With new station planned, Fire Rescue begins looking for next round of cadets

It’s no surprise that as Sioux Falls grows, the need for services expands at the same pace.

That means increased needs in public safety, both in personnel and buildings.

To keep Sioux Falls Fire Rescue fully staffed, applications for its next cadet academy will be accepted from April 20 through May 14. About 15 applicants will be accepted for the academy, which will begin in early 2027, said Chad Quissell, talent acquisition coordinator with the city.

Applications for the academy open only once per year; in recent years, class sizes have fluctuated from a dozen to 20 cadets, depending on how many current firefighters plan to retire, Quissell said.

Staffing for Sioux Falls Fire Rescue is authorized at 243 members, with 209 serving on the front lines. The training the cadets receive and the continuing education for current firefighters prepare them for any of the numerous situations that could arise, said Luke Smidt, a division chief who has been with the department for 11 years.

Fire Rescue’s urban search and rescue team provides services in situations such as the 2016 collapse of the former Copper Lounge building, a hazmat team tackles emergencies such as ammonia leaks in train derailments, and wildland services covers grass fires in the city limits.

And every firefighter is trained as a car-seat technician, Smidt said.

“Any opportunity, any skill set you have, you have an option within Sioux Falls Fire Rescue,” he said. “That makes us unique.”

The cadets’ training, which lasts from 10 to 16 weeks, takes place at the Public Safety Campus, now in its second year of operation. The cadet academies are offered there, along with certification classes for firefighters.

The previous campus, built in the 1970s next to the airport, opened with what was then state-of-the-art equipment and trained hundreds of new recruits, Smidt said. The newer facility is also state of the art, which means firefighters can take part in multiple scenarios that they might encounter.

The new facility allows the firefighters to train with gas rather than burning hay and pallets, Smidt said. The six-story training tower simulates different types of buildings, from commercial to residential.

The Sioux Falls Police Department and emergency medical services also use the Public Safety Campus, and last year a large multiple-vehicle simulation offered group training. Since a large piece of Fire Rescue’s care is medical, it allows the cadets and firefighters to train with technology offering the most current practices, Smidt said.

The department also is looking to the future. In addition to the training facility, 12 fire stations are dotted around town. Soon, there will be a 13th.

“We’re preparing for Station 13 with plans for 14, 15 and 16,” Smidt said. The additional stations will provide residents and commercial businesses in the growing neighborhoods with the same quality of service and the same response times as older areas.

The new station will be located in northern Sioux Falls, Smidt said. The city requested construction bids this week, and the hope is to complete the building in the next year.

Fourteen cadets currently are training with SFFR, and they come from different backgrounds. Smidt himself worked as a registered nurse before applying for the academy. The son of a Sioux Falls police officer, he knew he wanted a career serving the public.

“I really love it here,” he said. “I’m always excited to bring in our next people.”

Fire Rescue is looking for a diverse candidate pool, Quissell said. Minimum qualifications are high school graduates or those with a GED, age 21 to 44. A valid driver’s license is needed, with vision correctable to at least 20/40 in each eye. Candidates must be nonsmokers. No previous experience is needed, only an interest in serving the community.

Applicants who meet the minimum requirements will take part in a virtual entrance exam in June. Those with the top scores on that exam will take part in an in-person interview.

After the exam and interview end, individuals will be ranked according to their combined scores. Conditional employment offers will be extended to the top-ranking candidates. What follows are individual physical tests, psychological exams, medical exams and background checks.

“You might think it’s rigorous,” Quissell said. “That’s because it is.”

The hiring process takes place from July to October, with conditional offers extended to those who successfully pass all hiring steps for the 15-week paid cadet academy. Cadets who already have EMS qualifications will be able to take an abbreviated course. The academy emphasizes EMS proficiency alongside core firefighting skills such as nozzle work, water supply, ventilation, rapid intervention, extrication, hazardous materials operations, wildland and rescue operations, ropes and child passenger safety.

SFFR members and training officers lead cadets through hands-on instruction. Cadets must earn their National Pro Board Firefighter I and II certifications.

For information about the application process and requirements, visit siouxfalls.gov.