The Rapid City Fire Department Welcomes Thirteen To Join the Ranks Of Rapid City's Bravest
New recruits begin Fire Training Academy
Rapid City, S.D. - The Rapid City Fire Department has added thirteen new recruits to begin their careers with the department. The newest RCFD recruits were hired to help with the department's increasing call volume, as well as to help fill vacancies left by those who have retired. Six of the new recruits are being funded by The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant for three years. Graduation will take place for all thirteen recruits on December 31, 2020.
The recruits are:
Daniel Anderson - Recruit Anderson was born and raised in Rapid City, SD. He has no prior experience in fire and emergency medical services, but says he is very excited to learn the concepts and skills required for the position. Recruit Anderson says he enjoys activities that give him an adrenaline rush, such as snowboarding and mountain biking. He believes a career with the Rapid City Fire Department is the right fit for him.
Brian Byrne - Recruit Byrne was born and raised in Rapid City, SD. He has seven months experience with the Spearfish Fire Department. Recruit Byrne enjoys hiking with his husky, Keelo, going skiing at Terry Peak, and riding his motorcycle in the Black Hills.
Scott Craig - Recruit Craig was raised on the island of Maui, but moved to Rapid City, SD during his high school years. He has no fire or medical experience, but graduated from Black Hills State University in 2018. He worked at the Pennington County Jail for two years before joining the Rapid City Fire Department. In his free time, Recruit Craig enjoys spending time with his wife and two dogs as well as going hunting. He says he is excited to join such an amazing team.
Adam Evans - Recruit Evans is from Hot Springs, SD. He has worked for South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression for multiple seasons as well as the Department of Veterans Affairs Fire Department in Hot Springs. Recruit Evans has also been a member of the Hot Springs Volunteer Fire Department since 2007.
Benjamin Garbutt - Recruit Garbutt was born and raised in Casper, WY. He worked part time in fire and emergency services for three years while attending college. Recruit Garbutt moved to Rapid City about four months ago to begin his career with the Rapid City Fire Department. In his free time, he loves to work out, snowboard, and spend time with his friends.
Morgan Helton - Recruit Helton is from a little town on the eastern plains of Colorado, called Calhan. She graduated from Chadron State College in Nebraska with a Bachelor's of Arts in Sports and Recreation Management with an emphasis in Exercise Science in 2018. From 2018 to June of 2020, she worked as a Firefighter/EMT with the Calhan Fire Department. Recruit Helton moved to Rapid City in July. She enjoys spending time outdoors, playing sports, and spending time with family and friends.
Nick Kollias - Recruit Kollias was born and raised in Indianapolis, IN. After high school, he attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN where he received his Bachelor's of Arts degree in Political Science. Recruit Kollias competed in alpine ski racing and played football while attending college, it was there where he met his wife, who is originally from Rapid City. Since then,. he worked in EMS in Indianapolis and started his family. Currently, Recruit Kollias is completing his Master's of Science degree in Intelligence and Security Studies through The Citadel, a military college of South Carolina.
Roderick Marquez - Recruit Marquez was born in Guam. He served in the United States Air Force for 20 years before retiring in 2018. He worked for the Pennington County Jail for almost three years before joining the Rapid City Fire Department. He enjoys spending time with his wife and kids.
Danny Sandvig - Recruit Sandvig is from Fargo, ND. He and his wife moved to Rapid City in 2015. He has three children and looks forward to being a part of the Rapid City Fire Department.
Heidi Schulz - Recruit Schulz is from Sturgis, SD. She has worked as an EMT for the past four and a half years, with most recently obtaining her paramedic license from the Rapid City Fire Department. She says she is looking forward to continuing her career with the department and is excited to learn more about fire fighting.
Bryan Strader - Recruit Strader is from Southern California. In high school he was involved in fire explorers, which excited him to further his experience in the field. Recruit Strader moved to Huntington Beach where he took both EMT and fire science courses. From there, he moved to Wyoming to work as a forestry technician before moving to Rapid City to become a firefighter. In his free time, Recruit Strader loves to play sports.
Hunter Vissia - Recruit Vissia grew up in Belle Fourche, SD. He is a volunteer at the Rapid Valley Fire Department and graduated from Western Dakota Tech with an Associate's degree in Paramedics. Recruit Vissia spends his free time with friends and family and enjoys to fish, camp, and hike. He says he looks forward to the experiences he will gain by working for the Rapid City Fire Department.
Jevin Worthington - Recruit Worthington moved to Piedmont, SD two years ago with his wife and two boys. He worked for Rapid City Parks and Recreation for two years, before starting his career with the Rapid City Fire Department. Recruit Worthington currently is a volunteer with the Piedmont Fire Department. In his free time, he and his family enjoy camping and exploring the Black Hills.
The Rapid City Fire Department is excited to have these outstanding recruits join our ranks. Please join us in congratulating and welcoming these fine individuals.
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