Johnson Siding Volunteer Fire Department

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Johnson Siding Volunteer Fire Department

Johnson Siding VFD serves the central Black Hills of South Dakota. Founded in 1965 we’re proud of our heritage and the emergency services we provide.

09/30/2026

September is shaping up to end nearly as busy as July and August with five call-outs so far in the final three days of the month, and today has only begun.
Monday, JSFD had two medical calls in addition to tasking Rescue 8 with search duty in Meade County. Tuesday night ended with another medical call, and Wednesday began with a motorcycle vs. deer collision before the morning coffee was gone.
We sure do appreciate the RCFD Medics that we have the opportunity to work with. Our patient was evaluated by them, but declined ambulance transport; instead, contacting someone for a ride to seek treatment for non-life threatening injuries. The deer did not survive.
We also want to mention the morning commuters that slowed down and respected our scene this morning. Thank you for giving us a safe space in which to work. We appreciate you, and hope you all have a great rest of your day!

👨‍🚒 Be Smart and Be Safe! 🇺🇸

Pictured: Rescue 7 and RCFD Medic 5

Rapid City Fire Department
Pennington County 911

09/28/2026

**** UPDATE FROM MCSO ****

09.28.2026
Meade County South Dakota

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 28, 2026
Meade County, South Dakota
Missing Meade County Man Located Safe

Daniel Carda, 83, was located safe on September 28 following an extensive search involving more than 70 people. Carda had been missing from his residence near Meadow Retreat Road since approximately 6:30 p.m. on September 27. He was transported to a hospital for evaluation.

Search teams worked on the ground throughout the night and continued their efforts today. Ground searchers ultimately located Carda. Their work was supported by a unified command center and aerial resources, including Black Hills Life Flight helicopters, the SD Highway Patrol Aviation Unit, Civil Air Patrol, and drones operated by multiple agencies.

“This is a testament to interagency cooperation and the talents of those working in the unified command center,” said Sheriff Pat West. “The way our agencies worked together to bring this critical incident to a successful resolution is a clear example of the professionals we have in our region. We are truly lucky to have this team!”

The Meade County Sheriff’s Office thanks the following agencies for their assistance:
Black Hawk Fire Department
Piedmont Fire Department
Sturgis Fire Department
Spearfish Fire Department
Johnson Siding Fire Department
Rapid Valley Fire Department
North Haines Fire Department
Whitewood Fire Department
Rapid City Fire Department
Pennington County Search and Rescue
Custer County Search and Rescue
Lawrence County Search and Rescue
South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation
South Dakota Highway Patrol
South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks
South Dakota Wildland Fire
Civil Air Patrol
Pennington County 911

We also thank the residents who checked their properties and shared information during the search.

**** Original Post below ****
JSFD is participating in the search for a missing man in the Piedmont Valley area. Rescue 8 with a two-person crew is among the many resources on-scene.

From the Meade County Sheriff's Office:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 28, 2026
Meade County, South Dakota

Search Continues for Missing Meade County Man

The Meade County Sheriff’s Office and assisting agencies are continuing the search for Daniel Carda, 83, who was last seen at approximately 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 27, near his residence in the 5400 block of Meadow Retreat Road in rural Black Hawk. He was last observed heading toward Erickson Ranch Road, but his direction of travel after that is unknown.

Carda has cognitive decline and was not dressed for the cold, wet conditions when he was last seen. Emergency responders searched the area overnight, including nearby outbuildings and other structures, but have not located him. Rain has made tracking difficult. Crews expect to use drones and other search methods today as conditions allow.

Residents near Meadow Retreat Road and Erickson Ranch Road are asked to check their shops, sheds, outbuildings, and other places where someone might have sought shelter. Anyone who sees Carda or has information about his whereabouts should call 911 immediately.

The Black Hawk and Piedmont Volunteer Fire Departments, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and Pennington County Search and Rescue are assisting in the search.
The Sheriff’s Office will provide additional updates as information becomes available.

09/26/2026

In the fire service we focus a lot of attention asking ourselves "What if?" After the chimney fire last Monday, we spent some time asking "What if?" as it pertained to that property and location. What if the structure had been more involved? What if we had needed to strike a 2nd Alarm? Where would/should have the various apparatus been placed? How would we have handled water support operations? Traffic on the adjacent highway? Coordination with Law Enforcement? Rehab?
Often during an actual emergency these decisions are made on the fly based on experience and circumstances. During the after-action review we study what we did, and if it could have been done differently.
Today's training was an opportunity to use that scenario and put into action how we would have most likely attacked that situation. Our attention was focused on the operational aspect outside more than actually fighting the fire.
Engine 3-3 acted as RCFD Engine 5 and was first on-scene. Tender 1-4 was forced to supply not only JSFD Engine 1-2, but also the mutual aid apparatus. Engine 3-9 acted as a Tender from another agency bringing water to Tender 1-4 through LDH (Large Diameter Hose).
These types of exercises allow us to practice not only our skills, but also solve the inevitable challenges that arise, and prepare ourselves mentally to attack different scenarios efficiently and effectively.
We appreciate everyone that was able to participate in today's exercise, and we really appreciate all of you that support your fire department. We hope you enjoy your weekend!

👨‍🚒 Be Smart and Be Safe! 🇺🇸

09/23/2026

We know everyone has been waiting for an update on Marshall, and we are extremely pleased to report that he has returned to duty at Station #2.

He was in very tough shape when he arrived anonymously at our door, and we were unsure how best to care for him. Thankfully, one of our followers reached out and offered to assist in his rehabilitation. They run a rescue clinic for creatures like Marshall, and specialize in the exact type of restoration he required.

