VIDEO: Fire Station 1 in downtown Rapid City has been under construction since February of 2023. Crews had to navigate the construction as Fire Station 1 has the most activity for the department. โAll built around, making sure that this department can remain functional, so that drove where we placed the addition,โ Head Architect Brad Burns said. One of the new additions can provide help immediately in their first aid rooms.
โWe have a lot of walk-in patients, people that come in off the street, that just see a fire station and walk in the front door and need assistance. So what we built was basically a doctors office exam room a room where we can take them so itโs private for them,โ RCFD Fire Chief Jason Culberson said.
These upgrades were all about efficiency and comfort. โTheir sleeping quarters are on the second floor and fire poles arenโt used a lot anymore, but I think thatโs maybe one of the favorite things for the firefighters is that they get a fire pole,โ Burns said.
โOne building for all of our admin folks and really giving a great place for our operations. Our paramedics and our firefighters, they are able to come back to a place that is comfortable, accessible, warm and still keeps up with our main mission and goal in mind.โ Culberson said
This fire station had remained almost the same for over 50 years, and now with these upgrades they expect this building to last strongly for the next 50 or more years. This project is expected to be complete by the end of the summer with an open house for the public slated for early September.
