Sunday Apartment Fire Stopped by Sprinkler System

Rapid City, S.D. – On Sunday morning, firefighters from Stations 1, 3 and 7 responded to 4226 Kateland Street for a report of a structure fire. When crews arrived at the three-story apartment complex just before 10:00 am, firefighters found light smoke with water flowing from an outside deck. The occupant of the home had been cooking on the grill when an uncontrolled cooking fire occurred. The fire activated a sprinkler head on the balcony of the building which extinguished the fire. No damage to the building was reported.

This marks the sixth fire related sprinkler activation in Rapid City in 2019, and the fifth in little more than a month. Four of the activations have occurred in apartment buildings, one in a correctional facility and one in a large commercial occupancy.

To learn more about the importance of fire sprinklers, visit https://bit.ly/2BtPPy5.

For questions or comment related to this release please contact Lt. Jim Bussell, Public Information Officer for the Rapid City Fire Department, at 605-394-4180.

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RCFD Responds to Mobile Home Fire

No injuries reported, cause under investigation 

Rapid City, SD – Just after 7:30 pm this evening, Pennington County 9-1-1 received multiple calls reporting a structure fire at 1515 E. St. Patrick Street. Callers reported flames coming from a mobile home and extending into nearby trees. Crews from Stations 1, 4 and 6 were dispatched as well as officers from the Rapid City Police Department. When Engine 4 arrived on scene, they found a single-wide mobile home that was fully involved in fire. Two vehicles in front of the residence were also on fire with fire threatening residences on either side of the structure of origin.

With the help of Rapid City Police Officers, residences nearby were evacuated as a precaution. Firefighters were able to quickly eliminate the threat to adjacent structures and stop the forward progress of the fire. Conflicting witness statements and no one to provide accurate information on the whereabouts of the occupants of the residence prompted Rapid City Firefighters to conduct multiple searches inside the structure. Firefighters also sought assistance from the Rapid City Police Department as well as Regional Health Rapid City Hospital to attempt to locate the occupants of the structure. At about 9:15 pm, the occupants of the home were located and found to be safe. Occupants of the evacuated homes were allowed to return to their homes within about an hour.

Firefighters remained on scene until 10:00 pm extinguishing hot spots.

No injuries to civilians or firefighters were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Rapid City Fire Department.

Updates to this release are not anticipated at this time. For questions or comment related to this release, please contact Lt. Jim Bussell at 605-394-4180.

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RCFD Resources Responding- Battalion 1, Truck 1, Squad 1, Engine 4, Medic 4, Engine 6, RCFD Fire and Life Safety Division, RCFD Public Information Officer.

Other Agencies Responding- Rapid City Police Department, Montana Dakota Utilities, Black Hills Energy

RCFD to Conduct Drills, Training in Donated Structures

Drills, training to be conducted throughout September

Above: In this October 2018 photo, Rapid City Firefighters conduct drills on West Street near Downtown Rapid City. The building was slated for demolition and was donated to the RCFD to use for training purposes.

Rapid City, S.D. - Beginning at 9:00 am on Wednesday September 11, motorists in the area of East Boulevard and East Kansas City Street will see a heavy Rapid City Fire Department presence as crews will be conducting drills and training evolution's. The evolution's are set to last for the entire month of September and will be conducted in seven separate structures that are slated for demolition sometime this fall.

Firefighters will conduct a number of training evolution's and drills related to fire attack, structural search and rescue, forcible entry, ventilation and firefighter survival. On-duty crews will participate in scheduled drills on September 11, 12 and 13. On-duty crews will also participate in training and drills as their schedule and calls for service allow throughout the remainder of the month. Rapid City Fire Department Recruit Academy 2019-1 will train in the structures late in the month.

Firefighters will utilize a number of different tools and a variety of equipment during the drills and training evolution's. Firefighters will likely be seen wearing full personal protective equipment, including breathing apparatus. A smoke machine will be used to create realistic low-visibility conditions. Live fire will not be used during the drills and training evolution's. Those living nearby or traveling in the area should not be alarmed.

