In emergencies, money is usually the last thing on people's minds.
If someone needs help, you save them no matter the cost. For fire chiefs like John Cunningham, the cost of saving lives is more expensive than ever.
"At the end of the day, when someone calls 911 we have to respond no matter what.”
Cunningham is the fire chief in Brooklyn Park and also the president of the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association. "Fire chiefs across the state are really struggling right now," Cunningham says.
Many are struggling to keep their stations running with increased costs and decreased funding. According to a new report from the Minnesota Center for Fiscal Excellence, Minnesota ranks 48th in the nation for fire department funding.
The latest numbers, from 2017, show Minnesota fire departments receive an average of $234 per household.