This Day in History August 31st

On this day in history there were two significant fires downtown. The Phillip Levy occurred in 1928 at 1321 hours 118 W. Salem Ave. The building collapsed at about 1530 hours. FF Ralph Daniels was injured during the fire and taken to Lewis Gale Hospital. One of the fleets 85 ft. ladder trucks was also damaged in the fire. Phillip Levy, which I believe was a warehouse (RoanokeFound?), had also caught fire on October 8, 1927. The building was a total loss during the second fire (picture below).

In the year of 1937 on this day another fire occurred at Thurman and Boone Furniture Store at 718 Nelson Street N.E. at around 0927 hours. I am unsure of any details of this fire and have not found any pictures to date. If you have anything to add please let me know. Also check out the RFFA 1132 Historical Timeline for more incidents.

Phillip Levy Fire

Richmond Ambulance tests "Public Utility Model"

The Richmond Ambulance Authority is testing a new delivery system for non life-threatening EMS calls. The RAA has always been an aggressive organization in relation to new EMS delivery ideas. They have served as host cities for new protocols and new innovations for a while now. As an "authority" which operates the EMS delivery of 911 in Richmond they are testing this new "Public Utility Model".

The new trial basically places nurses in touch with 911 callers to decipher whether or not the "emergency" warrants an ambulance. Richmond operates a prioritized 911 system, meaning that the dispatchers are Paramedics and can give the callers first aid instructions as well as prioritize the call and whether or not an ambulance responds with lights and sirens or not. Now under this new trial model the caller might be instructed to transport the patient to a clinic or get a free taxi voucher to a clinic. You can read more here.

It would be nice to see the Roanoke Fire-EMS work toward prioritized dispatch in the future and maybe even move towards a system like the one that RAA is trying out. I do not think that it is out of the question. I know there are medics out there reading this; what do you think?

Frienship Fire Station

This is a picture of the Friendship Fire Company #3. This is probably the firehouse they used before they moved to 4th and East. This picture would have been prior to 1892 when the new station was built and this station would have been located in the Market area.

Fire Station #1 Postcard

Here is a postcard that was on ebay. I saw that a Roanoke Firefighter had bid on it so I refrained from the bidding. I forgot to check in on the auction and missed that it sold for almost $23 I think. It appears as though the Ex-Mayor Ralph Smith might have outbid everyone to win this postcard. The winning bidder was Rockledge1. If you lookup this user; they sell trailer parts on ebay. However the firefighter did not win it. The last thing that I saw on ebay I refrained from bidding out another firefighter and he won it. $23 for an old postcard of our Fire Station #1. The interesting thing about this postcard is that I have not seen this postcard before. I'm not saying that I'm some old timer who has seen it all, what I'm saying is that I have seen a lot of historical images of the Fire Service in Roanoke and I had not seen this one prior.

Fire at 1802 Memorial Ave.

The Roanoke Fire-EMS Department responded to a commercial fire alarm on August 26, 2005 at The Village Grill on 1802 Memorial Ave.
The call was received through the 9-1-1 Center at approximately 12:55 a.m. and was quickly under control. The response of three Engines, one Ladder truck, two Medic units, one EMS Captain, one Investigative Unit and one Battalion Chief for a total of 22 personnel responded to the fire. The fire was under control at 1:06 a.m.
Upon arrival units found smoke showing and the alarm sounding. Fire crews entered the structure and found a fire in the kitchen area. Fire crews quickly extinguished the flames. The fire started in the kitchen and was contained to the kitchen.
The structure was not occupied at the time of the fire. There were no injuries to civilians or Fire-EMS personnel.
Damage estimates are approximately $7,000. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Fire at 1925 Airview Road

The Roanoke Fire-EMS Department responded to a residential fire on August 25, 2005 at 1925 Airview Rd.
The call was received through the 9-1-1 Center at approximately 10:00 a.m. and was quickly under control. The response of three Engines, one Ladder truck, two Medic units, one EMS Captain, one Investigative Unit, one Administrative Chief, one Battalion Chief and one Education Information Specialist for a total of 22 personnel were involved in the fire. The fire was under control at 10:14 a.m.
Upon arrival units saw light smoke coming from the structure. Fire crews entered the house and found a small pile of bedding on fire in a bedroom and quickly extinguished the flames. The fire started in the bedroom and was contained to the bedroom.
The structure was occupied at the time of the fire by eight people. Two of the residents were transported to a local hospital to be treated for a burn and smoke inhalation. The other five residents were unharmed. There were no injuries to Fire-EMS personnel.
The cause of the fire and damage estimates are undetermined and still under investigation. This house did have working smoke detectors.

