Brooklyn Park Firefighters Offer Help on Trip to Ukraine

Many travelers leave home with a sense of worry and anxiety, even more so if the trip takes them to a war zone abroad where the loss of life continues to mount.

But Brooklyn Park Fire Chief Shawn Conway seemed unfazed when he spoke about a recent trip he took to Ukraine.

“This is a country that regularly faces threats,” he said. “This is a country at war. Two days ago, there was an attack in kyiv.”

A contact in Ukraine asked him if he and his traveling companions would be comfortable making the trip while the country was at war.

“We said yes without hesitation,” he said. “We know we can provide you with something that might be useful to you.”

Among his traveling companions were Mark Lynde, a retired Brooklyn Park firefighter who owns Lynde’s restaurant and caterer, and Lee Scheumann of the nonprofit Hand in Hand Logistics.

Due to the many no-fly zones in Ukraine, the journey to the war-torn country was long. After an 11-hour plane ride, followed by a 19-hour train ride and a four-hour car ride, they reached their destination.

“It was a logistical nightmare on planes and trains,” Lynde said. “I’ve never taken a train, and 19 hours? That’s a long time for a train ride.”

When they arrived, they found a civilian firefighter crew in serious need of help.

According to Conway, many firefighters across the country do not have any personal protective equipment.

“No disrespect, but they’re probably 50 years behind us,” Lynde said. “In a small town, they don’t know what CPR is and they’ve never seen a defibrillator.”

In contrast, the Brooklyn Park Fire Department, as well as a few neighboring departments, had spare equipment that needed a location.

“Equipment that is used very little here in the United States, but has an expiration date, we can’t use it after 10 years,” Lynde said.

During their trip, they took with them about 50 sets of firefighter protective equipment.

But they offered more than just protective jackets and boots.

“It’s about how we can support training and understanding of how to use this equipment, and what that looks like,” Conway said.

They trained the Ukrainians in medical intervention and vehicle extraction – important skills when bombs are never far away.

According to Conway, a mobile phone application would alert Ukrainians of the threat of a bomb or missile attack. These alerts often came five times a day.

And even though the crew returned with less equipment, they brought back the certainty that they may have saved lives.

“It’s a pride for us to be able to convey this message,” Conway said.

Brooklyn Park