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Roanoke Fire-EMS (Virginia)

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Department Profile[]

The Roanoke Fire-EMS Department holds a Class 1 PPC rating with the Insurance Services Office (ISO) and is an Accredited Agency through Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI). The department is currently comprised of the following:

  • 11 Fire stations
  • 10 Engine companies
  • 4 Ladder companies
    • 1 107' rear-mount aerial
    • 2 105' rear-mount aerials
    • 1 100' tractor-drawn aerial
  • 9 Full-time ambulances
    • 7 Advanced Life Support ambulances
    • 2 Basic Life Support ambulances
  • 3 Peak-time ambulances
    • 2 Advanced Life Support ambulances
    • 1 Basic Life Support ambulances
  • 2 Battalion chiefs
  • 2 EMS supervisors

Rank Structure[]

  • Chief
  • Deputy Chief
  • Battalion Chief
  • Captain
  • First Lieutenant
  • Lieutenant
  • Firefighter

History[]

Beginnings[]

In 1882, the first organized firefighting force was established in the then Town of Roanoke. By 1888, four volunteer fire companies were providing fire protection to the City of Roanoke. In March 1903, the first paid firefighters were hired. In March 1907, the Roanoke Fire Department transitioned to a fully paid firefighting force. By 1909, the department operated three fire stations (No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3). In 1911, three additional fire stations (No. 4, No. 5, and No. 6) were opened and the first engine powered fire engines were purchased. By 1918, all horse-drawn fire apparatus were placed out of service. During the 1920s, three more fire stations (No. 7, No. 8, and No. 9) were opened. A second platoon was created in 1936.

Annexations[]

After a major annexation in 1949 increased the city boundaries to the north and southeast, two additional fire stations (No. 10 and No. 11) were opened. In 1952, Roanoke firefighters formed a union, IAFF Local 1132. The department hired its first Black firefighters on December 2, 1963. A third platoon was created in 1972. A fire station (No. 10) was opened at the Roanoke Regional Airport in 1974 to provide improved ARFF services. In 1976, three more fire stations (No. 4, No. 12, and No. 13) were opened after a major annexation increased the city boundaries to the northwest and southwest.

Emergency Medical Services[]

In January 1985, the City of Roanoke created a paid emergency medical services program, hiring 12 full time and 6 part time paramedics, to supplement the three volunteer EMS agencies. In July 1987, the Hunton Life Saving Crew disbanded and in 1989, the two remaining EMS agencies, the Roanoke Life Saving Crew and the Williamson Road Life Saving Crew, merged to create a single department known as Roanoke Emergency Medical Services. In 1991, the Roanoke Fire Department implemented a first responder program. An additional fire station (No. 14) was opened in 1992. In November 1995, the Roanoke Fire Department merged with Roanoke Emergency Medical Services to create the Roanoke Fire-EMS Department. Since 2000, the department has increased EMS staffing from five full time ambulances and one EMS supervisor to nine full time ambulances, three peak time ambulances, and two EMS supervisors. During that same period, fire suppression staffing has decreased from 13 engine companies and four ladder companies to 10 engine companies, one quint company, and three ladder companies. Three fire stations (No. 9, No. 10, No. 12) have closed and ARFF services have been outsourced to a private contractor.

Fire Stations[]

Station Address In Service Notes
1 13 Church Avenue SE 1907-2007 Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Sold to a private business.
2 Northwest corner of 4th Street NE and East Avenue NE 1907-1951 Constructed in 1892 for the Friendship Volunteer Fire Company #3. Demolished.
3 301 6th Street SW 1909-2007 Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Sold to a private business.
4 323 Highland Avenue SW 1911-1964 Sold to the adjacent church. Demolished.
4 Peters Creek Road SW 1976-1999
5 216 12th Street NW 1911-2010 Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Sold to a non-profit organization.
6 1015 Jamison Avenue SE 1911-1979 Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Repurposed as a community center.
7 1742 Memorial Avenue SW 1922-2019 Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Demolished. New station built on site.
9 514 24th Street NW 1929-2010 Sold to a private business.
10 Williamson Road and Fugate Road NE 1949-1950 Former Williamson Road Volunteer Fire Department. Volunteer fire company disbanded and replaced by city firefighters after annexation in 1949. Operated out of a former gas station. Demolished.
10 5202 Aviation Drive NW 1974-2009 Initially numbered Station 12, it was renumbered Station 10 shortly after opening. Sold to the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport.
11 Garden City Boulevard SE 1949-1964 Former Garden City Volunteer Fire Department. Remained a volunteer fire station after annexation in 1949. Volunteer fire company disbanded circa 1964 after a replacement station opened. Operated out of a detached garage at a private residence.
11 2264 Bennington St SE 1964- Formerly addressed as 1502 Riverland Road SE.
12 4810 Salem Turnpike NW 1976-2001 Sold to a private business.
13 Appleton Road NW 1976-1979