Mystery Fire Station

Here is a mystery for you all. I had another photo of this station, however I cannot find it right now. I am pretty sure that the truck says Roanoke Fire Department Engine 10 or with a number 10 on it in the other photo. I will have to do some digging to find it. The mystery is what station is it and where was it. I have a feeling like it might have been a temporary Station 10 maybe on Williamson Rd. I do not know if I heard this somewhere or not. I do not know why there would have been a temporary Station #10. Maybe someone out there could help me out or maybe recognizes one of the firefighters pictured above.

Historic Fire Station #1 sprayed with graffiti

The other night or early morning Fire Station #1 was sprayed with graffiti. Check out the article. It appears as though they got on the roof to spray the graffiti, possibly by the building next door. Anyways I don't want to give the perpetrators anymore attention so check out the article in the Roanoke times for more info.

Captain Mike Armstrong receives the designation of "Chief Fire Officer"

Captain Mike Armstrong of the Roanoke Fire-EMS Department has successfully completed the process that awards him the professional designation of "Chief Fire Officer". The Commission on Chief Fire Officer Designation(CFOD) met on July 6, 2005 to officially confer the designation upon Captain Armstrong. Captain Armstrong is one of only 483 CFO's worldwide!

The Chief Fire Officer Designation program is a voluntary program designed to recognize individuals who demonstrate their excellence in seven measured components including: Experience, Education, Professional Development, Professional Contributions, Association Membership, Community Involvement and Technical Competencies.

Captain Armstrong has been a member of the Roanoke Fire-EMS Department for sixteen plus years and is currently a Captain at Station 14 on Mecca Street.

Congratulations, Captain Armstrong!

You can see Fire Associates, which is Mike's part time business at Fire Associates Online

Save Station #1

The Local 1132 website has been updated with information on the closing of Fire Station #1. Check out the site, which contains contact information for concerned citizens and business owners. Apparently the City Council will be voting on the new Fire Station on Tuesday September 6th, 2005. Don't let this Fire Station be closed down. Fire Station #1 serves the downtown area as well as a greater part of centeral Roanoke City. The station serves as a historical landmark, working museum, active fire station, tourist attraction, hotspot for field trips, as well as many other roles. This Fire Station is a symbol of the History, Tradition, Honor, and Bravery of all of the Firefighters who have ever worked for the Great City of Roanoke. If you would like more information the email contact is savestation1@adelphia.net.

Fire at 1732 Cleveland Ave.

The Roanoke Fire-EMS Department responded to an alarm for a commercial structure fire on August 19, 2005 at 1732 Cleveland Ave.
The call was received through the 9-1-1 Center at approximately 7:35 p.m. and was quickly under control. The response of four Engines, two Ladder trucks, two Medic units, one EMS Captain, one Investigative Unit, the Fire Marshal and one Battalion Chief for a total of 25 personnel were involved in the fire. The fire was under control at 7:50 p.m.
Upon arrival units saw heavy smoke and visible flames at the bay garage doors. Fire crews made an aggressive attack and put the fire out quickly. The fire started in an automobile inside of the building and was contained to the automobile. The structure was not occupied at the time of the fire. There were no injuries to citizens or Fire-EMS personnel.
The cause of the fire and damage estimates are undetermined and still under investigation.

