The Roanoke Fire-EMS Department is proud to foster a diverse, inclusive and innovative workforce that proudly serves the residents, citizens and visitors of Roanoke by protecting lives and property with professionalism, integrity and respect. For us to be successful in our mission, each department member must believe and embrace our purpose.
During 2022, the department responded to over 32,400 calls for service including 8 multi-alarm fires, the most incidents in the history of the department. Additionally, the department achieved reaccreditation for the 5th time since initial accreditation in 2002 from the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) and we reconfirmed our ISO 1 Classification through the Insurance Service Organization. All three major achievements made for a very busy year and a year the organization can be very proud of. It was only through the hard work and dedication of our staff, that we were successful in meeting service delivery demands and these achievements.
Roanoke Fire-EMS is driven by our employees, and it is only through them that we continued to move the organization forward and better serve our community. I am very proud to present this annual report, and I am looking forward to opportunities ahead in 2023.
In the Service, Chief David Hoback“Success is never accidental.”
Our mission is to foster a diverse, inclusive and innovative workforce that proudly serves the residents, citizens and visitors of Roanoke by protecting lives and property with professionalism, integrity and respect.
The Roanoke Fire Department’s history began in 1882, when the first firefighters were organized by the newlychartered City of Roanoke. The volunteer fire companies, known as the Vigilantes, Juniors, Friendship, and Alerts, provided fire protection.
The department hired the first paid firefighters in 1906, with the establishment of Fire Station #1 on Church Street. In 1907, the last of the volunteers disbanded, and the Roanoke Fire Department became an all-paid entity.
Over the years, additional platoons were added and stations were built to serve the needs of the growing city. In 1991, the First Responder program began, which was the department’s first involvment in providing medical services to the community. In 1995, the Roanoke Fire Department merged with Roanoke EMS to form the Roanoke Fire-EMS Department. This merger also linked the fire department with Roanoke Emergency Medical Services, the first volunteer rescue organization in the nation.
Today, Roanoke Fire-EMS is a full-service fire and emergency medical service agency providing basic and advanced pre-hospital life support, fire prevention and education programs, fire suppression services, arson detection, vehicle extrication, swift water rescue, hazardous materials response, and heavy technical rescue.
RFEMS operates 11 stations with 10 fire engines, 4 ladder trucks, 9 ambulances, 3 relief EMS units, and 4 supervisor vehicles, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We serve an urban resident population of approximately 100,000 in an area of 43 square miles, and answer over 28,000 fire and EMS runs annually. 260 uniformed personnel, 10 civilians, and 38 part-time EMS providers staff the department.
Roanoke Fire-EMS is an internationally accredited agency through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI). The department also holds a Class 1 rating from the Insurance Service Organization (ISO).
The Operations Division is responsible for response readiness. Operations consists of 243 personnel who operate 11 fire stations and staff 27 front-line apparatus. The division is divided into three shifts, each with two battalions. There are 81 personnel assigned to each shift, and 64 are needed for daily operations.
On September 20 at 11:46 p.m., Roanoke Fire-EMS was dispatched to Stratford Park Apartments for reports of a structure fire. First arriving units found flames and smoke showing from an apartment building and upgraded the call to a two-alarm response, to which Fire-EMS personnel responded with a full complement within 8 minutes of dispatch. Due to the size of the building and the life safety issues related to the building’s residents, who are primarily older adults and people with disabilities, the call was upgraded to general alarm, resulting in all available Fire-EMS units being dispatched to the scene.
Early in the response effort, three individuals in cardiac arrest were rescued from the building; two were resuscitated and transported to area hospitals, and the third was pronounced dead on scene. Numerous rescues and extractions were performed in addition to the first three. Two patients were transported to local hospitals with non-life threatening injuries related to smoke inhalation, and numerous others were treated and released on scene. No injuries to Fire-EMS staff were reported.
Approximately 100 people and multiple pets were displaced as a result of the fire. The Fire Marshal’s Office determined the fire began as the result of improperly discarded smoking materials, and deemed it accidental.
