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We will invest, empower and hold each other accountable to accomplish our mission.
The Roanoke Fire-EMS Department is a full-service fire and emergency medical service agency providing: Fire suppression services, basic and advanced pre-hospital life support, fire prevention and community risk reduction education programs, fire investigations, heavy tactical rescue (HTR), swift water rescue (SWR), regional hazardous materials team, vehicle extrication, and emergency management.
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.
This year Roanoke Fire-EMS promoted Battalion Chief Marci Stone to the position of Deputy Chief.
Deputy Chief Stone started her career with Roanoke Fire-EMS in 1997. During her tenure she served the department as a Lieutenant, First Lieutenant, and Captain before leaving in 2006. From 2006-2008 she held the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator position at Lewis Gale Medical Center. In 2008, she took a position with Bedford County as the Emergency Medical Instructor at the Science and Technology Center where she worked until 2010 at which point she became the Deputy Chief of Operations for Bedford County Department of Fire & Rescue. In 2014 she returned to the City of Roanoke as the Emergency Manager and was recently promoted to Deputy Chief in January of 2019.
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.
2019 was another very active year for the department and a second year for personnel growth and large promotional opportunities for the organization. 33 promotions were made including three new Captain positions added to the work force to address the growing demand of EMS. Promotions were made in all levels of the organization including Chief Officer ranks. In addition to the personnel growth, the department took delivery of new Ladder 7, a 107’ Pierce and began construction on new Fire-EMS Station 7. New station 7 is scheduled to be completed by year end of 2020 and will be a great enhancement to our station fleet.
The organization was also able to meet all performance benchmarks with the addition of Medic 13 and the new RS2 positions. Fires and dollar loss were also down compared to the previous five years. This is great news for our community and a testament to the hard work of all of our staff. Great job.
This department 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 2020.
In the Service,
“ Creativity is contagious. Pass it on”
Kept significant fires low (below 70) through enhanced community risk reduction initiatives and compliance with performance goals.
Continued the growth of a diverse and inclusive workforce through enhanced recruitment initiatives and officer development opportunities.
Conducted annual promotional process.
Strengthened communications between employees and administration to include a stronger presence in the stations.
Began construction of new Fire-EMS Station 7.
Worked through the budget process to address staffing needs within the department that included three new EMS Operations Officers.
Strengthened our relationship with the medical community and stakeholders to address issues and implement new initiatives related to EMS delivery and update business practices.
Implemented a new Fire Inspection software system.
Revised and streamlined fire protection code permitting process.
Revise the department Uniform Policy. Secure purchase of one or more new pumpers. Complete ISO review.
Implement a new quartermaster/inventory management software system to manage medical supplies, uniforms, station supplies, etc.
Open new Fire-EMS Station 7.
Revise the department’s Fire Ground Policy on strategies and tactics to reflect modern science based practice.
Conduct a Driver Pump Operator and Driver Aerial Operator Training class.
Update the City’s Emergency Operations Plan.
Implement the city-wide mass notification system.
Land Area: 43 square miles
22
2
*A “working fire” is the designation given to fire calls when the arriving officer sees smoke or flames coming from the structure. By notifying the E-911 Center of the “working fire”, additional resources are dispatched to the scene.
This year Roanoke Fire-EMS took possession of several new vehicles. Medic 13 was a new apparatus to the fleet, which added an additional medic unit to the Northside of the City. Other new apparatus acquired that replaced existing apparatus in the fleet included, Ladder 7, Medic 102, Medic 4, and Admin 2 (Nissan Rogue).
The older apparatus that was replaced will be used for the department’s reserve fleet. When in-service apparatus need a repair or maintenance, reserve units are utilized in their place to continue service to our community.
These vehicles were months to years of hard work in the making. Members from our Apparatus Spec Committee came together to assess current needs within our department and created a truck fit for our community. Input from all ranks, from Chiefs to Firefighters, are considered and assessed during the production of each vehicle. Numerous meetings, research, back and forth with the manufacturer, and more goes into the production of the vehicles acquired to produce a truck our personnel are proud of.
Demand for Service (Overall Demand for Service Decreased by 1.8%, EMS Demand Decreased 0.4%)
Community Inn Fire- At 2:27 am, firefighters responded to a 2nd alarm fire in the 1300 block of Grandin Rd. at the Community Inn Restaurant. Firefighters were met with smoke and fire conditions. The Community Inn and On the Rise Bakery sustained damage as a result. The fire was marked under control at 4:02am. No injuries were reported. The fire was ruled accidental due to improperly discarded smoking materials.
