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Fargo highlights public-safety milestones: new fire chief, joint training and new dispatch center
Summary
City remarks honored retiring fire chief Steve Dirkson, welcomed new chief Gary Lorenz, recapped a record blood-drive effort, noted the Metro Fire Academy’s 13th class and announced a new Red River Regional Dispatch Center facility serving multiple jurisdictions.
Speaker S1 said the Fargo Fire Department honored the retirement of fire chief Steve Dirkson and welcomed Gary Lorenz as the new chief; S1 described Lorenz as a former Fargo firefighter who returned from Grand Forks to lead the department.
S1 also recounted community public-safety events: the Battle of the Badges and the city’s blood drive, which S1 said produced a record number of donations. The Metro Fire Academy—run jointly by Fargo, Morehead and West Fargo—was cited as preparing its 13th class of recruits, a program S1 said saves money by sharing resources among departments.
On regional coordination, S1 noted the Red River Regional Dispatch Center opened a new facility in 2025 and that the center’s cross-jurisdictional operations enhance public-safety coordination across state and county lines. The remarks did not include a staffing breakdown for the dispatch center or a recruitment plan for the Metro Fire Academy.
