6th Annual Deschutes Tinker Creek Cleanup Success

On Saturday, August 6th, over 100 volunteers removed almost 2 tons of trash and debris & 14 tires from Tinker Creek and Lick Run. Huge thanks to our volunteers and sponsors including Deschutes Brewery, Clean Valley Council, Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc., and Stantec. Together we can create a clean water legacy!

Thanks everyone! We will see you next year

Heavy Technical and Swift Water Rescue Teams Training  

Roanoke Fire-EMS is part of the Division 6 Heavy Technical and Swift Water Rescue Teams.  This team consists of Roanoke Fire-EMS, Roanoke County Fire & Rescue and Salem Fire-EMS.  This team is on call, ready to serve, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.  The team responds to incidents including: building collapse, swift water rescue, trench collapse, etc.
 
The HTR & Swift Water Rescue Teams are stationed out of Roanoke Fire-EMS Station 6.  The department has an HTR response vehicle and several boats to respond to calls as needed.  The teams have been recognized with numerous accolades for their heroic response to incidents. 

Check out these pictures from our Heavy Technical Rescue Team's rope training that recently took place! They spent several days practicing high-angle rope rescues downtown on the Church Ave parking garage.  Capt. Todd Reighley and FF Pierce also recently attended a swift water rescue training focused on rescuing from vehicles in water.

2nd Annual Roanoke Runs for Refugees 

Support worldwide refugees coming to Roanoke by running or walking in this Welcoming Week 2022 kickoff event on September 9, 2022!

The kids' 1K race will begin at 6:00, and the 5K fun run/walk will start at 6:20. The 5K will be chip timed this year. Both races will start and finish on the Roanoke River Greenway at Wasena Park.  

If you'd like to support the run, but don't want to run or walk, you can sign up to volunteer! Please call 540.268.0359 for more information about volunteering.

Click here for more race information or to sign up!

This year's race is presented by the Roanoke Public Library Foundation in partnership with the City of Roanoke Public Libraries.  All proceeds will go to the Refugee Resettlement Program through Commonwealth Catholic Charities (https://www.cccofva.org/resettlement-services).

Back to School- School Bus Safety

Roanoke City Public Schools ’22-’23 school year kicked off this week! According to the VA Department of Motor Vehicles, nearly one million students are safely transported in school buses daily across Virginia to school, field trips, athletics and other school-sponsored activities. Most school bus incidents happen when students are traveling to the bus stop or getting on and off the bus. Motorists should watch for children gathering near bus stops and walking in groups to and from the bus stop. Drivers should be extra alert for children walking or bicycling to school when:

• backing out of a driveway or leaving a garage
• driving in neighborhoods with school zones
• there are no sidewalks in a neighborhood

Please use caution and be aware when encountering a school bus. Virginia motorists must:

• stop for stopped school buses with flashing red lights and an extended stop sign when approaching from any direction
• remain stopped until everyone is clear, and the bus moves again
• stop whenever the bus is loading or unloading passengers, even if the lights and stop sign are not activated

If a school bus is on the opposite side of a median or barrier, motorists aren’t required to stop; however, drivers should be prepared for students exiting the school bus and crossing into their lanes.

Get to Know Your S.R.O.

With school back in session, our RPD School Resource Officers are ready to welcome the Roanoke City Public Schools students back to the classrooms. We can't wait to learn and have fun with you all this school semester! If you ever need help, you can always ask or talk to the S.R.O. at your school. They're always ready to offer a helping hand.