Companies[]

Company Date(s) Organized or Re-organized Action(s) / Notes.
Engine 1 February 7, 1907
March 2, 1992
May 9, 2007 		Organized as Hose Company 1.
Reassigned to Station 14 as Engine 14.
Reorganized.
Engine 2 February 7, 1907
1951
March 14, 1974 		Organized as Hose Company 2.
Disbanded.
Reorganized.
Engine 3 April 12, 1909
May 9, 2007
January 16, 2009 		Organized as Chemical and Hose Company 3.
Reassigned to Station 1 as Engine 1.
Reorganized.
Engine 4 September 5, 1911
January 1, 1965
1976 		Organized.
Disbanded.
Reorganized.
Engine 5 September 5, 1911 Organized.
Engine 6 September 5, 1911 Organized.
Engine 7 December 13, 1922
July 10, 2007 		Organized.
Disbanded.
Engine 8 January 23, 1929 Organized.
Engine 9 October 2, 1929
June 22, 2010 		Organized.
Disbanded.
Engine 10 January 1, 1949
January 16, 2009 		Organized.
Reassigned to Station 3 as Engine 3.
Engine 11 January 1, 1949
March 14, 1964 		Organized.
Transitioned from volunteer to career staffing.
Engine 12 August 1976
2001 		Organized.
Disbanded.
Engine 13 1976 Organized.
Engine 14 March 2, 1992 Organized.
Ladder 1 February 7, 1907 Organized as Hook and Ladder Company 1.
Ladder 2 1909 Organized as Hook and Ladder Company 2. Initially assigned to Station 3.
Ladder 3 Organized.
Disbanded.
Ladder 4 Organized.
Disbanded.
Ladder 5 June 22, 2010 Organized.
Ladder 7 Organized.
Ladder 9 ?
1998 		Organized.
Reassigned to Station 13 as Ladder 13.
Ladder 13 1998
June 22, 2010 		Organized.
Reassigned to Station 5 as Ladder 5.
Squad 1 Organized.
Disbanded.

Apparatus Roster[]

  • All pump/tank measurements are in US gallons.
  • Shop number in brackets.

Historic Fire Station 1 - 13 Church Avenue SE[]

Built 1907, Closed in 2007.

Fire Station 1 - 704 Franklin Road SW[]

Built 2007

Fire Station 2 - 55 Noble Avenue NE[]

Built 1950

Fire Station 3 - 4803 Williamson Road NW[]

Built 2009

Fire Station 4 - 3763 Peters Creek Road SW[]

Built 1999

Fire Station 5 - 1920 Orange Avenue NW[]

Built 2010

  • Engine 5 (1124) - 2013 Pierce Quantum 6700 (1500/500/30F) (SN#27025)
  • Ladder 5 (1102) - 2010 Pierce Velocity PUC (1500/300/105' rear-mount) (SN#22680)
  • Medic 5 (1041) - 2016 Ford E-450 / Wheeled Coach
  • Medic 105 (1051) - Chevrolet Express
  • Rescue Supervisor 2 (1024) - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 4x4 / ESI (Ex-Rescue Supervisor 1)
  • Battalion 2 (1040) - 2016 Chevrolet 4x4

Fire Station 6 - 1333 Jamison Avenue SE[]

Built 1979

Fire Station 7 - 1742 Memorial Avenue SW[]

Built 2021

  • Ladder 7 (1129) - 2019 Pierce Enforcer 7000 (2000/500/107' Ascendant rear-mount) (SN#32479)
  • Medic 7 (1030) - 2014 Chevrolet Express / Wheeled Coach

Fire Station 8 - 2328 Crystal Spring Avenue SW[]

