Glacial Lakes Energy Invests $371,000 in Rural Safety with Grants to 34 Fire Departments (Video)
- Steve Jurrens
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - In a significant boost to rural emergency response capabilities, Glacial Lakes Energy (GLE) announced this week that it has awarded over $371,000 in grants to 34 fire departments across the region. The funding, part of GLE’s newly launched Fire Department Grant Program, was distributed to both career and volunteer departments located within a 50-mile radius of the cooperative’s four ethanol plants.
The program, themed “Standing Behind Those Who Show Up First,” was designed to address the specific, practical needs of local responders rather than “nice-to-have” extras. During the ceremony, GLE Chairman of the Board Mark Schmidt emphasized the cooperative’s commitment to the safety of the communities where its members and employees live and work.
“When a fire department tells you what they need to protect lives, you listen, and you act,” stated the official release from GLE. Schmidt echoed this sentiment during the event, noting that GLE chose to fund every single project as it was presented, totaling $371,000 in immediate community investment.
Targeted Support for Life-Saving Gear
The grants will be used to purchase a wide array of essential equipment, including grain bin rescue gear—a critical tool for agricultural communities—breathing apparatus (SCBAs), water storage tanks, rescue tools, and personal protective equipment (PPE).
Grant amounts varied based on the specific needs of each department. The Hayti Fire Department received the largest single grant of $57,100. Other significant awards included $20,000 for Alpena, $15,000 for Huron, and $13,098 for Florence. Numerous other departments, such as Watertown, White, Wilmot, and Wallace, received $10,000 each to bolster their operations.
Strengthening the Agricultural Bond
Glacial Lakes Energy, a member-owned cooperative with approximately 4,200 members, began operations in 2001 and has grown into a major economic driver for South Dakota. With plants in Watertown, Mina, Aberdeen, and Huron, GLE processes approximately 350 semi-loads of corn every day, totaling over 350 million gallons of ethanol production annually.
Schmidt used the event to highlight the symbiotic relationship between the ethanol industry and rural responders. He noted that because GLE’s work is closely tied to farming, the company encouraged fire departments to prioritize equipment to improve safety in agriculture-related situations.
Beyond emergency response, Schmidt also advocated for the continued expansion of ethanol blends like E15 and E30. He highlighted that these fuels offer consumers significant savings—often between 50 and 80 cents per gallon—while supporting the local corn market, where more than one-third of South Dakota’s 800-million-bushel annual crop is used for ethanol production.
A Proud Partner in Protection
GLE CEO Jim Seurer joined the board in presenting the checks, expressing pride in the program’s ability to support departments that often operate on limited budgets and rely on dedicated volunteers.
“We know who shows up when something goes wrong,” the GLE release concluded. “This is our way of making sure they’re ready when they do”.
The 34 fire departments receiving support through this initiative include:
· Aberdeen Rural
· Alpena
· Ashton
· Bowdle
· Brandt
· Bristol
· Cavour
· Clear Lake
· Columbia
· Doland
· Faulkton
· Florence
· Garden City
· Gary
· Hayti
· Hazel
· Henry
· Hosmer
· Huron
· Lake Norden
· Letcher
· Mellette
· Miller
· Northville
· Redfield Rural
· Roscoe
· Toronto
· Turton
· Wallace
· Watertown
· Wessington
· White
· Wilmot
· Wolsey