Significant flash flooding hit parts of the City of Roanoke and the Cave Spring area of Roanoke County from Hurricane Michael. Rainfall hit the Roanoke area dumping approximately 2 inches to 6 inches of rain in a short period of time, flooding roads and trapping motorists. The Regional Swift Water Rescue Team was deployed to assist in rescues.
Two working fires in one night- At 2:05 am, Roanoke Fire-EMS responded to a structure fire in the 700 block of Bullit Ave SE. Initial units found heavy smoke and flames. No injuries were reported. Six residents were displaced and were assisted by the American Red Cross. The fire is undetermined.
At 3:53 am, Roanoke Fire-EMS responded to a structure fire in the 2000 block of Dale Ave SE. Initial units found heavy smoke and flames coming from a detached two story garage. The cause of the fire is undetermined.
Two working fires in one night- At 1:13 am Roanoke Fire-EMS responded to a working fire in the 500 block of Bluff Ave SW. The fire spread to two apartments inside the structure. No injuries were reported. Two residents were displaced and were assisted by the American Red Cross. The cause of the fire was ruled accidental and started in a wall next to an exterior entrance.
At 1:51 am, Roanoke Fire-EMS responded to a working fire in the 400 block of Arbutus Ave SE for a shed fire. The cause of the fire was ruled accidental, and deemed a total loss. The fire started due to combustibles being too close to a wood stove.
Two working fires in one night- At 10:01 pm, Roanoke Fire-EMS responded to a working fire in the 3400 block of Bennett Dr NW. The fire was contained to the hallway. No injuries were reported and no one displaced. The cause of the fire was ruled incendiary.
At 10:09 pm, Roanoke Fire-EMS responded to a working fire in the 700 block of Bullitt Ave SE. First arriving units found heavy smoke
and flames. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was accidental and started due to improper use of cooking appliance. The home was believed to be vacant but the investigation found evidence of unauthorized occupants in the home.
[None of the fires were believed to be related.]
Members of Roanoke Fire-EMS participated in a work day to assist local family members of Lt. Brad Clark from Hanover Fire-EMS who passed away last October in the line-of-duty. Local small businesses, home improvement stores, and other organizations in Roanoke assisted with donations of paint, tools, services, etc. Multiple localities had a hand in making the event a success. Special shout-out to our very own Capt. Sharp for his coordination of the event and for those who answered the call to help out our own brothers and sisters in need.
FF/PM J. Kaylor and FF/EMT-I R. Winter represented our department as members of the Honor Guard at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial. The 38th National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service honored 92 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2018 and 27 firefighters who died in the line of duty in previous years.
With 353 participants, this year’s Annual Roanoke 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb raised over $15,000 for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
On the weekend of August 3rd-4th, personnel participated in the Annual Fill the Boot drive for MDA. In 2019, participants raised over $14,072 to help families in the Roanoke area.
On August 17th, Roanoke Fire-EMS hosted the 1st Annual Roanoke Fire-EMS picnic. The picnic hosted personnel on-duty and off-duty from all shifts, including recruits from our Fire-EMS Academy. This event gave our personnel an opportunity to see friends from other shifts and build community within our department.
On September 5th, our Roanoke Regional Swift Water team deployed to Richmond to assist the State of Virginia’s response to Hurricane Dorian. Thankfully, Dorian’s impact was not as significant as originally anticipated and personnel returned home to their families early.
Roanoke City Public Schools- Roanoke Technical Education Center (ROTEC) and Roanoke Fire-EMS hosted its 3rd Annual EMT program. Eight students graduated from the program in 2019.
The Guns and Hoses faced off twice this year, once for hockey and the second for softball.
On January 19th, Guns & Hoses Hockey came back to the Berglund Center for their annual face off to raise money for the Roanoke Chapter of the MDA. This year 5,911 fans were in attendance and raised $32,000 for families fighting Muscular Dystrophy in the Roanoke Valley. The Regional HTR Team and RPD Swat helped deliver the puck through aerial entry.
The 15th Annual Guns & Hoses Softball game was held on July 7th, the Guns leading 15-13 for the win. Overall the game raised, $2,400 for the Roanoke Chapter of the MDA.
On April 13th, Roanoke Fire-EMS Personnel participated in the Roanoke MS Walk in honor our of firefighters and their families who are fighting this devastating disease.
