RCFD graduates keeping with tradition by running through downtown Rapid City

RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Rapid City Fire Department introduced some new recruits to the community Friday morning with 18 new recruits joining the fire department’s ranks.

As is tradition, the the new firefighters took a run through downtown Rapid City.

Starting at Fire Station 1, the recruits made the run down Main Street then turning around back up to the station on St. Joseph Street in celebration of their graduation.

This is one of the biggest classes of recruits for the department’s Fire Training Academy.

The 18 new hires were brought on to fill vacancies and help with the RCFD’s increasing call volume.

Four of the recruits were already part of the department’s EMS team.

“They did help us in teaching these recruits, some of the ems that they’d already known and that they’d already done before,” said RCFD Fire Training Specialist Capt. Mike Bartling. “So it was very helpful to have them in the class.”

The new recruits will be put to work right away with C-Shift starting Sunday.

Then A-Shift will start on November 22, followed by B-Shift on Tuesday, November 23.