07/30/2025
Here is the map of the procession route and an overview of the parking for the Captain Van Dam services in Murdo, S.D. The service will be held at 1:00pm at the Harold Thune Auditorium in Murdo on Friday, August 1st. A separate email will be sent with additional service information.
General parking at location: General parking at the auditorium is all around the building. The auditorium shares the parking lot with the school and community swimming pool to the south. There is a parking lot on the north side with two entrances. Murdo Fire, Draper Fire, and Jones County Ambulance will be parked in north parking lot, facing east.
VFire 21 will be the radio channel to use for parking.
Procession: Apparatus wanting to be involved in a STANDING procession...the departments will be parked on 3rd street (RED DOTS ON MAP), between Kennedy and Jackson. Apparatus will be parked them 3 wide facing west. This is the street just on the north side of the auditorium.
When the service is over, they will return to their trucks (GREEN LINE ON MAP) Those parked apparatus will then travel west on 3rd Street to Main. Turn left on Main and go south to 5th Street. Turn left on 5th Street and start parking front to back near the 4 way stop at the intersection of 5th and Kennedy (aerial will be there). No staged apparatus should be east of aerial. The vehicles will go on both sides of the road. If we have enough vehicles and they get back to Main St, they can starting backing them up on Main. This is the route the main procession will go to. Captain Van Dam will be transported on the back of a Type 6 engine. That vehicle, family vehicles, and units from Murdo Fire, Draper Fire, and Jones County Ambulance (and any private citizens) will leave the auditorium after Captain Van Dam is loaded and everyone is back to their vehicles. Their route (BLUE LINE ON MAP) is to go north of the auditorium on Kennedy to 2nd street, turn left and head east until Main St., Turn left and go south until 5th St., turn left on 5th street and proceed to the four way stop at 5th/Kennedy. They will turn right, go under the American Flag hosted by the aerial, and proceed (PURPLE LINE ON MAP) south-over the interstate and to the Murdo Cemetery across from the DOT yard. Once the rolling procession vehicles has passed the standing procession, any apparatus can then enter the rolling procession route and continue onto the cemetery.
Any large pieces of fire apparatus will need to park at the DOT yard across from the cemetery due to size and weight restrictions, especially with the wet road making the cemetery area soft. Standard sized vehicles can enter the cemetery if needed.
If apparatus that do not wish to go out to the cemetery, can go to the Murdo VFD fire station for conversation and fellowship or they are cleared to return home. Due to the shear volume of motorcycles and tourist traffic, (safety is key), it is our recommendation that those units heading east of Murdo (RED DASHED LINE) travel on Hwy SD State Hwy 248 to the Draper Exit to access I-90 headed east. Those headed west should go in a circle back towards Main St. Go west at main/5thand go to exit 191 to access I-90 westbound.
Law enforcement will have exit 192 shutdown during the procession.
If you are bringing apparatus to be in the standing procession, we would like you here by 12:00 to ensure apparatus get parked and folks get briefing prior to the service.
If you have any questions prior to arrival, please contact Brent Long. 605-877-2840.
