You Can Experience What It’s Like To Be A Firefighter In Sioux Falls
If you’ve ever watched firefighters race past you, with lights flashing, sirens blaring, and thought, “I wonder what that gig is really like?” Sioux Falls Fire Rescue is about to give you the chance to find out firsthand.
The Public Safety Campus in Sioux Falls is partnering with Sioux Falls Fire Rescue to host the Ignite Academy, a two-and-a-half-day, hands-on experience designed to give participants a realistic look at life in the fire service.
According to Dakota News Now, the program allows interested participants to step into the boots of a firefighter, without the extensive training or the 70 pounds of gear needed.
Now, while Hollywood tends to focus on firefighters charging into blazing buildings to combat a raging, out-of-control fire, the reality of the job is a bit different. Sure, battling fires is part of the gig, but a major portion of a firefighter’s workday involves responding to medical emergencies.
As Dakota News Now reports, in fact, about 65 percent of the calls Sioux Falls Fire Rescue responds to are EMS-related, meaning firefighters often serve as first responders for medical situations ranging from accidents to health emergencies.
The Ignite Academy is designed to simulate real-life scenarios so participants can experience the teamwork and quick thinking required on the job. Fire and Life Safety Educator Kyle Blakeslee told Dakota News Now that participants will get a taste of several different training exercises.
“We’ll be extricating a car using extrication tools. We’re going to do a multi-casualty incident drill so they can see how we work with other organizations like PCEMS and the Sioux Falls Police Department. We’ll also learn a little about fire behavior and do a dollhouse burn.”
Participants will also tackle a team-building obstacle course that pulls together everything learned during the academy. Think of it as a crash course in firefighting, minus the crashing part.
The training will take place at the Public Safety Campus, the same facility where Sioux Falls firefighter cadets train before joining the department.
Now in its second year, the Ignite Academy aims to give people from all walks of life a better understanding of what it takes to serve as a firefighter and first responder.
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Applicants must be between the ages of 16 and 43 and complete a short written response as part of the application process.
The 2026 Ignite Academy runs from Friday, April 24, through Sunday, April 26, and applications are being accepted through March 20.
So, if running into a burning building to fight a raging fire seems somewhat appealing to you, and you've always wondered whether you have what it takes to answer the call, or you want to see what it’s like behind the scenes, here's your chance.
Applications for the Ignite Academy can be found here.
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Gallery Credit: Andy Gott