In Blue Ridge Volunteers are needed for Blue Ridge Volunteer Fire Dept.

BLUE RIDGE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT STILL NEEDS VOLUNTEERS

BLUE RIDGE RESCUE CEASES OPERATION AFTER 40 YEARS SERVING THE COMMUNITY

Many may have noted the reports that the Blue Ridge Volunteer Rescue Squad has ceased operation after almost 40 years of serving the Blue Ridge and Botetourt community.  The rescue squad fell victim, like many other volunteer EMS agencies, to the lack of volunteers and thus not being able to continue to provide the EMS service needed.  This is an unfortunate reality of today’s society with work and family concerns limiting volunteer activities.  The EMS service in Blue Ridge will be assumed by the Botetourt Fire and EMS Department, but not without a cost to the county.  The seven new employees required to staff an ambulance in Blue Ridge comes with an approximate price tag of $300,000 to the taxpayer.  The volunteers have benefited the county immensely over the past 40 years and this service will be greatly missed in the community.

The Blue Ridge Volunteer Fire Department continues to provide fire protection to the Blue Ridge and Botetourt community, but they need more volunteers, especially those that might be available for emergency calls during daytime hours.  Chief Maddox of the Blue Ridge department noted that as hard as it may seem to volunteer time, the sense of satisfaction gained from being able to help your neighbors is well worth the time expended.  He also noted that not all volunteers need to feel like they must be able to go into a burning building.  Of course, there need to be those willing to fight fire, but many different tasks are needed to run a smooth fire department. Things like driving the trucks and running the pumps or just being a general helper on the scene of a fire can be a great asset.  Many of the fire department’s emergency calls are not for fire emergencies.  There are things like car accidents and technical rescues which need a different set of skills as well as community service training and advocacy.  Chief Maddox stressed that if you have the desire to serve your community, we can find a spot for you.

The Blue Ridge department also wanted to assure the community that the community’s donations to the rescue squad were handled properly.  The department is incorporated with the state of Virginia as the Blue Ridge Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad, Inc.  This combined incorporation made it easy for the rescue squad to combine all its funds and assets into the fire department, so the assets continue to help provide emergency services to the community.  The department would one day like to provide first responder service to the community to help when the county ambulance is unavailable or if additional assistance is needed.  But they would need the volunteers required to provide this service.  This is another way you can serve your community.  For information on how you can volunteer you can visit the Blue Ridge Volunteer Fire Department at www.blueridgefiredept.com or call 540-977-2094 and leave a message.

–Submitted by Michael Rock, BRVD