Rapid Valley Volunteer Fire Department

10/10/2026

As we wrap up another Pancake Supper and close the station doors for the night, we’re reminded just how fortunate we are to serve such an incredible community.

From all of us at Rapid Valley Fire, thank you to our friends, families, and the citizens of Rapid Valley who came out for tonight’s Pancake Supper. We estimate that around 750 of our friends and neighbors joined us for a meal at our table and your support means the world to us.

This year’s supper was especially meaningful as we celebrated our 60th Pancake Supper. For six decades, this event has brought our department and community together. Some of our members have been helping put on this supper for more than 40 years, and year after year, we recognize so many familiar faces coming through our doors. We’re incredibly grateful that you continue to make this tradition part of your lives.

The donations received tonight will go directly toward protective equipment, firefighting tools, and other essentials that help your volunteers serve our community safely and effectively.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for showing up, sharing a meal with us, and standing behind your volunteer firefighters.

60 years of pancakes, community, and support, we couldn’t have done it without you.

10/06/2026

A big thank you to cadre members AJ and Nick from the Ellsworth Air Force Base 28th Medical Group for spending the evening with us and teaching a Stop the Bleed class last night!

Our members had the opportunity to get fresh hands-on practice with several lifesaving skills, including bleeding control, wound packing, and tourniquet application.

These are simple skills that can make a huge difference when seconds count, and we appreciate the 28th Ellsworth Medical Group taking the time to share their knowledge and experience with our firefighters.

Thank you for helping us continue to learn, train, and better serve our community!

10/05/2026

Just a few days away from the annual pancake supper!

09/30/2026

We're a bit over a week away from the 60th pancake supper!

The first Pancake Supper was held on February 16, 1967, and the second on November 10, 1967; it has continued once a year since then, generally on the Friday of Fire Prevention Week (the first week of October).

We start preparing months in advance, and in the weeks before, we clean the station from top to bottom, prepare the pancake batter, and get all the supplies ready. There's a lot of work that goes into it, but we're ready for you to come visit us next week.

09/19/2026

**ATTENTION PENNINGTON COUNTY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS**

The Rapid Valley FD will host a series of classes called Engine Company Fundamentals in October, November and December. The classes are open to any department that wishes to participate.

The first class, Stretching and Managing Hose Lines, will be held Saturday October 17 beginning at 9 am at the Rapid Valley station. There will be a brief classroom presentation followed by hands on training and drills. Participants will have the opportunity to deploy hose loaded in a variety of configurations. Departments are encouraged to send their apparatus so their members can get reps off of their own vehicles. The class is scheduled to end at 2 pm.

To register, please email Jim Bussell at [email protected]. There is no cost for the class. Registration helps us plan for space, materials and additional instructors.

The next class in the series will be Vent, Enter, Isolate, Search in November. Forcible Entry will be held in early December.

09/17/2026

09/15/2026

Mark your calendars! October 9th is the 60th pancake supper at the Rapid Valley Fire Department. Bring your friends, families, and neighbors and come eat some very good food!

09/11/2026

25 years later, we remember.

Today, we pause to remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001, and the incredible courage and sacrifice shown by first responders and citizens in the face of unimaginable tragedy.

May the lives lost that day never be forgotten. We honor the firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMS personnel, military members, and civilians whose lives were taken or forever changed by the events of September 11th.

We were honored to join Rapid Valley Elementary School's First Responders Parade today and see the next generation of youth pause to remember the significance of this day a reminder of our shared responsibility to carry its memory forward.

Seeing the next generation take part in remembering September 11th serves as an important reminder of our responsibility to carry its memory forward.

We remember. We honor. We will never forget.

07/26/2026

PLEASE JOIN US FOR A VERY SPECIAL OCCASION

The Rapid Valley Volunteer Fire Department and the Rapid Valley Fire Protection District will be doing a memorial dedication in front of our fire station on Sunday Afternoon August 2, 2026, from 4:00PM - 5:00 PM. On this day we will be honoring one of our charter members who help start the Rapid Valley Fire Department in 1966 with the unveiling of this new memorial that will be a permanent fixture in front of our fire station. Don " Kobie" Kobes was not only a charter member of this fire department, but he also served as its Fire Chief from 1972 to 1992 and remained as the Fire Marshall for the department up until his death on August 7, 2016. After his work retirement he spent some time working for the South Dakota Wildland Fire's aviation division SEAT program, filling SEAT planes and slurry planes for wildland fires throughout the region.

The Rapid Valley Fire Department and the Rapid Valley Fire District have been working on the idea for a memorial since his passing. A committee was formed about three years ago to help come up with a meaningful way to honor his service to the Rapid Valley community and over the last few years we have been working with fire department members, a local sculpture and the Kobes family to put together a plan for a memorial. After several meetings and input from the members of the fire department and the Kobes family, we proceeded in having a sculpture made by local South Dakota sculpture, James Van Nuy. Many of you have seen James's work displayed on the corners of Rapid City's downtown. We also had the help of Erin and Kristy Wood of Wood Builders, Jay Mendal of Mendal Masonry, Steve Orth and the crew with Kilowatt Electric and Hebron Brick in helping us get this across the finish line.

Don was not only a beloved member of the Rapid Valley Fire Volunteer Department, but he was also known throughout the entire Black Hills. Having been involved in many capacities over the years to help many within the fire department community in West River South Dakota.

Rapid Valley Fire Department Chaplin, Brent Woodard as official speaker leading up to the unveiling for the Kobes family and the Rapid Valley Community. On behalf of the Rapid Valley Fire Department and the Rapid Valley Fire Protection, please consider joining us for this special occasion. We would love to see the Black Hills fire community there. Your yellow (wildland fire) attire is encouraged.