Be Cool Campaign off to a great start this winter

Rapid City, S.D. (KELO) — Our drop in temperatures this week impacted people all across KELOLAND.

In Rapid City, organizations and churches worked together to help unhoused individuals deal with the frigid temperatures.

After months of preparation, those involved in the Be Cool Campaign are seeing the positive results of communication and adapting from years past.

“What we’re going through now in this winter, we have implemented lessons learned from years past. That’s why where we’re at right now we have better communication between all community partners than we’ve ever had in the past,” RCFD Mobile Medic Captain Ryan Marcks said.

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“The patrolling efforts, people going out in the cold, who work for the city, who work in the community,our community partners such as Journey On, those providing the shelter, they’re all working together. And the community needs to know, there is collaborative work happening right now and a lot of people in that space. And so we’re very grateful for that,” Rapid City Mayor Jason Salamun said.

The effort involved several community partners, including Journey On, which was out assisting the Mobile Medic helping those struggling in the cold.

“So a few years ago when we inserted Journey On into the equation, it opened up an entire new realm of possibilities. It really again is a force multiplier and benefits not just the city, not just the fire or not just PD, but everyone in the community,” Marcks said.

Together, they are keeping everyone safe, no matter how low the temperature falls.

As this cold front leaves, the organizations helping those in cold will now take this week’s lessons and apply them to the next situation they’ll run into.