The Rapid City Fire Department wishes to extend its sincere appreciation and gratitude to Mr. Hani Shafai and Dream Design International, Inc. for providing our organization with the opportunity to utilize the structures for training purposes. Currently, the Rapid City Fire Department lacks a designated training facility. The generosity extended by Mr. Shafai will help Rapid City Firefighters operate safely and more efficiently and will help us in our mission to “Prepare, Prevent, Protect”.

In October 2018, the RCFD conducted training under similar circumstances on West Street near Downtown Rapid City. A residential structure slated for demolition was donated to the RCFD to utilize for training and drills. The skills that firefighters were taught during that training were put to use just over a month later as firefighters rescued occupants of an apartment building during a fire in the 2000 block of Cherry Avenue. Rapid City Firefighters have conducted training and drills in a number of other area structures and venues recently. Last fall, the RCFD conducted training at Vickie Powers Park. The Rushmore Mall hosted search training this past March.  

Above: Under the close watch of a young admirer, Engine 4 crews participate in search training at Vickie Powers Park during a November 2018 training evolution.

For questions or comment regarding this release please contact Lt. Jim Bussell, Public Information Officer for the Rapid City Fire Department, at 605-394-4180.

Eleven Set to Join the Ranks of Rapid City's Bravest

RCFD Recruit Academy 2019-1 began Monday

Above: Fire Operations Division Chief Nick Carlson welcomes RCFD Recruit Academy 2019-1 on Monday morning. The group is beginning a 12-week academy to become Rapid City Firefighters.

Rapid City, S.D. -  Earlier today we celebrated the beginning of Rapid City Fire Department Recruit Academy 2019-1. A total of 11 employees will be participating in the 12 week academy-style training program that will test the candidates mentally and physically as they prepare to serve the citizens of Rapid City. Seven of the candidates have been working in an EMS only capacity since March of 2019. Four of the recruits have spent the last two weeks in an orientation process that included basic EMS training. The recruits are scheduled to graduate in early November.

The four newest recruits are:

Sheldon Brakke- Sheldon was born and raised in South Dakota. After his high school graduation, Recruit Brakke joined the United States Marine Corps serving for four years in the infantry. His service in the USMC included two deployments. Sheldon joined the South Dakota Army National

Guard in 2012 and currently holds the rank of Sergeant serving with the 842^nd Engineer Company. Recruit Brakke has previous emergency services experience as a Trooper with the South Dakota Highway Patrol where he served for nearly five years. Sheldon is engaged with four children. He enjoys outdoors pursuits in his free time.

Matt Heinrich- Matt was born in Fergus Falls, Minnesota before relocating to Rapid City as a child. Working around his family ranch, Recruit Heinrich learned the values of hard work and dedication. It was while working on the ranch that he discovered his love of firefighting. As a member of the Rapid Valley Fire Department, Matt has gained valuable experience. Recruit Heinrich is engaged and has two daughters.

Evan Kleinpaste- Recruit Kleinpaste grew up in Ohio. He attended college at the University of Wyoming in Laramie where he received a bachelor’s degree. After graduation from the University of Wyoming, Evan enrolled at Casper College where he studied Fire Science and obtained an associate’s degree. Before coming to the RCFD, Recruit Kleinpaste was employed with South Dakota Wildland Fire. He is married and has two children. Recruit Kleinpaste is excited to begin his career with the RCFD.

Coleman Quinlivan- Coleman was born and raised in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. After graduating from Lincoln High School, he moved to Casper, Wyoming to attend Casper College and pursue a degree in Fire Science. After graduating with and associates degree, Recruit Quinlivan began his Fire Service career with the Bureau of Land Management in Casper as a seasonal firefighter. Coleman looks forward to a long and successful career with the RCFD.

The four new recruits join Larry Eide, Drew Hill, Nick Jasnoch, Deitric McConnell, Erich Peterson, Karin Shoemaker and Chad Uchytil in the academy.

We wish to welcome and congratulate our four newest members and wish all 11 members of Recruit Academy 2019-1 a successful academy. For questions or comment related to this release, please contact Lt. Jim Bussell, Public Information Officer for the Rapid City Fire Department, at 605-394-4180.

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