This year our department initiated the LEAN program. This group will focus on improving processes and leading innovations that are integral to the fulfillment of our mission. Team members are Baraka Kasongo, Becky Smith, Brandon Winesett, Rachel Winter, Rhett Fleitz, Richard Lipes, and Zachary Flippen.
Roanoke Fire-EMS participated in the dedication of the 1952 Oren Custom Squad Wagon at Virginia Museum of Transportation. The squad was delivered to the City of Roanoke in November 1952. It was a command vehicle and was transferred to the (then) Roanoke Fire Deptartment where it served as a squad until 1995. Karl Ehshlager bought the truck at auction in 2001 and restored it.
Members from our Peer Support Team attended training in Wilmington, DE. The two day event consisted of International Association of Firefighters Behavioral Health Peer Support Training.
On June 30th, Station 7 opened its doors for one last time before the station underwent demolition for the new Station 7 to reside. The event was open to all, community members, retirees, friends and neighbors attended. The event gave us the ability to commemorate the building and share the plans for the future of the new Fire-EMS Station 7.
On November 16th, residents and visitors from the City of Roanoke were offered a piece of Station 7’s history during a department led brick giveaway. Bricks were recovered from old Station 7 during its demolition and given to the community as a memento, other bricks from the station will be used in the new stations design.
Roanoke Kennel Club, Inc donated two pet oxygen masks to our department. These masks were placed on RS-2 and Medic 13, which now means all of our front-line trucks have these lifesaving tools for our four-legged friends. These masks have proved beneficial for animals that have been rescued from structure fires.
Woodmen Life Virginia donated American Flags for City of Roanoke Fire-EMS Stations. An American Flag flies high at every Station within the City and Woodmen Life Virginia partners with us to supply flags when ours are otherwise tattered.
Mission BBQ made two generous donations to the Department in 2019 totaling $7,238.00. We appreciate the support that Mission BBQ gives to our department each year through these grants and also through the delicious meals that are delivered to our firefighters. The restaurant also donates food for the 9/11 Stair Climb and the Fire Prevention Week Art Contest each year.
Each year Energizer graciously donates 9-volt batteries to our department. This is done as a part of their community outreach program to ensure every community member has working smoke alarms in their home.
Lt. S. Curry was recognized by the Kiwanis Club of Roanoke for his heroic efforts in saving a young boy who was swept away by a ripcurrent at the beach. The Lt. was off-duty enjoying his vacation when the incident occurred and he immediately jumped into action. The boy, with the help of Lt. Curry, made it back to shore safely.
FF/PM D. Driver was recognized by the Kiwanis Club of Roanoke for saving a man trapped inside of a house fire. FF/PM Driver was on his way to work in the early morning when he noticed a fire. Driver broke through the door to rescue the resident who was asleep inside. Drivers efforts helped the resident escape safely.
FF/PM A. McKinney was recognized by Kiwanis Club of Roanoke for helping update our trauma response program. McKinney used his past military medic experiences to revamp trauma response education for responders in the field.
Michelle Tringali, from the E911 Center, was recognized by the Kiwanis Club of Roanoke for all of her hard work in helping local faith based organizations develop an emergency plan. She did this while interning for our Office of Emergency Management.
Roanoke City Public School’s Roanoke Technical Education Center (ROTEC) and the Virginia Department of Education recognized our staff for the High School EMT Program.
Numerous personnel were recognized by Lewis Gale Regional Health System for Exellence in Cardiac Care. Because of early intervention and their skilled care, along with the great staff at Lewis Gale, patients survived cardiac events at the hands of our responders. Recognized were:
FF/EMT P. Webber, FF/EMT-I C. Coleman, Lt. M. Peay, FF/PM R. Joyner, and FF/EMT M. Allen, Capt. T. Reighley, Lt R. Bolton, FF/EMT Schacter and Station 4C.
Both programs are one week residency programs at the University of Richmond focusing on Leadership philosophies, firefighter safety and emerging issues in the fire service.
Join us in congratulating FF/PM K. Waskewicz and FF/PM J. Pruitt for graduating from VFOA-1, FF/PM J. Kaylor and FF/PM R. Matzuga for graduating from the VFOA-2 and BC T. Shannon and BC C. Turpin for graduating from the VFCOA.
On April 12th, personnel from Roanoke Fire-EMS were recognized at the Annual American Red Cross Celebration of Heroes event.