During his absence he underwent a very comprehensive makeover, which involved reconstructive procedures for his front legs, head, and back. He also received a much needed bath and restorative grooming to bring back his spots. I doubt if he looked as good on his first day as he looks now. His veterinary team brought life to his eyes, character to his smile, and dignity to his appearance.

Please join us in expressing our heartfelt thanks to his team of caregivers; Laurie and Randy Potthoff and Jerry and Gwen Markham. Laurie was his case manager. She arranged for his care, and took the lead in communicating the progress of his comeback. Randy was his chief surgeon and primary care provider. He assessed Marshall's condition and performed miracles in giving him new life. Gwen and Jerry gifted Marshall with a beautiful new, personally embroidered collar, befitting of his status as JSFD Station #2 Mascot. His journey is a testament to the power of community, and we are very proud to provide him with a position in our department.

Thank you to everyone that has contributed to elevating Marshall from a forlorn, abandoned concrete canine to a genuine gem of a Sentinel. We hope he remains a fixture with us for years to come.

👨‍🚒 Be Smart and Be Safe! 🇺🇸

09/22/2026

On Monday, September 21st at about 3:20 PM, JSFD was paged out along with RCFD Engine 5, Doty, and Whispering Pines for what was reported as a structure fire at a property along Highway 44 West. The first arriving units reported the fire was contained to a pellet stove, and although smoke filled the residence, the fire was not burning freely. The alert occupants had already evacuated with their pets before responders arrived. Firefighters on scene advised Doty and Whispering Pines they could cancel. They then proceeded to extinguish the source and ventilate the smoke from the home. No injuries were reported.

👨‍🚒 Be Smart and Be Safe! 🇺🇸

RCFD Engine 5 and JSFD Engine 1-2

09/17/2026

Is it just us, or does it seem like there have been a lot of structure fires in the surrounding area this summer? As the temperatures begin to feel more like Fall, we thought it might be a good idea to review some simple home safety tips to help you avoid any issues in your home.

Never leave the kitchen when you are using heat to prepare food. Believe it or not, cooking is the number one cause of fires in the home. If you must leave, turn the burner or appliance off. Keep any flammable materials away from your cooking area, and point the handles on your skillet or pan away from the counter edge. They are less likely to be bumped or tipped and create a problem. It's also a good idea to have a dry fire extinguisher readily available in your kitchen.

Don't leave space heaters plugged in when you aren't using them. If you do use them, plug them directly into an outlet and don't leave them unattended. Never use a power strip or extension cord. Use only models with an automatic shut-off feature in case it tips over.

It's an obvious, but important reminder to keep anything that can burn at least 3' away from fireplaces, wood stoves, space heaters and radiators, and have your chimney or furnace inspected and cleaned annually.

Statisticly speaking, you are at higher risk for a fire if you smoke in your home. Hey, it's your home, and we're not telling you what to do. Just know that if you're going to allow it, consider doing it outside. Use deep, heavy ashtrays that are less likely to be knocked over, or a bucket of damp sand. Extinguish your smoking materials completely before discarding them, and don't put them in the trash unless they're doused in water. Never smoke in bed or when you're drowsy.

Replace those batteries in your smoke alarms semi-annually, and check them every month. If your smoke detectors are more than ten years old, they should be replaced. Install alarms that include a CO² sensor, and have them inside and outside sleeping areas..

We never think it will happen to us, but it can. Fire is no joke. In less than 30 seconds a small fire can become a life-threatening situation. These and other tips are available from the U.S. Fire Administration, and other sources on-line.

👨‍🚒 Be Smart and Be Safe! 🇺🇸

09/14/2026

Even when there isn't an emergency to respond to, there's never a shortage of things to do in a fire station.
Monday, September 14th the list included mounting a new CAFS Extinguisher on Engine 3-3, installing a concrete pad for our new Station Dog, Marshall, and delivering Tender 1-4 for it's annual pressure test and certification.
We hope you had an equally productive Monday!

👨‍🚒 Be Smart and Be Safe! 🇺🇸

09/13/2026

For those of you who may have noticed that Marshall is absent from his post at Station #2, please don't worry. Thanks to one of our followers, he is undergoing some overdue procedures. One might consider it a veterinary visit, or perhaps an extensive grooming, or both, but we are very confident he is receiving excellent care and will emerge looking and feeling better than he has in many years. We still don't know how he came to join us, but now that he has, we are determined he be appreciated and well cared for. We will have more information about Marshall's recovery and return as things develop.

👨‍🚒 Be Smart and Be Safe! 🇺🇸

09/12/2026

Saturday, September 12th was focused on water operations in Wildland firefighting. There was a focus on operating engines in different capacities, whether supplying a primary pumping engine or secondary engine, or sending water to the main trunk line. On a volunteer department it is important to know how to perform many different functions because you never know where you will be assigned. Firefighters rotated between Tender 1-4 and Engines 3-3 and 3-9 to gain as much knowledge as possible.
When training was over our personnel had barely had time to get home when JSFD was paged for a medical call on a trail off the beaten path.
Rescue 8 was tasked with getting the patient back to a safe location to be placed in the waiting ambulance for transport to the hospital.
Pennington County Sheriff's Office also had Deputies on-scene to assist where needed.

👨‍🚒 Be Smart and Be Safe! 🇺🇸

Rapid City Fire Department
Pennington County 911
Pennington County Sheriff's Office

Address

12250 W Highway 44
Rapid City, SD
57702

Website

http://johnsonsidingvf.com/

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