Rapid City Fire Department places new engine into service

RAPID CITY, S.D. — Rapid City Fire Station Five has a new engine in service.

The new truck was placed into the station five fleet during a ceremony that included a blessing from a fire chaplain and a water down ceremony.

The new engine is unique due to it’s filtration system that will keep firefighters safe from harmful contaminants to which they’re exposed.

“This new engine is the first one in our fleet that has a clean air filtration system in it,” said Brian Povandra, the Division Chief of Fire Operations. “It’s two filters, it circulates air throughout the cab three times every 10 to 15 minutes and it blocks 85 to 95 percent of particulates.”

Povandra also said that the fire service is deep in tradition and that these kind of ceremonies are very symbolic

The old engine will now be the department’s reserve engine, which will be used in a large fire or if a truck is being repaired. It was the next engine on the list of the larger vehicle replacement plan that was going to be replaced.

The truck was delivered to the fire department in January and it took about a month to equip the engine with the needed tools to be a functioning unit for the RCFD.