Fire at 4642 Nelms Lane

The Roanoke Fire-EMS Department responded to an alarm for a residential structure fire on August 18, 2005 at 4642 Nelms Lane.
The call was received through the 9-1-1 Center at approximately 9:22 a.m., and was quickly under control. The response of two Engines, one Ladder truck, one Medic unit, one EMS Captain and one Battalion Chief were involved in the fire. The fire was under control at 9:31 a.m.
Upon arrival units saw light smoke coming from the structure. The occupant of the home was standing in the side yard and directed them to the kitchen. Upon investigation, fire crews found smoke throughout the first floor and the fire already extinguished. Fire crews then proceeded to ventilate the home. The fire was contained to the kitchen. Estimated cause of the fire was unattended food on the stove.
A smoke alarm alerted the occupant and she was able to escape the home with only minor burns to her hands. She was burned during her efforts to extinguish the fire. There were no injuries to Fire-EMS personnel.
Damage estimate is approximately $4,500.

Fire at 2832 Huntington Blvd.

The Roanoke Fire-EMS Department responded to an alarm for a residential structure fire on August 19, 2005 at 2832 Huntington Blvd.
The call was received through the 9-1-1 Center at approximately 5:55 a.m., and was quickly under control. The response of three Engines, one Ladder truck, two Medic units, one EMS Captain, one Investigative Unit and one Battalion Chief for a total of 20 personnel were involved in the fire. The fire was under control at 6:12 a.m.
Upon arrival units saw heavy flames coming from the upstairs of the structure. Fire crews made an aggressive attack and put the fire out. Salvage and overhaul of the situation were effective in minimizing loss. The fire started in the bedroom and was contained to the bedroom.
The house was occupied at the time of the fire. Three residents escaped unharmed. There were no injuries to citizens or Fire-EMS personnel.
The cause of the fire was an overheated electric cord. Damage estimate is approximately $35,000.

Star City FOOLS

Here is a plug for the FOOLS. Just to let you all know about them if you didn't already. Check them out at http://www.geocities.com/irons_n_hook/main.html. The local chapter is the Star City Fools. The FOOLS International can be found at www.foolsinternational.com. So check them out. From what I understand they are having a membership drive now. They have email contacts on their site.

Squad 1

You thought I didn't care. Here is a picture of Squad 1 (Oren). I do not know the exact date of the picture, however I believe this is after its heyday downtown. Maybe Captain Yearout can fill us in on what it is doing in front of Station #13.

The Color of Trucks

An update to the Red fire trucks posts. I had an idea about this, however I was not exactly sure. Roanoke Fire Department started with red fire trucks up until the 1918 models were bought. The 1918 model trucks (which were purchased in 1918 and the years following) were grey. The 1950 model trucks (built in that era) were also grey, these include the grey ghosts. I am told that Squad 1 was purchased red. The fire trucks remained grey until ? I am guessing the 70's. At this time the trucks were bought painted yellow. Not the Chesterfield yellow, more of the Henrico lime/yellow. I am not sure of the exact number of fire trucks that were yellow, however it does not seem like too many. Maybe a half a dozen. Maybe someone can fill me in. Then in 1983 the trucks were once again bought painted red. So there you have it. The reason why I do not have much information on the yellow trucks is 1) They weren't yellow long 2) That era was not as historically cataloged as others 3) 80% of the current department was not here then 4) The city guys are not to proud of the days when our trucks looked like the County (I couldn't resist).

I will look forward to more information from you all. I am getting geared up for another rush on the history once all the MDA fundraising is complete for the year. Just remember that the Fill the Boot is coming up August 26,27,28. Contact your Shift Vice President to sign up or contact me by email.

Red Fire Trucks

So I have been told this is correct information. I have checked out what I have had time to, and I will leave the rest up to you all. Another firefighter sent me this information and I am passing it on. I really appreciate all of the input from everyone. I will add to this information as I learn it. I have not begun the task of documenting every fire truck the city has had, although I need to start soon. There are some really good resources still working for the department who know most of every truck that has been in service for the past 30 years and then some. Here is the information that was sent to me, as always feel free to post comments or email me on any corrections or additions. My comments are italicized in red, although there is still room for error. Feel free to call me out.

These trucks were red when bought:

In June of 83 a Hendrickson cab and chassis Grumman built was purchased for station 10.

Check the date of R902 see if it isn't a 84 or 85 model and was put at 9.

Or I may have these two trucks backwards as far as original placement.