Tiffany Bradbury received the Community Impact Award for her dedication to the City of Roanoke community through risk reduction outreach and programs.
The crew at 7B received the Firefighter award for saving a couple trapped in their home during a house fire. Units arrived to find heavy smoke and fire conditions. Residents went back in the home to rescue family pets and became trapped by the fire. First arriving units set a ground ladder and helped the residents to safety.
FF/PM T. Lane received the Emergency Responder award for saving a woman found unresponsive.
Capt. C. Riddleberger was presented with a Life Saving Medal from the Sons of the Revolution Chapter. He was recognized for his actions that helped save a kayaker who fell into the Roanoke River.
Battalion Chief Matt Dewhirst completed his Executive Fire Officer Designation from the National Fire Academy. This is a high honor which took a lot of hard work and dedication to achieve.
Tiffany Bradbury was recognized as The Journey Hometown Hero for all of the work she has done behind the scenes for our department and the City of Roanoke community.
On August 13th, FF/PM T. Neas was selected by the students of Jefferson College of Health Sciences as the Roanoke City EMS Preceptor of the Year.
Kristen Perdue, or as we lovingly call her KP, is no stranger to our department. She started as an intern with us 8 years ago and then became a part time member of our staff. Kristen has a Bachelors Degree from Longwood University and has worked in the Office of Emergency Management at Virginia Tech. She most recently served as the Disaster Program Specialist for the American Red Cross. Kristen has a passion for sharing safety with our community and will be the point of contact for the department’s community events, media, and grants. We are happy to welcome her back to Roanoke Fire-EMS as a full-time team member!
On Nov. 12th, Roanoke Fire-EMS hosted its 15th Annual Fire Prevention Art Contest. Students from Roanoke City Public Schools participated in the contest and were awarded at the event. Students were also recognized in front of City Council, where they proudly got to show off their hard work to council and attending community members. Congratulations to all of the winners! Special thanks to Rockingham Insurance for their continued support of the event.
A group of child passenger safety technicians helped 28 kiddos be safer while traveling! Car Seat Technicians from Roanoke Fire-EMS, Carilion Children’s, Virginia Premiere, National Park Service and CHIP participated in Safe Kids Worldwide’s Seat Check Saturday. The event took place at Target in Roanoke.
On Sept. 19th, after three weekend cooking fires, Roanoke Fire-EMS partnered with the American Red Cross to offer Free Smoke Alarms to a neighborhood affected by one of the fires. The group installed smoke alarms and left safety information for 100+ residents.
On August 5th, Fire-EMS Station 1 hosted 45 middle school students from Huang She City, China. The class was taking part in Roanoke Catholic School’s exchange program.
In 2019, we debuted our new Sound-Off with the Home Fire Safety Patrol program. This program is made possible by the Center for National Prevention Initiatives, Michigan Public Health Institute, and Young Minds Inspired as well as the FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program- Fire Prevention Safety Grants. We were one of four departments in the state piloting the program that is teaching children how they can be fire safe at home!
Battalion Chief Trevor Shannon began his involvement in emergency services at the age of 16 in Lopatcong, NJ. While attending college, he was an active member of the Fort Lewis Volunteer Fire Department in Roanoke County and had received his initial fire-EMS training, including his EMT certification. In May of 2004, he was hired by Roanoke Fire-EMS for Recruit School #6, which began in July of that same year. Shannon was promoted to his current position of Battalion Chief of Emergency Management in 2019.
On April 19th, our Roanoke Regional Heavy Tactical Rescue/ USAR Team deployed to Franklin County assisting after a tornado came through the area. The team completed a house-to-house search looking for anyone that might have been trapped by debris. There were seven search teams, four of them from Roanoke. Other members assisted the Special Operations Branch.
Each year the National Hurricane Center conducts a Hurricane Awareness Tour (HAT) to raise awareness of the impacts from tropical cyclone threats and the danger of being caught without a personal hurricane plan. For the first time in the 40-year history of the HAT, Roanoke, Virginia was selected as a host site.
The tour spread awareness on the impacts of hurricanes, providing preparedness materials and answering questions about improving resilience, responsiveness and readiness to natural and man-made hazards.
The May 8th HAT held at the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport brought an estimated 2,500 attendees, making it one of the five largest attended tours in HAT history.
Planned Events: 4th of July fireworks, Blue Ridge Marathon, and Virginia Municipal League.
