About Lead, South Dakota
Located in historic Lead, South Dakota, and surrounded by the picturesque northern Black Hills area, the Lead Volunteer Fire Department is well-enveloped in this city’s rich history and charm. Founded in 1876 following the discovery of gold, Lead became home to the Homestake Mine, the largest and deepest gold mine in the Western Hemisphere. This former mining town, now a vibrant community, offers visitors and locals year-round exploration and significant scientific contributions, thanks to the Sanford Underground Research Facility. Lead combines small-town appeal with a storied past, making it a unique destination in western South Dakota that our team of volunteers are proud to preserve and protect.
Our History
The Lead Volunteer Fire Department was created in 1878, just two years after Lead, South Dakota, was first settled. Since then, it has been a cornerstone of safety for local citizens and surrounding Black Hills Communities. Our team of volunteers, both past and present, has fought and extinguished countless fires, earning prominence for their dedication and heroism.
Our Organization and Community Served
The City of Lead, South Dakota is located in Lawrence County of South Dakota in the western portion of the state. It has a population of approximately 2,953 residents (2024 US Census estimates). The city experiences several occasions of population increases as there are numerous trails, monuments, national parks, ski lodges, and vacation rental locations that can increase population in the area substantially.
Our Services
The Lead Volunteer Fire Department is a combined volunteer organization that provides structural fire suppression, wildland fire suppression, emergency medical response (basic life support non-transport services), occasional fire prevention services, hazardous materials response (operational), and rescue services to the City of Lead, South Dakota, and neighboring jurisdictions as needed via mutual and automatic aid response. The department operates from one fire station and has a primary first-due response area of 64 square miles. The department provides and receives mutual aid and/or automatic assistance when needed from Deadwood Fire, Brownsville Fire, Rochford Fire, Spearfish Canyon Fire, Spearfish Fire, St. Onge Fire, Whitewood Fire, South Dakota State Wildland Fire, US Forest Service Fire, Lead Police Department, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Lead/Deadwood Ambulance, Spearfish Ambulance, Black Hills Life Flight Air Ambulance, Lawrence County Search and Rescue, Coeur/Wharf Mine and Sanford Underground Laboratory Emergency Response Teams.
Land Usage
The City of Lead has a variety of land usage within this small community. City leaders work diligently to create a balance that ensures residents’ needs are met (housing, retail, schools, etc.) in addition to opportunities for industry and tourism growth. In addition to the lives and property of the citizens of Lead, there are several critical infrastructure locations in the city including two schools (Middle and High School), a post office, a water treatment plant, a Federal Underground Science Lab, and a Surface Gold Mine. State Highway 85/14A is the main thoroughfare in the city which can create major traffic issues, especially when tourism is heavy. Each of these locations presents unique hazards when planning for fire protection.
Our Team
Fire Protection District Board of Directors
- Tim Eggers – President
- Sierra Ward – Vice President
- Ron Moeller – Treasurer
- Kay Rear – Member at Large
- Chris Sanders – Secretary
Fire Department Executive Board of Directors
- Nathan Allen – Chief
- President – Taylor Ballert
- Vice President – Will Morgan
- Treasurer – Joseph Perdue
- Secretary – Jacob Galbraith