Check the date of engine 13,86 (89?)model I think? It was originally built as Engine 1 for station 1.

Also old 11 that was just replaced was an 87 or 88 model(89 also?).

This truck also replaced a 63 ford like 8 was.

In the fall of 1984 engine 8 was bought. It was a demo truck and replaced a 1963 Ford cab over that you walked through the hose bed to get to the jump seat area. The leader lines were under the walkway to the jump seats. This truck put in reserve status. As for the new 8(1984), I think it was a Grumman (Seagrave?)and was purchased under Chief Kerleys tenure.

And of course, 91 was the 5 grummans that are currently in service(2,3,6,7,8).

Engine 5 is the only 91 Grumman that has been replaced and put at another station.

It went to 10 and then to 8 where it is now.

Dr. Seuss Strikes at MDA Camp

Don't Say I didn't tell you so. Here is the proof that Dr. Seuss was at the camp. Now you have to ask yourself who was there. Well the answer is, you should have been there and you would know. As far as who he is or what he looks like, I can't tell you. I will tell you that I did not see him sign his name on the banner. Notice the signature right in the middle on the top. Click the picture to enlarge it. There it is. Do you need any other explanation? Ok that is it for a while with the Dr. Seuss nonsense.

Could it be Dr. Seuss

I think I might have nabbed the Cat in the Hat. Although I have heard most of you ask if it is indeed me. Now before you go jumping to conclusions, remember that this is only a picture. This does not constitute proof of anything. Check back to see who else might indeed be Dr. Suess.
I can only say
Well what would you say
If they looked your way
You might squirm
Like a little worm
Or deny it all day long
Say it is someone else's song
Maybe it is a few
Who are called thing one and thing two
Maybe it is one
And he is someone's son
Or maybe they live at the Rock
And don't have to follow the flock


Either way I am sure that you will know it is not me once the Real Dr. Seuss reads this in disgust. So be it. You do not know who Dr. Seuss really is and I think that it is hilarious. Such a peak of interest within the department that has cause such hostility for a couple and such hilarity for many.

Firefighters in the News

Blog from on High's Jerry Furhman will appreciate these stories. He had a recent post on his blog about the bombs found by the firefighters recently.

First we have a man threatening to blow up a residence. Firefighters set up on scene in expectation of a man carrying out the threat to blow up a house.

From the Roanoke Times:

"Police were first notified of the subject when they responded to a domestic dispute call at 3:47 p.m. in the 2700 block of Colonial Avenue, she said. A section of Colonial Avenue near the Towers Shopping Center was blocked off during this time and briefly evacuated as police investigated a house in the area. "(link)

Luckily the man did not carry out the threat.

In another story a 38 y.o. firefighter from Roanoke City (according to the Roanoke Times) followed and tackled a man in Tanglewood Mall after he dropped a gun and picked it back up and fled. The firefighter was able to catch up to the suspect and restrained him until Police arrived.(link)

While I do not condone everyone running after suspects or suspicious persons, this shows once again that even off duty, firefighters are truly courageous in protecting the citizens of the Valley. Once I find out who this masked man is I will report. I think it may have been Dr. Seuss. But that is only a guess.

I have more to come. I received pictures from the MDA cookout/fishing tournament and the Golf Tournament. I also have a rather incriminating picture of a County Firefighter that I might have to hold on to for blackmail purposes. Check out Local 1132 for updates this evening.

Deceased: John William White

John William White

Roanoke City Firefighter

October 26, 1976-August 16, 1983

From what I have heard about FF White is that he was stationed at Fire Station #1. He was 55 years old and died on August 9, 2005.

Excerpt from the Roanoke Times obituaries:

"Graveside services will be 1 p.m. Friday, August, 12, 2005 at Culpeper National Cemetery, Culpeper, VA. Arrangements by Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent to www.Hamlar-Curtis.com. "

New Toy

I got a hold of Adobe Photoshop and look what I was able to make. It only took about 2 hours. This stuff is not that easy, especially when you don't read the directions. Jeff Proulx and I sat down and were able to figure out another photoshop type. So you guys will have to sit back and see what I come up with. The Local 1132 website is going to have to watch out. So let me know what you think about my first attempt at design.

