Deputy Chief Marnie Grondahl

By Andrea Busche

Marnie

Grondahl is a pioneer, both in the firefighting industry and within the city of Duluth. Upon her recent retirement in May 2020, she had over 30 years’ experience as a firefighter. Several subsequent promotions along the way have also made her a leader – and a wellrespected one, at that – within the Duluth Fire Department.

Grondahl was one of the very first female firefighters hired in the city of Duluth. Her promotion to deputy chief in 2019 made Grondahl the first female chief-level officer in the Duluth Fire Department’s history.

Today, as we celebrate her retirement, we learn more about her journey, including her career progression and early experiences as a young, female firefighter.

Native Duluthian

Grondahl was born in Duluth and raised in the Morgan Park neighborhood, as the youngest of six children. Her father worked as a dispatcher for the DM&IR Railroad, and her mom was a teacher at the former St. Jean’s School.

Grondahl tells an entertaining story about having her own mom as a teacher.

“I attended elementary school where my mom taught, and I had her as a third-grade teacher. I had to call her Mrs. Menzel. She was probably harder on me than the other kids; anytime two people were talking, I was always the one who got in trouble.”

Firefighting

It was during her youth that the very first seed was planted in Grondahl’s mind about pursuing firefighting as a career.

“I saw an after-school special about a woman who became a firefighter,” she said. “That wasn’t really an opportunity that most girls had ever thought of. But I knew I wasn’t the type to sit behind a desk, and I liked the idea of helping people.”

After graduating from Denfeld High School, Grondahl enrolled at the University of Minnesota Duluth, but wasn’t sure what she wanted to do. Her dad happened to take notice of an ad in the newspaper, stating that Lake Superior College was starting a new firefighting school. He said, “You should try this out.”

Ultimately, she enrolled and was part of one of the program’s first graduating classes. There were only two other women in her class.

After an intimidating interview, consisting of the fire chief and four other personnel, along with having to pass several tests, Grondahl was hired as a firefighter by the city of Duluth in 1987. Two other women, Pam Wutz and June Anderson, were hired the same year, making the trio the very first female firefighters in the city of Duluth.

Women in the department

The beginning of Grondahl’s career wasn’t without challenges.

“The city wasn’t prepared for female firefighters yet,” Grondahl explained. “There were no female locker rooms, so we had to use offices. And a lot of the guys didn’t want us there.”

But with time, things have changed. Today, female firefighters are not just accepted, but welcomed into the department.

“Thankfully, things are very different today and people are very accepting,” Grondahl said. “Women have their own locker rooms now. And, while there used to be wide open dorms, there are now dividers for privacy.”

Today, of the 132 firefighters with the city of Duluth, nine of them are female.

Grondahl explained that she has always had to put in extra effort to keep up with the guys.

“I specifically worked out with a trainer who would help me realize how to use my strengths better,” she said. “Most women, including myself, don’t have the same upper body strength as men, but I do have strong legs.”

Promotions

Grondahl’s career in firefighting has followed a steady upward trajectory. She was a firefighter from 1987 to 1998, when she was promoted to fire inspector. She was promoted to deputy fire marshall in 2002, and fire marshall in 2010.

And, she became deputy chief of the Life Safety Division, a promotion bestowed upon her by Fire Chief Shawn Krizaj, in 2019. In this role, she managed the budget, personnel, kept track of department activities, tracked inspections and permitting, and more. Upon her retirement, she had 11 direct reports.

Throughout her career, Grondahl has been dedicated to continuing her education. She attended the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Md., approximately 10 times, where she attended courses on public education, fire investigator training, and more.

Creator of many initiatives

Over the years, Grondahl has spearheaded many initiatives within the Duluth Fire Department, which continue to this day. They include the mock crash program, which teaches high school students the dangers of drinking and driving, or texting while driving.

She was also the creator of the popular car seat clinics, where firefighters help parents inspect the installation of their baby’s car seat. Another of Grondahl’s projects was to convince former Minnesota Wild hockey player Darby Hendrickson to film a PSA about fire safety.

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