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Minnesota firefighters walking across state to improve firefighter health

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Published  September 19, 2025 10:30pm CDT
Health
FOX 9
2 MN firefighters walk to improve firefighter health

2 MN firefighters walk to improve firefighter health

Two Twin Cities firefighters are walking across Minnesota to raise awareness for the health risks that come with the job. FOX 9's Maury Glover has the full report.

The Brief

    • According to MnFIRE, 90% of firefighters in the state are volunteers, meaning they don't get benefits to deal with the physical and emotional toll of the job.
    • That's why two firefighters from the metro are on a unique journey across Minnesota to draw attention to the health risks that come with the job.
    • Doug Foote and Kyle Bode are walking 165 miles from Duluth to St. Paul to raise awareness about firefighter health.

WYOMING, Minn. (FOX 9) - Being a firefighter can take both a physical and emotional toll.

Step by step

Big picture view:

For the past few days, Doug Foote and Kyle Bode have been a pair of men on a mission.

With each step they take, these firefighters hope to save lives, not just of fire victims, but of their fellow firefighters.

"Being two days out, knowing we are staring down the end, its so exciting. It's really filled my well completely," said Foote, a firefighter for the Excelsior Fire Dept.

Miles for MnFire

The backstory:

Last weekend, the two left a fire station in Duluth to walk 165 miles across the state to raise awareness about firefighter health.

It's part of an effort called "Miles For MnFire," an initiative to help firefighters protect themselves from cardiac diease, cancer and suicide, which kill them at higher rates than the general public.

"I want to be an inspiration for firefighters to take their health and welfare seriously so they can have long and healthy retirements and long healthy careers," said Bode, a St. Paul firefighter.

This is Foote's second time walking across the state to benefit his colleagues.

Four years ago, he made the 200-mile trek from the South Dakota border to St Paul, but this time, he has Bode as company and ditched the bunker pants he wore during his last trip.

"What we've found out since then is that, unfortunately, the materials that are in firefighter pants cause cancer themselves. So we chose not to wear that, because the whole spirit of this is health and safety for firefighters," said Foote.

‘I’ll be sad when it's over'

What they're saying:

Walking 20 miles a day from the North Shore to the Capitol City is a physical feat, but Foote and Bode hope their experience will be a journey of hope for everyone.

"Take care of yourself. If we can hit one firefighter along the way that gets help, then its mission accomplished," said Foote.

The two will wrap up their journey at the Fallen Firefighters Memorial at the State Capitol in St Paul on Sunday afternoon.

They are also trying to raise $100,000 for MnFIRE to support firefighter health.

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