Firefighters find bombs in local Cemetery

Roanoke City Firefighters found 2 homemade bombs in St. Andrews Cemetery on Monday. The firefighters responded to a trash bin fire when they made the discovery. This is a reminder to all the firefighters in the Valley of the possibilities of these occurrences. Be safe and take care. (Link)

New Stations

I just spoke to someone who brought up a good point in relation to the new stations. He said that you never hear a single firefighter say "I want a new Fire Station". Firefighters are a rare breed for sure, however as long as they have what they need to get their job done they are a very happy bunch.

Sure the firefighters are bound to complain if water is running into the station because of leaks when it is raining. And yes this has happened due to the City letting some of the Fire Stations go in hopes of building new ones. We are human after all. But a new station is not on the top of our priority list. Here are some of the things that are though:

Firefighters main concern on budgetary issues, which we rarely have enough money to get many of the things we need, is when are we going to get newer and more reliable Fire Apparatus.

When will the tired worn out Fire Trucks be replaced by something newer?

When will the City finally invest in our Health by installing Diesel Exhaust Systems in our bays to remove the carcinogens?

When will we be able to afford to pay Firefighters to attend off-duty training? And yes some of the training is paid, however most of it is not.

Case and Point: I got a call on Thursday about a 2 1/2 week class that was supposed to start today. I was told that I would not be attending the class because the Department could not afford to pay the overtime needed to fill my spot while I was gone. Now mind you I had been planning on going for months now. I even planned a trip one weekend that I would be off because of the class, and now I have to cancel my plans because the department could not afford it. I will also have to wait until the next class and hope that we can afford it then.



I will continue to ask this question until I get an answer.

Why are we building a new station in the first place? All I want is a straight answer. To the point. Anything will do for now.

I was asked the other day if I am against the Consolidation of Station 5 and 9. I am not. However I do have some serious concerns as should the Communities involved. I will list the concerns and explanations below.

Station 1 consists of Ladder 1, Battalion Chief 1, and Rescue Supervisor 1.
Station 3 consists of Engine 3 and Medic 3
Station 5 consists of Engine 5
Station 9 consists of Engine 9 and Medic 9

As I understand the consolidation plan as told to me by the Fire Chief, the new fire station #1 will house Engine 3, medic 3, ladder 1, RS-1, and BC-1. I guess it should be at least 5 bays if the units are going to pull through.

The new fire station #3 (5 and 9 consolidated) will house Engine 5, Engine 9, Medic 9, and Ladder 13. At least this is what everyone is being told. I am afraid that in order to find out the truth we will just have to wait and see.

The firefighters do not want to lose an Engine Company. It is more likely that the New 5 and 9 station will only have one Engine company. Therefore losing an Engine Company. Or I have heard the rumor that one of the Engines will be replaced by a Dry Squad (Rescue truck that has specialized tools on it and firefighters who are equipped to fight fires, does not carry water or hose). Well a Dry Squad cannot have a first due territory because it does not carry water. It cannot be relied upon as an engine and is not an Engine, so if they were to do this it would be in effect the same as getting rid of an Engine.

With moving Station 3 to the new location and moving Station 5 to the new location this will leave a huge gap in the middle. This area is a high call volume area. The citizens in this area will have to wait longer for Fire and EMS service.

If you would like more information on this contact me by email.

Fire at 1002 Bullitt Ave.

The Roanoke Fire-EMS Department responded to an alarm for a structure fire on August 6, 2005 at 1002 Bullitt Ave. The call was received through the 9-1-1 Center at approximately midnight, and was quickly under control. The response of three Engines, one Ladder truck, two Medic units and one Battalion Chief were involved in the fire. The fire was under control at 12:15 a.m.
This is a residential structure that was occupied at the time of the fire by three people that all escaped unharmed.
Upon arrival units saw smoke coming from the attic. Fire crews made an aggressive attack and extinguised the fire quickly. There were no injuries to citizens or Fire-EMS personnel. The fire began in the attic and the fire was contained to the attic.
Damage estimate is approximately $1,200. The cause of the fire appeared to be from a lightning strike and has been ruled accidental.

