A major donation towards public safety services in Itasca County.

Mesabi Metallics and four Masonic Lodges have teamed up to donate enough fire suppression units for every Itasca County Squad.

They met up on Thursday evening at the courthouse. The group included: Nashwauk Lodge, Chippewa Lodge, Mesaba Lodge and Itasca Lodge.

The portable fire suppression units are used by first responders as a highly effective tool against both early stage and fully developed fires. After a unit is deployed, chemicals knock down the fire and drop the temperature by 1000 degrees, so people can escape.

Sheriff Joe Dasovich weighed in for us. “More often than not, we are often the first on the scene. If we can help save a life or property, we’ll take any tool we can get,” he said.

Dasovich said they will be doing some training before all the units are in the squads. One is in service now.