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SDFA Fall Conference and Membership Meeting - 2025 (6th Annual)

October 10, 2025 5:00 PM - October 12, 2025 12:00 PM (MDT)

Description

SAVE THE DATE, OCTOBER 10-12, 2025 - HOLIDAY INN SPEARFISH-CONVENTION CENTER

Spouses Program:   “The Cost of Courage: A Widow’s Journey with Love, Loss, and the Fire Family

 "Shawn , a widow whose husband made the ultimate sacrifice while fighting a structure fire, shares her experience of loss and resilience. She reflects on the moment of notification — recognizing that not every family is as fortunate to receive it with compassion and support — and the constant worry that comes with being a firefighter’s spouse each time the tones go off. Her story highlights the vital role of the fire service family in rallying around survivors and challenges firefighters and leaders alike to ask: If the unthinkable happens, do you have everything in place to care for your family?




Allison Barry and the SDSU Research Team

Empowering Volunteer Firefighters: A Community-Based Approach to Enhancing PA and Nutrition.
My name is Allison Barry, and I am an assistant professor in exercise science at SDSU.  I am conducting focus groups to explore what physical activity and nutrition looks like in the South Dakota Volunteer Fire Service. These focus groups will include questions and discussion about health and wellness policies, facilitators and barriers to physical activity and nutrition implementation, and knowledge and application of existing resources and health and wellness programs. This will be the second phase of a FEMA (EMW-2023-FP-00535) funded research project sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security entitled Empowering Volunteer Firefighters: A Community-Based Approach to Enhancing PA and Nutrition. Participation will occur at the SD Firefighters Conference in Spearfish. Each focus group will last approximately 50- 60minutes and will be conducted in-person that the respective conferences. Each group will consist of 5-8 people and be asked to complete two focus group sessions (Day 1 and Day 2). You will only be allowed to participate in this if you are a volunteer and at the rank of a firefighter. When you completed both sessions, you will be compensated with a $50 gift card for your time. Link to the survey: https://redcap.sdstate.edu/surveys/?s=7DWLNPF9K8J8X8XH
If selected, you will be notified prior to the conference to provide more details.
Participation in these focus groups is completely voluntary, and you can stop at any time. When data is presented, all data will be anonymous.
If there are any questions about participating in this study, please contact Allison Barry at allison.barry@sdstate.edu. If you would prefer to speak with someone else, you may contact SDSU's Research and Integrity and Compliance Officer at 605-688-5051 or sdsu.irb@sdstate.edu.








 

SDFA is happy to announce Rodney Foster will be opening the show! Mark your calendars! Get your reservations! Registration opening soon!
Class description: Staging is often not the most efficient aspect in most fire responses. We must be prepared to create a staging area that works to get assets assigned. To be deployed and sit in staging causes many firefighters for self-dispatch and go directly to the fire and not check in with IC. If we can identify assets sooner and get them out of staging they might be more willing to go through the proper steps to be included in the event. 
Instructor Bio: Rodney Foster is the Former Assistant Director of Oklahoma State Fire Service Training. He currently has over 25 years in the Oklahoma Fire Service and an educator of volunteer firefighters in Oklahoma. Rodney holds a Master's Degree Fire and Emergency Management from Oklahoma State University.



Tom Merrill is a 39-year fire department veteran and serves with the Snyder Fire Department, which is located in Amherst, New York (first ring suburb of the City of Buffalo). He served 26 years as a department officer including 15 years in the chief officer ranks. He was chief of department from 2007-2012 and currently serves as a Fire Commissioner for the Snyder Fire District. Tom has conducted various fire service presentations throughout the country including FDIC, The National Volunteer Fire Council Training Summit, VCOS and many other national, state and regional conferences.
"Professional is not defined by a paycheck" Tom Merrill
More information on Tom here: https://www.theprofessionalvfd.com/
Registration open soon!
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See insights and ads

All reactions:
South Dakota Central Fire District, Doty VFD and 18 others




This years presenters:


There will be updates and short sessions from the SDFA and other SD Fire Service Agencies during Membership Meetings



Click Here to download SDFA Fall Conference and Membership Meeting - GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING AGENDA


Click Here to download the SDFA Fall Conference Booklet

EXHIBITORS/VENDORS:  Exhibitor/Sponsor Specific Registration is expected to be announced and open ~late June/early July.  For information on Sponsorship opportunities, exhibitor space at the event, etc... please contact us and we'll send you a link for Vendor/Exhibitor/Sponsor Specific Registration Page.  SCDir@sdfirefighters.org


Location

Holiday Inn Spearfish-Convention Center

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Contact Information

South Dakota Firefighters Association
Name: Charlie Kludt
Phone: (605) 940-1087
Email: pres@sdfirefighters.org
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