ST. PAUL, Minn. — As the war in Ukraine rages on, one Twin Cities woman is doing everything she can to help.
“My mother always taught me, ‘When you receive something, don’t forget to give it back.’” Svetlana Vold, a firefighter and EMT with the St. Paul Fire Department, said.
Vold emigrated from Belarus in 2011 because she claims the situation in her country “wasn’t the best.” Vold considered her family’s green card a dream come true.
“My father was a fire chief in Belarus all his life, but I never saw that as a potential job for myself, as women are not allowed to work in the fire service,” Vold said.
She will never forget her Eastern European roots. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Vold immediately thought of her mother’s teachings in an effort to give back to her elderly Ukrainian neighbors who were suffering. So she has traveled there five times since the invasion, deploying her first aid.
“On my last trip, I spent three nights at a firehouse,” Vold said. “It was very depressing.”
Vold reminds us that first responders are dealing with war, bombings and missile attacks – more than we could imagine – and they need the equipment to meet that demand. She is collecting unused or expired equipment, by U.S. standards, and plans to bring it to Ukraine during her future visits.
She has received donations not only from the St. Paul Fire Department, but also from Minneapolis, Coon Rapids and Eagan.
“We are grateful to be able to support our fellow first responders in desperate need and grateful that our diverse team of firefighters are raising awareness of these needs,” the St. Paul Fire Department said in a statement.
“After you’ve been there once, you would think you wouldn’t come back… but this is what motivates you to come back. All those people become a part of you,” Vold said.
If you’re wondering how far an effort like this goes, Stand with Ukraine Minnesota explains how.
“It’s not like these supplies are going to end up in the warehouse somewhere, they’re going to be used at the fire station because they don’t have much,” said Mykola Sarazhynskyy of Stand with Ukraine Minnesota.
If you would like to help with Vold’s efforts, contact the St. Paul Fire Department or Vold suggests donating to Stand with Ukraine Minnesota.
