. This lack of sleep adds up over the course of a 30 year career.

Now, look at this photo, L1215 firefighters average a 56 hour work week. This equates to 12 more years working than the average 40 hour a week employee. Think about that for a moment. 12 years. 12 years of lack of sleep, 12 years of missing birthdays/holidays/anniversaries.

L1215 stands ready to serve Richfield at a moment’s notice.

06/21/2026

Happy Father’s Day to the real MVPs, our local 3486 dads❤️👨‍🚒

Which dad has the best mustache? Like the photo to vote! 🥸

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