Administration
 In 1978,
Chief Scott Crandall began his
fire-fighting career with the Crystal Fire
Department. Serving for three years as a
firefighter, he was then promoted to the
rank of Captain; in 1988 he was again
promoted to the position of Deputy Chief a
position held until his promotion to Fire
Chief in July of 2006.
Scott is affiliated
with numerous national, professional, and
civic organizations. Scott has been married
for 26 years to his wife Sandy and has two
sons Ryan and Justin.
Office phone:
763.230.7001
E-mail:
scrandall@westmetrofire.com
 Sarah Larson is The West Metro Fire-Rescue
District’s Administrative Captain. She
plans, organizes, delivers and directs the
District’s overall training program with an
emphasis on an operational best practices
culture and firefighter safety. She began
her career in the fire service in 1996 as a
paid, on-call firefighter with the City of
Golden Valley. She has also served the
communities of Maple Grove as a fire
inspector and Saint Louis Park as a
firefighter. She organizes the NSRMAA annual
School and serves on the Minnesota Fire
Chief’s Educational Committee.
When Sarah is not at work she enjoys hanging
out with her two children, running with her
dogs, reading, movies, bike riding, and
taking photographs.
Phone: 763.230.7002
E-mail:
slarson@westmetrofire.com
 Marge Runnakko, Executive Assistant with
West Metro Fire-Rescue District started her
public service career with the City of New
Hope’s Fire & Safety Department in 1987. She
brought with her training and experience in
accounting and administrative work in both
the private and public sectors. Her job was
transferred to the District in July 1998.
She assisted four fire chiefs during her
nineteen year career. Her brother John was a
firefighter with Blaine, Spring Lake Park,
Mounds View Fire Department.
She assists and/or is
responsible in almost every aspect of fire
department business, including budget
monitoring and preparation; recording
department meetings; payments, yearly safety
certifications; records management;
personnel recruiting; payroll; creating
department newsletters, etc. The variety
keeps it interesting.
She and her husband Sam
reside in Plymouth and have two grown
children. Her hobbies include motorcycling
and gardening.
Phone: 763.230.7003
E-mail:
mrunnakko@westmetrofire.com
 Paula Steelman
began her career as West Metro’s first ever
Office Assistant on May 7, 2007.
Paula is a member of a
lifelong firefighting
family, Paula’s brothers and
father have served as
firefighters for the City of
Wayzata for decades,
providing Paula with a depth
of fire department
experience to draw upon.
Paula will be responsible
for collection and management
of the District's records
management system, providing
timely data to aid in
administration of the
District.
Phone: 763.230.7004
E-mail:
psteelman@westmetrofire.com
 District
Chief Longaecker is a 30 year member of the
department and is assigned to station #2.
His duties include managing approximately
twenty firefighters during emergency and
non-emergency situations. As with other
District Chiefs we also assist the Chief
with duties such as budget and personnel
issues.
Station#2 specializes in Technical Rescue
which entails Confined Space, Trench and
High Angle rescue.
Phone: 763.230.7043
E-mail:
slongaecker@westmetrofire.com
 District
Chief Herlofsky,
has served his communities as a firefighter
for over fourteen years and is assigned to
station #1. He began with
Crystal Fire in 1992, and after serving five
years he was promoted to Night Captain. He
was appointed as West Metro Fire District
Chief at Station I June 1, 2001.
Tim participates in
many fire education activities in local
schools; Kids, Cops, and Firefighters; and
the local Safety Camps. Since 1996, he’s
organized holiday firefighter bell-ringing
campaigns for the Salvation Army, often
yielding some their best fund-raising
efforts in the area. For several years he
has been active with local Little League and
Babe Ruth both coaching and cheering on his
two boys Hunter and Zach.
Tim and his wife Trish
own and operate a medical transportation
service. Spare time activities include
motorcycling, classic cars and stock car
racing.
Phone: 763.230.7089
E-mail:
therlofsky@westmetrofire.com
 District Chief Dave Neuenfeldt is a
14 year member of the department and is
assigned to station #3. His duties include
managing approximately twenty two
firefighters during emergency and
non-emergency situations. As with other
District Chiefs he also assists the Chief
with duties such as budget and personnel
issues.
Chief Neuenfeldt previously served as a
Lieutenant for 4 years, a training captain
for 5 years and fire captain for 2 years.
Chief Neuenfeldt's certifications include
Fire Officer I and II, Hazmat operational
and Technician certifications and EMT-B
along with many other certifications. Chief
Neuenfeldts full time career is a system
administrator for Polaris Industries.
Chief Neuenfeldt has a great passion for
outdoor activities including snowmobiling,
hunting motorcycling.
Station#3 specializes in monitoring and mass
decontamination which entails hazardous
materials, biological and weapons of mass
destruction incidents.
Phone: 763.230.7007
E-mail:
dneuenfeldt@westmetrofire.com
 Aaron Surratt has been with West Metro
Fire-Rescue District since 2002. He has
approximately 11 years in the fire service
and is living his dream of working full time
in the fire service. Within his duties as a
Fire Inspector in the District, Surratt is
responsible for assisting with public fire
education, plan reviews, inspections of new
and existing buildings, fire investigations,
and responds in an operational capacity at
the rank of Captain.
Inspector Surratt grew
up in Canton, Illinois moving to Montana for
approximately one year after high school
before moving to the Minneapolis area in
1994 to pursue a fire science degree. He
worked with and is still a volunteer
firefighter with Brooklyn Center Fire
Department while working on his degree and
was a part-time fire inspector for Brooklyn
Center before being hired full-time by the
District.
Surratt is married to
his wife Nicole, and they have one child
named Colton. When he is not at work, he
enjoys spending time with his family, bow
hunting as much as possible, and fishing.
Phone: 763.230.7005
E-mail:
asurratt@westmetrofire.com
 Shelby Wolf has been
employed by the District from 2003-present
(she did leave for about an 8 month period
and came back) and serves as one of the Fire
Inspectors. Within her duties, Wolf is
responsible for all coordinating of public
education (fire safety) events and programs,
inspections of new and existing buildings,
plan reviews, investigations and a fire
fighter.
Inspector Wolf’s has a
little over 11 years in the fire service.
Her interest in the fire service actually
began when she was 13 years of age and
became a Fire Explorer for Crystal Fire
Department. At the age of 19 she began her
journey as a volunteer fire fighter for
several different cities. She started out at
the Crystal Fire Department, then moved to
New Hope and was on New Hope Fire Department
for a couple of years. She then moved out to
Charlestown, Indiana and joined the
Charlestown Volunteer Fire Department for
almost a year. In 1998 she moved back to
Minnesota and got married and joined the
Andover Volunteer Fire Department which she
was a member there for roughly 6 year. In
1998 she began her career as a part-time
inspector for Andover Fire Department. In
2000 she got a Fire Inspector Intern
position at Maple Grove Fire Department
where she interned till 2001. In 2001 she
accepted a full-time inspector for the Maple
Grove Fire Department. In 2003 she accepted
a full-time inspector for the District.
Wolf has taken several
generals, fire, building, and code classes
at Hennepin Community College, Hennepin
Technical College, Anoka Technical College
and Mankato State University. She is
currently holds State Certificates as a Fire
Fighter I and II, Fire Inspector I and II,
Public Educator I and First Responder. She
coordinates the Quarterly Pub Ed
Brainstorming meetings. She belongs to IAAI,
North Suburban Fire Marshals Association and
FMAM.
Phone: 763.230.7005
E-mail:
swolf@westmetrofire.com
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