$6,304,314 PROPERTY LOSS
$250,592,187 PROPERTY SAVED
23,500 TOTAL EMS PATIENTS
69% PATIENTS TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITAL
FIRE-RELATED INJURIES (CIVILIANS)
FIRE-RELATED DEATHS
FIRE-RELATED INJURIES (FIREFIGHTERS)
RESIDENT SATISFACTION
96% FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES
95% EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
1 BABY BORN IN AN AMBULANCE
2.5% PATIENTS FOUND IN CARDIAC ARREST
60.5% RETURN OF SPONTANEOUS CIRCULATION
334 NALOXONE ADMINISTRATIONS
$22,691,550 BUDGET
106 RAPID SEQUENCE INTUBATIONS
2,597 FIRST DUE EMS CALLS*
11,768 RESPONSES
208 FIRST DUE FIRE CALLS*
1,340 BATTALION 1
7 WORKING FIRES
2,672 RS 1
1,996 ENGINE 1
1,159 LADDER 1
2,966 MEDIC 1
1,635 MU/RU 101
1,815 ENGINE 2
7,750 RESPONSES
1,201 LADDER 2
3,253 FIRST DUE EMS CALLS*
806 FIRST DUE FIRE CALLS*
3,086 MEDIC 2
1,635 MU/RU 102 13 HAZMAT 1
8 WORKING FIRES
2
2,524 FIRST DUE EMS CALLS
732
FIRST DUE FIRE CALLS
2,558
3 WORKING FIRES
1,099 ENGINE 4
3,448 RESPONSES
2,321 MEDIC 4 28 SUPPORT 4
965 FIRST DUE EMS CALLS
204 FIRST DUE FIRE CALLS
4 WORKING FIRES
4
3,678 FIRST DUE EMS CALLS*
1,637
BATTALION 2
844 FIRST DUE FIRE CALLS*
2,967 RS 2
12 WORKING FIRES
1,923 ENGINE 5
1,274
LADDER 5
3,191 RESCUE 5
1,972 MEDIC 105
4,679 RESPONSES 1,753 ENGINE
4,293 FIRST DUE EMS CALLS*
629 FIRST DUE FIRE CALLS*
11 WORKING FIRES
2,046 FIRST DUE EMS CALLS*
452 FIRST DUE FIRE CALLS*
6 WORKING FIRES
1,250 ENGINE 8
3,300 RESPONSES
2,050 MEDIC 8
1,642 FIRST DUE EMS CALLS*
469 FIRST DUE FIRE CALLS*
3 WORKING FIRES
8
1,461 ENGINE 13
3,828 RESPONSES
2,367 MEDIC 13
2,931 FIRST DUE EMS CALLS*
645 FIRST DUE FIRE CALLS*
10 WORKING FIRES
1,344 FIRST DUE EMS CALLS*
699 FIRST DUE FIRE CALLS*
3 WORKING FIRES
At 3:43 AM, Roanoke Fire-EMS responded to a residential structure fire on the 1300 block of Church Ave SE. Upon arrival, crews found the residence to be fully involved with heavy smoke and flames and an additional exposure structure partially involved. The primary residence was a total loss. During the course of the fire investigation by the Fire Marshal’s Office, a victim was found inside the residence.
At 2:31 p.m., Roanoke Fire-EMS was dispatched to a commercial fire alarm and reports of smoke in a commercial structure on the 5000 block of Valley View Blvd. Crews arrived to find a five story structure with smoke showing from the roof with occupants evacuating. Due to the type and size of the building, the incident was upgraded to a second alarm to allow for additional personnel and resources to respond.
Multiple crews located a fire that began at the ground level of the building and extended up to the fifth floor, primarily in the void space of the exterior finish. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was determined to be smoking materials which were discarded into a mulch bed next to the building.
Around 3:30 p.m., Roanoke Fire-EMS was dispatched for reports of a structure fire on the 500 block of 6th St SW. First arriving units found fire and smoke coming from the roof of a multi-floor apartment building, and upgraded the call to a second alarm. Nine residents were displaced.
At 9:48 a.m., Roanoke Fire-EMS was dispatched for reports of a structure fire on the 1700 block of Dunbar Street NW. Arriving units found heavy fire and smoke from a twostory, multi-family structure. The fire was extinguished quickly, and no injuries were reported.
