For Steve Shykes, firefighting has always been about showing up for others. It started in 1986, when Shykes and some of his neighbors came together to establish Fayal Fire Department.
“We called around the state to learn about the fire service, what we would need, what equipment we could afford,” recalls Shykes. “Then we got the township supervisors on board to support the effort. We started out small, renting a space, but now we have our own fire department building, equipment and a crew of 22 firefighters.”
For the past 40 years, Shykes has served in the department he helped create, just southeast of Eveleth on the Iron Range, including 30 years as fire chief. A paid-on-call firefighter, he is also Region 3 Director for the Minnesota State Fire Department Association (MSFDA). His service has stretched far beyond northeastern Minnesota, with U.S. Forest Service wildfire assignments in 22 states including California, Montana and most recently in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA).
“That was my last hurrah. I’m retiring on January 1, 2027,” said Shykes. “It was an honor to go up there with my department, but I’m not where I used to be with my health.”
A sudden health crisis
76-year-old Shykes suffered two strokes within 12 months, which prompted the doctors to pursue preventative measures. In January, he underwent surgery to place a stent, but during that process he had a major stroke event.
“They didn’t think I would survive,” Shykes said. “At that point, I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t talk. My vision went away for a bit. It was a lot.”
Recovery has been a journey, including professional rehabilitation, self-driven therapy at home and steady work to rebuild strength and stability. He’s feeling significantly better and is grateful for the progress he has made, partly due to receiving a critical illness benefit through MnFIRE as part of the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program (HHAP) legislation.
Learning the benefit applied
As a fire service leader, Shykes was aware of MnFIRE’s mission to support firefighter health and wellness, but he did not fully understand the reach of the HHAP until he needed it himself.
Shykes assumed the critical illness benefit applied only to cancer or heart attacks related to the job. But a fire service friend encouraged him to file for the benefit with his stroke diagnosis, and once that claim was approved, he received a $20,000 check.
“The process was so simple,” said Shykes. “It was a one-page form with a doctor’s signature that you mail in. And I received the full benefit.”
The support was especially meaningful after Shykes’ neurologists suggested he retire from his 30-year career at the Eveleth municipal ambulance service. With Social Security then his family’s main source of income, the critical illness benefit helped cover medical costs and travel expenses for appointments in Duluth.
“Every day is a blessing”
Today, Shykes wants other firefighters to pay attention to their health and understand the benefits available before a crisis happens.
“It was a quick change for me, and it’s been a journey,” he says. “That’s why I say every day is a blessing now.”
Shykes encourages all members of the Minnesota fire service learn about the HHAP and share it within their departments – especially fire chiefs who can better support their crews with all the program has to offer. In addition to the Critical Illness Program, the HHAP covers five no-cost counseling sessions per issue for firefighters and their families, plus unlimited peer support and MnFIRE training.
“It’s only here to help,” Shykes said, “and it’s really easy to use.”
How to access MnFIRE support and training
If you are an active Minnesota firefighter and want information about filing a Critical Illness claim, call MnFIRE’s confidential 24-hour hotline at 888-784-6634. Select Option 3 to file a Critical Illness claim.
To schedule a MnFIRE training for your department, including the MnFIRE Awareness training that details all the HHAP benefits available to Minnesota firefighters, visit mnfiretraining.org.
