Education, Outreach & Fire Safety

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s State Fire Marshal (SFM) division is highlighting ongoing efforts to prevent carbon monoxide (CO) poisonings and deaths across the state. 

The Rochester Fire Department will install alarms in homes free of charge, while also educating residents on CO poisoning and prevention.  

This SFM CO awareness campaign is partially funded through the federal Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Grant Program and Nicholas and Zachary Burt Memorial Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act of 2021. 

If you are interested in a CO alarm installation through this program, call  311  or make the request through  the following request for service form.  Choose Fire Department in the Type of Issue dropdown and CO Alarm Install Request.

Submit a CO Alarm Install Request.

Community Connect is a free, secure and easy-to-use platform that lets you share critical information about your household or business to aid first responders and emergency response personnel when they respond to your residence. By providing information about your household and business that you feel is important for us to know in an emergency, we can ensure you and everything you care about are protected to the best of our ability.

Learn more and sign up for Community Connect.

The Minnesota State Fire Code requires a fire department lock box when access to a building or area is restricted by secure openings, or when immediate entry is needed for life-saving or firefighting purposes. For additional information on requirements, contact the Fire Marshal’s Office at 507-328-2056 or firemarshalsoffice@rochestermn.gov.

Commercial & Multi-Family

The Rochester Fire Department requires lock boxes for the following to have a Fire Department Lock Box: 

• All commercial buildings
• All multi-family buildings

Some large, complex buildings may require multiple boxes.

Boxes can be purchased through the Knox Rapid Access System website.

Residential Lock Box (Home-Box)

The primary intent of a lock box program is to facilitate quick access to residential homes during emergencies. Lock boxes allow fire personnel to expedite entry into a residence using a key rather than forcing entry through a door or window. These are primarily used during medical emergencies.

Home boxes can be purchased through the Knox Rapid Access System website.

Once installed, or if you already have a lock box on your property and need to add or change the keys, please contact us at 507-328-2056. 

Burning of leaves, sticks and tree branches is not allowed in Rochester, unless a special permit is granted. This includes the wood from your last building project or the tree that fell down last summer. To receive a special permit, contact the Rochester Fire Department at (507) 328-2800 or submit an online application.

• City of Rochester Open Burn Policy
• Department of Natural Resources (for outside Rochester City limits)

• Keep it small: less than 3 ft. diameter is the rule
• Best location is 25 ft. away from any house
• Grills or barbeque pits can be 15 ft. from any house
• Have water on hand, just in case. Have a bucket with water handy to douse wandering flames
• When you're gone, put it out. Unattended fires are dangerous.