Later, at 10:43 a.m., Roanoke Fire-EMS was dispatched for reports of another structure fire on the 1600 block of 10th Street NE. Arriving crews found heavy fire and smoke from two single-family homes. The fires were brought under control very quickly, and extinguished within half an hour. No injuries to civilians or fire personnel were reported. The residence where the fire began is estimated to be a total loss. Residents from all three dwellings were displaced.
Upon investigation, the Fire Marshal’s Office determined that the fires were related and were set intentionally.
The Community Risk Reduction and Technical Services Division coordinates the department’s risk reduction, fire prevention, fire investigation, and emergency management functions. In addition, this division is responsible for departmental training and technology maintenance.
The Fire Marshal’s Office (FMO) is dedicated to reducing the number of fire-related incidents and their impact within the City of Roanoke by enforcing the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code and related state laws found in the Code of Virginia. This is accomplished through code enforcement, inspections, plan review, education, and fire investigations, as well as by working cooperatively with other City public safety organizations and code enforcement authorities.
Fire inspections are conducted in businesses on an annual or biannual basis. Scheduling is based on the risk posed by the building’s occupants or operation – for example, a restaurant or theater has a greater inherent risk than a physician’s office or an insurance office. These inspections are based on the Statewide Fire Prevention Code and local amendments as adopted by the Roanoke City Council. Fire inspections are conducted by state-certified fire prevention inspectors who work with business owners and representatives to achieve compliance with all applicable codes.
The Code of Virginia requires that the FMO investigate all fires and explosions to establish origin and cause. Fires are classified in one of four ways: accidental, incendiary, natural, and undetermined. An accidental fire is a fire for which the cause does not involve an intentional human act to ignite or spread fire into an area where it should not be. Conversely, an incendiary fire is caused by an intentional human act to ignite fire where it should not be. A natural fire is caused without direct human intervention, and an undetermined fire is where the fire’s cause cannot be proven to an acceptable level of certainty. It is important to note that not all incendiary fires are arson – arson is a crime that requires a malicious act. All fire investigations are conducted by state-certified fire investigators.
The FMO conducts plan reviews of new construction site plans to ensure the ability of the fire personnel to adequately respond to the building once construction is complete. Plans are reviewed for fire department access, the presence of fire hydrants, the location of fire department connections, and any other issues which could affect fire department response.
The FMO also acts under the authority of the Building Commissioner to conduct plan reviews and inspection of all new and upgraded fire protection systems. This includes fire sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, and restaurant fire suppression systems.
In 2022, Roanoke Fire-EMS swore in new Fire Marshal Rebecca “Becky” Smith. Chief Smith began her career with Roanoke Fire-EMS in 2003. Other changes to the composition of the Fire Marshal’s Office included the official appointment of Captain Noel Gardner to Deputy Fire Marshal, the promotion of Lieutenant Kevin Taylor to Captain/Deputy Fire Marshal, and the appointment of Lieutenant Raysean Priest to Assistant Fire Marshal.
The goal of Emergency Management is to aid the community in mitigating, preparing for, responding to, recovering from natural and man-made emergencies and disasters that could affect the citizens, businesses, and visitors of the City of Roanoke.
Emergency Management works with local, state, and federal government partners, as well as non-governmental organizations to achieve this goal. Emergency Management maintains the city’s Emergency Operations Center, is an active partner with the Roanoke Valley Local Emergency Planning Committee and participates in regular exercises to test and continuously revise the city’s Emergency Operations Plan to insure a state of constant readiness.
In late 2022, the department began its hiring process for its first full-time deputy emergency management coordinator. This position supports the emergency management coordinator by maintaining and creating the City’s emergency operations plan, internal plans, special events plans, and many more. Two field deputy coordinators, Doug Benson and Stephen Curry, also supported special events planning and operations as well as the active threat committee. The emergency management team supported multiple special events including the 2nd annual Ironman 70.3, the Blue Ridge Marathon, Crit Bike Race, and many more.
