News from The Rapid City/BLM Veteran Wildfire Mitigation Program

Rapid City Veteran Training and Wildfire Mitigation

New Crew Job Opportunities!

The Rapid City Survivable Space Initiative and the BLM team up to train Veterans.

Monthly Newsletter

March 2014

New Jobs and Career Possibilities!

We are excited about our successes in improving community safety this past year, and recent news about new job opportunities for crew members. Be sure to read the job news below for Jarod and Dave. They both credit this program for giving them the help they needed to take the next step. This program is doing what is intended, providing a living wage and career training for future career opportunities!

What a benefit to Rapid City!

The first project area near Kingswood, and the current project near the Cedar Dr neighborhood have both proven to be tremendous assets to Rapid City's efforts to reduce wildfire danger to its citizens. Heavy overgrowth and years of fire suppression made for explosive fire potential in these areas.

Heavy Overgrowth of Hazardous Fuel

Kingswood Project

The Kingswood project area has undergone a major change since the project inception in June. The Veteran crew cut a 300 ft buffer zone of mitigated timber extending from the property lines of adjoining private property owners. The total area of the buffer zone is approximately 10 acres, and extends along the entire south border of the

neighborhood. The Veteran crews' efforts will undoubtedly make a huge difference in the event of a wildfire in the area, and will greatly reduce the severity at which the fire will impact the neighboring property owners. Great job!

The IACB project

This project, adjacent to several neighborhoods in west Rapid City, is still ongoing and will create a 10 acre zone of modified vegetation extending 300ft from the boundary of the Cedar Dr. neighborhood. These residents all completed fuel reduction projects of their own, are worried about the severe wildfire potential of this adjacent property.

What a enormous safety benefit to both residents and firefighters in our community!

The crew is making a huge difference!

Update:

Still great progress through the winter!

Incredible difference, & great progress in December with good weather!

John, Jarod, and Dave staying warm!

Still making great progress in the February cold!

Job Opportunity!

Jarod Lewis received news that he has been selected to join the Black Hills Helitack Crew for the 2014 fire season.

March 2014

Jarod Lewis-Veteran Crew Member

Jarod formerly served as a Corporal in the Marine Corps infantry with 1/4 Bravo Company. He spent two years as a rifleman and then cross trained as and assault man for the last two years. He served as a squad leader in charge of 12 Marines, and then took over an assault squad. He did two deployments to the South Pacific and the Middle East.

Job Opportunity!
Dave Ferrier received news that he has been selected to join the Mystic Ranger District fire crews for the 2014 season.

March 2014

Dave Ferrier-Veteran Crew Member

Dave is also Rapid City born and raised, and served as a Corporal in the Marine Corps. He did all 4 years of his enlistment in the infantry as a rifleman, and was a team leader. He went on 2 deployments with 1/4 Charlie Company to the South Pacific and the Middle East.

Taylor Bowling-Veteran Crew Member

Taylor is originally from North Carolina and served 3 1/2 years in the Air Force doing HVAC work. He was stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base as a member of the 28th Civil Engineering Squadron, and deployed overseas once to the Middle East for 6 months.

John Murray-Veteran Crew Member

John served in the Army as an Infantryman with the 25th ID and deployed for 15 Months to Iraq. He moved to Rapid City with his wife in February, and will be starting the Fire Science Program at WDT this fall. He enjoys scuba diving, the outdoors and sports.

Graduated!

Jim has graduated from the program and is now employed as a teacher at a local University! Thanks for all the hard work Jim!

9/2013

James Reichert-Veteran Crew Member

Jim is Rapid City born and raised, and has 14 years of military service in the United States Air Force, 4 years of experience as a volunteer fire fighter, and 6 years working in the lumber industry. He is also the 3rd generation of his family to work for the Rapid City Fire Department and Rapid City while part of this program.

Veteran Crew Helps Pinedale Heights with Fire Mitigation!

This past summer the Crew helped out in parts of the Pinedale Heights neighborhood with brush clearing on properties bordering the main egress routes. These parcels were severly overgrown, and in their current state would have contributed to severe fire behavior along the main exit routes from the neighborhood. The Veteran crew was able to drastically minimize the amount of heavy fuel loading on these parcels. The Pinedale Heights area is excited about the progress, and has decided to persue becoming a Firewise Community! Many property owners in Pinedale Heights have followed our lead in making their own properties more fire resistant.