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Local
firefighters respond to call
By REBECCA CRUSE
Capital
Journal Staff
Monday,
July 31, 2006
The campfire scent
and haze above Pierre Friday was the result of several forest fires burning in
the Black Hills area last week.
The Eastridge Fire near Piedmont, about 8 miles northwest of Rapid City, started
Thursday afternoon just east of Interstate 90, and state fire officials called
for assistance from across the state late Thursday night and Friday.
Three Pierre firefighters, Dustin Dowling, Kenny Marks and Jason Evans, left
around 4 a.m. Friday to assist with the Eastridge Fire.
"They're on the fire now. They no more than hit Camp Rapid and they were
assigned, so they're engaged on the east edge of Eastridge," said Pierre Rural
fire chief Russ Hendrix Friday afternoon.
Then about 10 a.m. Friday morning a 12 engine task force was asked to go to the
Black Hills to provide structural protection, according to Pierre fire chief
Bill Alexander.
Alexander explained that structural protection means trained firefighters will
stay with the pumper truck near any buildings in the area in case fire poses a
threat to them.
The blaze had already destroyed at least one home and forced officials to ask
for the evacuation of 300 others early Friday morning.
Engine No. 1 was ready to roll by 10:45 a.m. with four firefighters, Alexander
said, but then the state asked that all departments responding to the call meet
in Wall at 7 p.m. MDT.
Firefighters Mark Burger, Sean Devine, Heath Harter and Jason Westfall of the
PFD waited until 4 p.m. to leave for the call.
Three members - Mark Menning, Josh Boxley and Dustin Drew - and one truck from
the Fort Pierre Fire Department also left at approximately 4 p.m. They met with
engines from Plankinton, Aberdeen Rural, Wessington and Vermillion fire
departments before continuing on to Rapid City, according to Alexander.
"Everybody out there now is active and these guys will be active when they get
there," Hendrix said.
"Once the threat to structures is over, they'll be released," Alexander said.
"But the guys who went out on Brush No. 1 with rural, they have the potential to
be out there for a lot longer."
The call said that no firefighters will be deployed for longer than 14 days,
according to Alexander, but he predicted that most of the Pierre and Fort Pierre
firefighters will return sooner. Reports Monday said the fire is now completely
contained and the structural protection crew from Pierre is expected to be
released sometime today.
Alexander said that when extra help is needed to fight fires, the cities and
departments who assist are reimbursed for the use of their truck and personnel
by state and federal funding, depending on where the fire is burning.
The fire chief also wanted to assure citizens that the city and county are still
protected even though some firefighters and one truck is out of town.
"We have more than enough resources in the area. We may call for assistance a
little sooner if there's a big fire, but everything will be covered," he said.
Story by: REBECCA CRUSE
Capital Journal, Pierre, SD
www.capitaljournal.com
For more information about the
Pierre Fire
Department, e-mail the PFD
webmaster.
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