Two significant projects were completed in 2022 to enhance citizens and visitors’ safety within the City of Roanoke. After spending months of time with committees conducting research and analysis, the City moved forward with the purchase of a mass notification system, Star City Alerts, and has since utilized this program on numerous missing persons cases, special events traffic notifications and severe weather notifications. The second significant protection and prevention measure took nearly a year of collaboration between multiple city department including the transportation division, Roanoke Police, public works, and several other key staff members. This group was given permission to purchase antivehicle barriers for downtown events in 2022 and have since utilized these devices for downtown parades, Christmas events, and many more.
Other Activities for the Year
• Conducted Damage Assessment Training with Real Estate Valuations and Planning/Building Development Team
• Final implementation of RAVE (Star City Alerts)
• Multiple exercises and facility tours with business/industry LEPC partners
72 SPECIAL EVENTS PERMITS REVIEWED
The City of Roanoke’s Swift Water Rescue Team responded as part of the Virginia Department of Emergency Management Region 6 team to Buchanan County, VA for a significant flash flooding event. The team spent the overnight hours and into the following morning conducting search efforts. They returned home safely on the evening of July 14th.
Emergency management representation was on scene within 20 minutes of the initial dispatch with a notification to the American Red Cross (ARC) within the first hour. During the course of this incident, the emergency management team worked closely with Valley Metro, the Berglund Civic Center, and the American Red Cross to coordinate the transportation and sheltering of displaced residents. Throughout the incident, a number of Roanoke Fire-EMS staff and Roanoke Police Department staff assisted with continuous communications with the displaced residents and kept them informed of shelter status and plans.
Moving into the very early morning hours, the Red Cross, emergency management, Roanoke Fire-EMS, and Valley Metro made the final decision to open the Berglund Center as a place to provide rest, warmth, and food. The shelter initially opened around 5:30AM. Throughout the morning, animal wardens provided pet sheltering assistance, and the remaining residents were able to rest, hydrate and get a warm meal. By noon, each of the residents in need of transportation were taken to the hotel arranged by the Red Cross. Assisting the multitude of displaced residents would have not been possible if it were not for the great partnerships with the American Red Cross, Valley Metro, Berglund Center, and other community partners.
STRATFORD PARK RESPONSE
17 ARC PERSONNEL
62 ARC CASES OPENED
78 CLIENTS SERVED
62 CASES GIVEN IMMEDIATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
31 CASES GIVEN DISASTER CARE ASSISTANCE
62 CASES GIVEN RECOVERY PLANNING ASSISTANCE
1 CASE PROVIDED FATALITY ASSISTANCE
The Training Division is responsible for developing and implementing training programs for all department personnel. In addition to conducting recruit schools to prepare newly hired recruits, the division provides regular fire and EMS training for incumbent personnel. The Training Division is committed to providing highquality training that meets the needs of the department. By continuously reviewing and updating its training programs, the Training Division ensures that its personnel are prepared to meet the challenges of the job.
In July, Roanoke Fire-EMS hosted a two-day elevator rescue class for firefighters from across the Roanoke Valley. The classroom portion of the class was held at
60,808 TOTAL TRAINING HOURS
the Roanoke Valley Regional Training Center, and the hands-on portion was held at the parking garage on Church Avenue in downtown Roanoke.
Instructors taught students the procedures for lockout/tagout of elevators, as well as how to rescue people from elevators and the mechanical workings of different types of elevators (hydraulic and cable).
Roanoke Fire-EMS hosted two regional Driver Pump Operator (DPO) classes taught by the department’s personnel. DPO is the next step after Basic Pump Operator, which is taught in recruit school. DPO covers topics such as calculating friction loss, different types of pumps, relay pumping, and apparatus placement.
Roanoke Fire-EMS and the Regional Training Center graduated 57 recruits from three recruit schools in 2022, of which 26 came to work in the City of Roanoke. Recruit schools #29 and #30 were regional, while #31 was exclusively City recruits. The Training Center teaches all new recruits EMT-B, Firefighter I & II, BPO, MayDay firefighter down, RIC, Rope Ops, Vehicle Extrication, CPR, and Mass Causality.
he Community Risk Reduction (CRR) Division works to identify local risks and use data-driven, strategic interventions to prevent or mitigate their occurrence and impact. CRR is a comprehensive approach to safety that is made up of the 5 E’s: Education, Engineering, Enforcement, Economic Incentives, and Emergency Response. The CRR Division plays an important role in fulfilling our department’s mission by building a safer and more resilient community.