In Case of Emergency (I.C.E)

This is a follow up to Battalion Chief Manuel's email to the Roanoke Fire-EMS Department.

BC Roger Manuel wrote:

"Paramedics will turn to a victim's cell phone for clues to that person's identity. You can make their job much easier with a simple idea that they are trying to get everyone to adopt: ICE. ICE stands for In Case of Emergency. If you add an entry in the contacts list in your cell phone under ICE, with the name and phone no. of the person that the emergency services should call on your behalf, you can save them alot of time and have your loved ones contacted quickly. It only takes a few moments of your time to do. Paramedics know what ICE means and they look for it immediately. ICE your cell phone NOW! Please pass this one along!"

Here is a little more information from East Anglian Ambulance which is was formed in 1994 by amalgamating the Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk Ambulance Services, the East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust provides emergency and non-emergency transport services as part of the NHS team in East Anglia, England.

The following excerpt is located here.


"A Cambridge-based paramedic has launched a national campaign with Vodafone to encourage people to store emergency contact details in their mobile phones. Bob Brotchie, a clinical team leader for the East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust, hatched the plan last year after struggling to get contact details from shocked or injured patients. By entering the acronym ICE for In Case of Emergency into the mobile's phone book, users can log the name and number of someone who should be contacted in an emergency. The idea follows research carried out by Vodafone that shows more than 75 per cent of people carry no details of who they would like telephoned following a serious accident. Bob, 41, who has been a paramedic for 13 years, said: I was reflecting on some of the calls I've attended at the roadside where I had to look through the mobile phone contacts struggling for information on a shocked or injured person. It's difficult to know who to call. Someone might have a number in their phone book that doesn't mean they'd want them contacted in an emergency. Almost everyone carries a mobile phone now, and with ICE we'd know immediately who to contact and what number to ring. The person may even know of their medical history. The campaign was launched this week by Bob and Falklands war hero Simon Weston in association with Vodafones annual Life Savers Awards. Vodafone spokesperson Ally Stevens said: The Life Savers Awards already demonstrate, through practical example, the important role a mobile phone can play when minutes matter in an emergency. By adopting the ICE advice, your mobile will now also help the rescue services quickly contact a friend or relative which could be vital in a life or death situation. The campaign is also asking people to think carefully about who will be their ICE partner - with helpful advice on who to choose - particularly if that person has to give consent for emergency medical treatment. Bob hopes that all emergency services will promote ICE in their area as part of a national awareness campaign to highlight the importance of carrying next of kin details at all times. He said the idea was for the benefit of loved ones as well as the patient. Research suggests people recover quicker from the psychological effects of their loved one being hurt if they are involved at an earlier stage and they can reach them quickly," he added. He said he hoped mobile phone companies would now build the ICE contact into future models, adding: "It's not a difficult thing to do. As many people say they carry mobile phones in case of an emergency, it seems natural this information should be kept there." Nominations for the Life Savers Awards can be made by contacting the awards hotline on 0870 902 3333 or visiting www.vodafone.co.uk/lifesavers"


Snopes.com has found and posted information on I.C.E.


This is what the LAFD has to say about I.C.E.

If you have any other questions please leave a comment and I will see what I can find.

Firefighters Beat the Police On the Court

So the verdict is in and the Roanoke Fire Fighters Association beat the Roanoke Police Department by 8 points (unofficial stats) in the Charity Basketball Game this evening at Roanoke Catholic. So you better believe that I will be hanging out in the front yard until my neighbor who played in the game (Roanoke Police Officer) comes out to hang his head in shame and concede that we won. And that we are the best. I will post more information as I get it. I am sure that there is plenty of off-duty Police Officers and Firefighters downtown right now doing a little bit of the drinky-drink. I am also sure that the Police are coming up with every excuse in the book.

On a serious note, the Roanoke Fire Fighters Association would like to thank all of the Firefighters, Police Officers, sponsors, Roanoke Catholic, and fans in raising money for both the MDA and CYCLE. It is good to see the partnership in action for the good of the community.