Incidents: Michael Brown Federal Search and Missing Person (10/24).
Training: Hosted TEEX Senior Officials Workshop Training.
On July 12th, a large swarm of honeybees found a home on a building in the 300 block of 1st St SW. There were so many honey bees the swarm could be seen from blocks away. These guests were later removed by a professional beekeeper and relocated safely.
The Fire Marshal’s Office and Fire Prevention Division are dedicated to the goal of reducing the number and impact of fire-related incidents within the City of Roanoke. We accomplish this through a comprehensive fire inspection program, plan review and acceptance testing of new construction and fire protection systems, and investigation of all fires that occur within the City. The Fire Marshal is also invested and involved in the fire and life safety education programs that are provided by the department’s Community Risk Reduction division.
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 Fire Marshal’s Office conducts plan reviews of new construction site plans to ensure the ability of the Fire-EMS Department 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 Fire Marshal’s Office 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.
The Code of Virginia requires that the Fire Marshal’s Office investigate all fires and explosions for the purpose of establishing cause and origin. 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 the fire should not be. Conversely, an intentional fire is a fire that 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 all incendiary fires are not arson – arson is a crime that also requires a malicious act. All fire investigations are conducted by state-certified fire investigators.
On September 24th, the Training Division took delivery of a retired Valley Metro bus for use at the Roanoke Valley Regional Fire & EMS Training Center. The bus will replace the current school bus used for the academy recruits and will also be used for rehabilitation during fire scenes as needed.
IMS Training
Vehicle Safety and RIC (classroom) training
RIC Practical
Surface Water class
Fire Behavior
Apparatus Familiarization
HazMat Monitoring
Nozzle Forward 4 ACLS, 4 PALS, 3 PHTLS classes
RSI Training
50% of ALS providers recertified
Escape Room EMS Training
Department CPR Recertification
Recruit Schools 24 & 25
Vehicle I
Rope II
Trench II
Instructor I, 3 Classes
DPO, 3 classes
EVOC IV
Driver Aerial Operator, 2 Classes
Man vs Machine
In 2019, two classes graduated from the Roanoke Valley Regional Fire & EMS Academy, on October 18th, Class #24, and on December 12th, Class #25.
Both groups started their journey on July 29th, 2019. Fifty-one recruits representing four localities embarked on their new careers in Fire-EMS. Departments represented in the academy are Roanoke Fire-EMS, Roanoke County Fire & Rescue, Salem Fire & EMS, and new to the regional academy, Boteourt Fire & EMS.
Recruit School 24 graduates came into the academy previously certified in Emergency Medical Services, either as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or Paramedic. Recruit School 25 graduates received their EMT Certification in class in addition to fire training.
Pictured are the newest members of Roanoke Fire-EMS, the full classes are pictured to the right following their graduation.
Roanoke Fire-EMS is proud to announce the promotions of thirty-two personnel to the ranks of Deputy Chief, Battalion Chief, Captain, 1st Lieutenant, and Lieutenant.
Promoted to Lt.- K. Inman, J. Kaylor, A. Mitchell, J. Palmer, J. Rivers, M. Wheeling, C. White, R. Smith, J. Hull, D. Muse, J. Focht, K. Thompson, and A. McKinney.
Promoted to 1st Lt.- A. Helems, D. Lucas, Z. Obenchain, M. Peay, C. Arrington, T. Meador, and M. Jenkins.
Promoted to Captain- R. Fleitz, J. Hodgin, R. Smith, R. Reid, D. Abel, B. Kasongo, M. Moomey, and J. VanDam.
Promoted to Battalion Chief- T. Shannon, C. Turpin, and T. Bedwell.
Promoted to Deputy Chief- M. Stone
In 2019, Roanoke Fire-EMS had nine personnel retire from our department. To all of our retirees, thank you for your years of service and enjoy retirement. We wish you well in your future endeavors!
Capt. Kevin Weeks (1/1), Lt. Breck Hudson (1/1), Lt. Darryl Songer (2/1), BC Dale Barker (2/1), FF/EMT Kenny Campbell (3/1), Lt Brent Scott (3/1), FF/PM Tim Harris (3/1), Capt. RT Flora (4/1), and FF/EMT Scott Hetherington (10/1).
Website- Roanokeva.gov/Fire-EMS
Facebook- RoanokeFireEMS
Twitter- @RoanokeFireEMS
Instagram- roanokefireems
Jobs- Workforroanokefireems.com