Meade County Emergency Management

08/22/2026

🚨 SUMMERSET PUBLIC SAFETY DAY — TODAY! 🚒🚓🚑

Come out to Summerset Public Safety Day from 11 AM–2 PM!
They have WAY too much FREE FOOD and plenty of things to see and check out!

Check out the robot dog!
Get an up-close look at the MRAP that the Ellsworth Security Forces were kind enough to bring out
Meet your local firefighters, law enforcement, EMS, emergency responders, and public servants

And did I mention FREE FOOD? Lots of it!
Bring the family, check out the equipment, grab something to eat, and come visit the people who serve our communities every day.

They are here until 2 PM!

08/06/2026

Burn Ban Updates

08.06.2026
Meade County, South Dakota

Hey Meade County... this one's serious. No jokes on this one.

Our fire danger is extremely high.

It's been hot, dry, and windy for far too long. Across much of Meade County, conditions are about as dangerous as they can get.

If we're not careful, one careless spark could have devastating consequences.

Today, the Meade County Commission enacted a countywide Burn Ban.

The Burn Ban Resolution can be found here: https://www.meadecounty.org/public-notices/2026/8/6/resolution-2026-19-burn-ban

Here is a link to the County Ordinance https://www.meadecounty.org/s/Ordinance-No-27-Final-Signed-4-28-26-98rt.pdf

For the quick version:
No open fires.
No burn barrels.
Nothing that produces embers or sparks that can ignite dry grass or brush.
NO SMOKING. Unless in an enclosed vehicle or building, unless otherwise permitted by the landowner.

This burn ban also prohibits the use of a grill or other cooking device outside, unless otherwise permitted by the landowner.

We know many of our visitors are here to enjoy the Rally and everything the Black Hills has to offer. We want you to have a great time. But right now, a single fire could destroy homes, livestock, businesses, and thousands of acres of our county.

Please help us protect the place we all enjoy.

NO OPEN FIRES.

THE BURN BAN IS NOW IN EFFECT.

07/16/2026

Structure Fire in Summerset

At approximately 2:40 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15, emergency responders were dispatched to a structure fire at 8014 Stage Stop Road in Summerset.

The fire originated at the Happy Jacks business, located in a multi-business strip mall that also housed a cafe and a daycare center. Approximately 30 children were safely evacuated from the daycare to a church across the street while firefighters worked to contain the fire.

Multiple fire, law enforcement, EMS, and emergency management agencies responded. The fire was contained without any fatalities or serious injuries. One firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion.

Piedmont Volunteer Fire Department
Piedmont Ambulance
Summerset Police Department
Doty Volunteer Fire Department
Pennington County Fire Service
Box Elder Volunteer Fire Department
Ellsworth Volunteer Fire Department
Meade County Sheriff’s Office
Black Hawk Volunteer Fire Department
North Haines Volunteer Fire Department
Rapid Valley Volunteer Fire Department
Whispering Pines Volunteer Fire Department
Johnson Siding Volunteer Fire Department
Meade County Emergency Management

🚨 Safety Reminder: In any emergency, always call 911 first. While the initial caller contacted a fire station directly, the 911 system is designed to immediately notify and coordinate all appropriate emergency responders. Calling a fire station or other agency directly can delay notification and response when every second counts.

06/02/2026

*** This post is outdated, see https://www.facebook.com/NWSRapidCity for the latest ***

5:45 UPDATE: Portions of northeastern Wyoming have been added to the ongoing Severe Thunderstorm Watch

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for western South Dakota until 9 PM MDT / 10 PM CDT.
This means large hail, and damaging winds are possible in and near the watch area. A tornado cannot be ruled out. Stay alert by monitoring forecasts on NOAA Weather Radio, weather.gov/unr, or local media. Keep an eye on the sky for developing storms and be ready to take shelter if a warning is issued. If you observe severe weather, please send a report via the free mPing app or send an online report from our website. You can also send your pictures by commenting to this post or on Twitter.

06/02/2026

03/12/2026

Red Flag Warning!

Low relative humidity and very strong winds will result in critical fire weather conditions across most of the western South Dakota plains and portions of the northeastern Wyoming plains.

03/12/2026

More Snow!? A cold front will move through the area and bring cooler temperatures through the end of the work week and into the weekend.

A cold front will bring cooler temperatures through the end of the work week into the weekend. A developing system is expected to bring light snow to the area tonight, Friday, and Saturday morning. Heavier snow will then be possible from Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning. Increasing winds Saturday night and Sunday may result in areas of blowing snow. Closely monitor the forecast for potential travel impacts this weekend.

03/12/2026

Strong west to northwest winds will develop this morning and continue into early this evening. Wind gusts of 60 - 80 mph are possible, with the strongest winds expected this afternoon across the northwestern South Dakota plains. A High Wind Warning remains in effect for all areas today. It may be a good time to batten down the hatches and secure any loose outdoor items.

03/11/2026

Thank you to everyone who received the test alert and completed the survey. Your feedback helps us evaluate how well the system is working across Meade County and identify areas for improvement. We appreciate you taking a few minutes to help us strengthen our emergency alert system. Survey link: https://pennco.rja.revize.com/forms/13626 Select "Other" on the survey to add comments if you did not receive the test and want to let us know.

03/11/2026

Did you hear or see the test today? Complete the survey at: www.pennco.org/awresponse The survey site appears to be a little slow.

Did you hear or see the test today? Complete the survey at: www.pennco.org/awresponse