Bumper Stickers

Uh Oh I have been hacked by Dr. Seuss.

There are Bumper Stickers available that say "Fire Station #1 is working so why move it?" If you would like one of these bumper stickers please let me know and I will point you in the right direction. There is a bonus bumper sticker available if you want it so let me know.

The Basketball game between the Roanoke Police Department and the Roanoke Fire Fighters Association is tomorrow night. You can find more information at http://www.local1132.org.

I just want to let all the Union Brothers and Sisters out their that I do not mind at all hearing about all the things going on in the Department that they are concerned about. So if you have some concerns please let one of the Union Representatives know. If you would like to assist with any activities please let one of us know. I am also available to explain or discuss any questions you might have about Local 1132 activities.

Fire at Hooker Furniture

Engines Responding were E-2, E-3, E-5, E-6, E-11, E-14.

Ladders responding were L-1, L-2, L-7

Other Units BC-1, BC-2, Chief 2, Chief 3, HazMat1, Investigation 1, Medic 6, Medic 1, Medic 2, RS-1, PIO.

The Roanoke Fire-EMS Department responded to an alarm for a structure fire on August 3, 2005 at 2005 Greenbrier Ave., Hooker Furniture.
The call was received through the 9-1-1 Center at approximately 7:57 p.m., and was quickly under control. The response of six Engines, three Ladder trucks, three Medic units, one Hazmat Truck, one EMS Captain, two Administrative Chiefs, one Investigative Unit, two Battalion Chiefs and one Education Information Specialist were involved in the fire. The fire was under control at 8:22 p.m.
This is a commercial structure that was not occupied at the time of the fire. Upon arrival units saw smoke coming from external vents. Upon investigating, fire crews called a second alarm. The sprinkler system had contained the fire and fire crews made an aggressive attack and extinguised the fire quickly. There were no injuries to citizens or Fire-EMS personnel. The fire began in the paint booth vent and was contained to the paint booth and vent system.
The facility manager estimated the building to be worth $2.5 million dollars, but due to the quick actions of the fire crews, damage estimates were approximately $5,000.
The cause was spontaneous combustion and has been ruled accidental.

1918 Water Tower Fire Truck

This is a picture of the 1918 watertower. I have attached the most recent post on the truck. I will try to post more pictures soon.

"I just got back from Cycle Systems in SW Roanoke and I have good news and not so good news. The good news is that I have found the 1918 Water Tower that was housed at Station #10 (now #2 on Noble Ave.) This truck was a one of a kind for the city and it still has the wooden wheels and solid rubber tires on it. However it is in bad shape. I am not sure what if anything was scrapped on it, however the body panels are gone and it is pretty much just the frame. It still has the motor, water tower, gears, even some hose on it, but it is completely covered in rust. Can it be restored? I am not sure, I am not in that business, however it is worth looking into. I would like to thank Pete Hristov and Jay Brenner at Cycle Systems with their assistance in showing me the truck. There is also the tractor part of a tiller truck also 1918 model next to it. I will attach pictures in the future hopefully."

Engine 3 in 1984

Engine 3 at Station 3

Photo taken August 1984

Photo courtesy of Lt. Baron Gibson 6-C

This is Engine 3 in 1984. The engine was most recently known as R-901 in our reserve fleet. This Engine was just taken out of service for good and sits at the City garage. This truck was repainted red to match the rest of the fleet. I am not sure when the switch was made. If you know when they started buying red trucks please let me know.

Fire at 1119 Chapman Ave.

The Roanoke Fire-EMS Department responded to an alarm for a structure fire on August 2, 2005 at 1119 Chapman Ave.
The call was received through the 9-1-1 Center at approximately 1:52 a.m., and was quickly under control. The response of three Engines, one Ladder truck, two Medic units, one EMS Captain, one Investigation Unit and one Battalion Chief were involved in the fire.
This is a residential structure. Upon arrival units saw smoke and flames coming from the side of the second floor apartment. They made an agressive attack and extinguished the fire rapidly.
The building was not occupied at the time of the fire. There were no injuries to citizens or Fire-EMS personnel.
Damage estimate is approximately $25,000. The cause is under investigation.