St. Paul Fire honors firefighters, medics who raced to help bar shooting victims

Eric Chaloux

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St. Paul firefighters stood shoulder to shoulder next to an ambulance inside headquarters as they were honored for their life-saving efforts by the department after the October shooting at a bar on West Seventh Street.

"In my almost 35 years of service to the city of St. Paul, I can only remember a handful of times we gathered to publicly recognize our firefighters for their actions," St. Paul Fire Chief Butch Inks said. "You continue to impress me personally and I truly thank you for your service."

Gunfire erupted inside Seventh Street Truck Park bar in St. Paul in the early morning hours of Oct. 10.

The fire department said 10 ambulances, three fire apparatus and three chiefs responded to the scene — 52 firefighters in total — almost half the shift on-duty that day.

Police reported a 27-year-old woman was killed and 15 other bar patrons were also shot.

St. Paul Firefighters stand shoulder to shoulder next to an ambulance inside headquarters as they were honored for their life-saving efforts by the department after October’s shooting at a bar on West 7th Street.[KSTP]

"I didn’t have time to think about it, as I walked down the street the scene kept getting bigger and bigger," said Fire Capt. Mark Monson, who helped lead the initial response to the scene. "There was still a lot of chaos, still groups of people coming and going."

Monson said, within 30 minutes of the initial dispatch, medics were able to transport the wounded to the hospital.

"I couldn’t be more proud of everybody, I really am," Monson said. "They made a big difference for a lot of people that day."

"We endured something unthinkable, something so horrific and traumatic," St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said at Tuesday’s ceremony.

"We thank you for your heroism, we thank you for your bravery, we thank you for your commitment and unwavering commitment."

Those honored were:

Medic 10:

  • FEO: Nick Hansen
  • FF: Bernard Foster
  • FF: Megan Roesler

Medic 5:

  • Captain: Josh Tweed
  • FEO: Jim Hoel
  • FF: Andrew Martinez
  • FF: Sarah Reasoner

Medic 18:

  • Captain: Juan Morin
  • FEO: Chuck Schwartz
  • FF: Cody Mittelstaedt
  • FF: Anthony Probasco

Medic 22:

  • OOT Captain: John Hornyak
  • FEO: Douglas Johnson
  • FF: Ulicer Sanchez
  • FF: Lance Thompson

Medic 4:

  • OOT Captain: Roberto Rodriguez
  • FEO: Nicholas Kuehneman
  • FF: Kevin Sak
  • FF: Thomas Svihel

Medic 8:

  • FF: William Siems
  • FF: Tanner Hanke

Medic 7:

  • FF: Thomas Hernandez
  • FF: Korey Ketchmark

Medic 24:

  • Captain: Nate Sole
  • FEO: Chuck Perbix
  • FF: Ryan G. Burns
  • FF: Matthew Swenson

Medic 6:

  • Captain: Eric Papp
  • FEO: Mike Christopherson
  • FF: Steven Johnson
  • Engine 8:
  • OOT Captain: Nathan Wiley
  • FEO: Brian Miller
  • FF: Shaun Harris

Ladder 8:

  • OOT Captain: Tou Lee
  • FEO: Al Fonseca
  • FF: Ryan Eckert
  • FF: Bryce Lindahl

Chief 1:

  • OOT District Chief Ryan Christopherson

The following two individuals received the Fire Chief Commendation:

  • Capt. Mark Monson
  • District Chief John Galle