RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Rapid City Fire Department officially put a new ambulance, Medic 1, into service yesterday. The new 2025 Type 3 Crestline ambulance, built on a Ford E350 dual-wheel chassis, will be based at Fire Station 1.
The deployment is part of a strategic rotation to ensure the city’s busiest stations have the most up-to-date resources. The new Medic 1 replaces a 2021 Type 1 Demers ambulance, which will now serve the community from Fire Station 5. The previous Medic 5, a 2011 Type 1 MedTec ambulance, will now serve as a secondary response unit from Station 1 during peak call volumes. The old secondary unit will be used for backup after maintenance. This shift allows the Black Hills department to extend the lifespan of its fleet while maintaining reliable service.
The Rapid City Fire Department honored a long-held tradition by having crews push the new ambulance into the bay, a practice that dates back to the era of horse-drawn fire equipment.
