Not Your Average Ride to School

Rapid City, S.D. - A red fire engine with lights flashing and siren wailing isn't your ordinary school bus. For two Canyon Lake Elementary students, however, a fire engine from the Black Hawk Fire Department served as their ride to school this morning. For first-grader Jackson Bloomgren and second-grader Emmalynn Bloomgren, their first day back to school after winter break will be one they remember for a long, long time.

Emmalynn and Jacksons father, Captain Jared Bloomgren, is currently deployed in support of Operation Freedom Sentinel as the Fire Marshal and Commander of the 216th Engineer Detachment out of Rapid City. Looking for a special way to let his children know he was thinking of them, Captain Bloomgren reached out to Interim Fire Chief Rod Seals of the Rapid City Fire Department. "Being away from my family can be trying for everyone", he wrote in an e-mail. Chief Seals was happy to help.

Working with Black Hawk Fire Chief Kurt Klunder, a plan was hatched to have a fire engine from Black Hawk arrive at the Bloomgren home and pick up Jackson and Emmalynn. They would then head toward Canyon Lake Elementary where they would meet up with Engine 5 from the Rapid City Fire Department and be escorted to school. The students and two firefighters made their way to school on board the fire engine as Captain Bloomgren was able to join them via the Apple FaceTime feature on their iPad.

The fire engines arrived at Canyon Lake Elementary at about 7:45 am this morning. After a brief pause for photos, Jackson and Emmalynn walked to class, flanked by six firefighters from both Black Hawk and Rapid City Fire Departments.

Above: Emmalynn and Jackson Bloomgren arrive at Canyon Lake Elementary School on board a fire engine from the Black Hawk Fire Department.

Above: Jackson, Emmalynn, and Sondra Bloomgren share a moment with Capt. Jared Bloomgren on Face Time.
Captain Bloomgren is currently deployed in support of Operation Freedom Sentinel.

Above: From Left to Rt- Firefighter Drake Anderson and Capt. Drew Klunder from the Black Hawk Fire Department, Emmalynn and Jackson Bloomgren, Firefighter/Paramedic Sarah Allender, Capt. Rob Eddy, and Firefighter/Paramedic Brett Morton from the Rapid City Fire Department all pause for a photo before heading into Canyon Lake Elementary. Captain Jared Bloomgren also made it into the photo courtesy of Face Time on Emmalynn's iPad.

The Rapid City Fire Department wishes to extend our thanks to the Bloomgren family for inviting us to be a part of this special moment. Our sincere thanks to Captain Bloomgren and the entire 216th Engineer Detachment for their service and sacrifice. We hope the remainder of your deployment is safe and successful and will be looking forward to the opportunity to welcome you home very soon.

Above: Flanked by Rapid City and Black Hawk firefighters, Emmalynn and Jackson Bloomgren enter Canyon Lake Elementary for their first day back to school after winter break.

Above: Jackson Bloomgren shows Firefighter/Paramedic Sarah Allender and Capt. Drew Klunder his classroom.

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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