St. Paul firefighters, Santa surprise fire-surviving kids with gifts

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Photo credit: St. Paul Fire Department.

St. Paul firefighters helped Santa deliver some surprise Christmas gifts to a family with young children suddenly forced out of their home by an early morning fire. The family safely escaped the Oct. 9 fire, but with all that was lost, the children knew there may not be many presents under the tree this year.

With donations from St. Paul firefighters and some of the firefighters’ charitable gambling funds, Santa and the crew of the east side’s Rescue Squad No.1 surprised the kids with gifts on Christmas Eve.

The delivery was organized by Fire Captain Glen Jenkins, the gambling manager for the Local 21 union.

“I do not believe that any child should go without Christmas,” Jenkins said.