A West Metro fire department is celebrating 75 years, but with that comes changes.

Loretto Fire Department is merging with the Hamel Fire Department to form the West Suburban Fire District.

In his 30-plus years on the job, West Suburban Fire District Chief Jeff Leuer has seen a lot.

“When you do this job, you have ups and downs, you have good calls and bad calls, and you just stay positive about it,” Leuer said.

But one thing Leuer believes stands out is how fire departments all over are changing, especially because of the recruiting challenges.

Simply put, he thinks smaller departments can no longer survive.

“It’s a struggle finding firefighters these days. It just gave us an opportunity to come together and provide the community with the best possible service,” Leuer said.

As the Loretto Fire Department celebrates 75 years, Leuer says it’s time for them to switch things up.

“This is going to be the model going forward, I believe,” Leuer said.

Combined, they’ll have 50 paid on-call firefighters covering a 50-square-mile area of Western Hennepin County, including Medina, Corcoran, Independence and Greenfield.

To celebrate the transition and 75 years, the department is holding a street dance featuring three bands in conjunction with the Loretto Fun Fest on Saturday.

“We just want the community to come out tomorrow night, have a good time,” Leuer said.

Leuer knows he wouldn’t be here without the continued support from those around town, and he’s optimistic for what’s to come.

“There’s so many people that thank you every day for your service that you do,” Leuer said.

For more information on the celebration or joining the department, click here.