In early 2022, Roanoke Fire-EMS organized the Community Risk Reduction Committee. The CRR Committee is the department’s first formal structure that allows operational staff to bring their valuable field experiences together in a cohesive effort focused on prevention. The mission of the committee is to create a safer, healthier community in the City of Roanoke by making data-informed decisions to provide or connect residents with resources and education.
The committee is comprised of personnel from all areas of the department, as well as representatives from numerous community and business organizations. By bringing all of these individuals together, Roanoke Fire-EMS will be able to use the collective knowledge and experience of community partners and Fire-EMS staff in an effort to get to the root of some of the most pressing public health issues faced by our community.
Roanoke Fire-EMS collaborated with Renovation Alliance to build accessibility ramps for residents in different areas of the city. For these projects, RA provided the plans and materials, and Roanoke Fire-EMS supplied the labor. Critical home repairs such as these ensure residents can live independently in safe and healthy homes. Focusing on preventing incidents, whether they are fire or EMS related, improves the community and keeps providers safe.
The 17th Annual Fire Prevention Art Contest saw participation from 13 schools in the Roanoke City Public Schools disctrict in October. 60 of the top entries from students in grades Kindergarten through 8th were received, and 17 students received awards! In November, the winners celebrated with a party sponsored by Rockingham Insurance at Station 5. Winners were also recognized by City Council for their hard work and talent!
Following a series of home fire fatalities in which no smoke alarms were present, Roanoke Fire-EMS worked with Roanoke City Council to adopt an ordinance requiring the installation of smoke alarms in rental properties. The ordinance provides the Fire Marshal’s Office the power to pursue criminal charges in situations where property owners leave tenants unprotected despite multiple warnings.
Effective communication and community engagement are vital components in the active and ongoing efforts of the department to connect, communicate, and collaborate with the local community it serves. The primary goal of community engagement is to build positive relationships, foster trust, and enhance the overall safety and well-being of the community. Roanoke Fire-EMS is committed to building a strong rapport between the department and the residents of Roanoke. By involving the community in fire safety efforts, the department can create a safer environment and a sense of shared responsibility for public safety.
418 POSTS
2.6M REACH 91K ENGAGEMENTS
314 POSTS 253K REACH 21K ENGAGEMENTS
234 TWEETS
71K IMPRESSIONS
3.9K ENGAGEMENTS
In April, Roanoke Fire-EMS Station 7 hosted a very special party in honor of a local boy who loves fire trucks and firefighters, named Mikey. During the party, Mikey, age 4, was granted a wish by Make-AWish Greater Virginia when he was presented with his new best friend: a sweet puppy he named Cuddle Bear.
Roanoke Fire-EMS worked in partnership with Blue Ridge PBS Echo TV to produce a series of videos called Hands on Health for Virtual Virginia, the Virginia Department of Education’s online learning platform. These video are used to educated middle schoolaged students on topics like AEDs, treating bleeding, splints, shock, CPR, and more.
On August 2, Roanoke Fire-EMS participated in the annual National Night Out event. National Night Out aims to bring communities together to promote positive relationships between residents and public safety personnel. The department participated in 13 events across all areas of the city.
To help kick off the start of the new school year, Roanoke Fire-EMS took part in the annual RCPS Back-toSchool Extravaganza. Thousands of students and their families attended the event to receive free school supplies and community resources. Many families received fire and life safety information, and signed up for free smoke alarms.
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Captain Nathaniel Foutz Firefighter Heather Gabelmann Captain Charles Sharp 23 Firefighter Robert Joyner 25 Captain Jeremy Bennington 25 Captain Kelcey Branch 23 Battalion Chief Chad Riddleberger Lieutenant Travis Collins Captain Jason Crouch23 years
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Web: RoanokeVA.gov/Fire-EMS
Socials: @RoanokeFireEMS
Employment: WorkForRoanokeFireEMS.com