Built 1929

  • Engine 8 (1114) - 2012 Pierce Velocity 7000 (1500/750/30F) (SN#25348)
  • Medic 8 - Ram

Fire Station 11 - 2264 Bennington Street SE[]

Built 1964

Fire Station 13 - 4330 Appleton Avenue NW[]

Built 1978

  • Engine 13 (1111) - 2022 Pierce Enforcer 7000 (1500/1000) (SN#36773-02)
  • Medic 13 (1053) - 2019 Ford E-450 / Wheeled Coach

Fire Station 14 - 1061 Mecca Street NE[]

Built 1992

  • Engine 14 (1118) - 2018 Pierce Quantum 6700 (1500/500/30F) (SN#31476-03)
  • Medic 14 - 20?? Chevrolet Express

Reserve Apparatus[]

  • Reserve Engine 901 (046) - 2001 KME Excel (1500/500) (55’ rear-mount Firestix removed) (Ex-Engine 14)
  • Reserve Engine 903 (023) - 2000 KME Excel (1500/500/40F) (55’ rear-mount Firestix removed) (SN#4182) (Ex-Engine 4)
  • Reserve Engine 904 (039) - 2002 KME Excel (1500/500/30F) (55' rear-mount Firestix removed) (SN#5217) (Ex-Engine 10, ex-Engine 3)
  • Reserve Engine 905 (043) - 2005 Pierce Quantum (1500/750/40F) (SN#16647) (Ex-Engine 3, ex-Engine 2)
  • Reserve Ladder 901 (098) - 2004 Pierce Dash 2000 (2000/300/95' mid-mount platform) (SN#15009) (Ex-Ladder 2)
  • Reserve Ladder 902 (1101) - 2009 Pierce Velocity (1500/480/20F/75' rear-mount) (SN#21818) (Ex-Ladder 7)

Assignment Unknown[]

  • 2021 Ford E-450 / Wheeled Coach Type III ambulance (SN#529448)
  • (1048) - 2018 Ram 3500 / ESI (Ex-Rescue Supervisor 1)
  • 2016 Ford E-450 / Wheeled Coach Type III ambulance (Ex-Medic 6)
  • (033) - 2007 Pierce Quantum pumper (1500/1000/40F) (SN#18752) (Ex-Engine 13)
  • (065) - 2005 HME 1871 / M&W pumper (1500/1000/60F) (SN#10700) (Ex-Engine 11)
  • (1009) - Chevrolet Express Type III ambulance (Ex-Medic 101)

Retired Apparatus[]

  • (1029) - 2014 Chevrolet Express / Wheeled Coach Type III ambulance (Ex-Medic 3) (Re-assigned to Roanoke Emergency Medical Services)
  • (1028) - 2014? Chevrolet Express / Wheeled Coach Type III ambulance (Ex-Medic 2, ex-Reserve Medic 902)
  • (1023) - 2013 Chevrolet Express / Wheeled Coach Type III ambulance (Ex-Medic 4)
  • (1016) - 2011 Chevrolet Express / Wheeled Coach Type III ambulance (Ex-Medic 6)
  • (1014) - 2011? Chevrolet Express / Wheeled Coach Type III ambulance (Ex-Medic 5)
  • (1005) - 2008 Chevrolet Express / Wheeled Coach Type III ambulance (Ex-Medic 1)
  • (1006) - 2008 Chevrolet Express / Wheeled Coach Type III ambulance (Ex-Medic 2)
  • (1007) - 2008 Chevrolet Express / Wheeled Coach Type III ambulance (Ex-Medic 3)
  • 2008 Chevrolet Express Type III ambulance (Ex-Medic 4)
  • 2007 Type III ambulance (Ex-Medic 7)
  • 2006 E-One Titan HPR 4x4 ARFF (1500/1500/105F/50’ Snozzle) (SN#130925) (Ex-AR 1) (Sold to Roanoke Regional Airport Fire Department)
  • (4006) - 2006 Ford E-350 / Wheeled Coach Type III ambulance (Ex-Medic 6)
  • 2005 Ford E series / Wheeled Coach Type III ambulance (Ex-Medic 10)
  • (011) - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 4x4 (Ex-Battalion 2)
  • 2004 Chevrolet Suburban 4x4 (Ex-Battalion 1)
  • (022) - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 brush (125/225) (Ex-Brush 6)
  • (051) - 1998 KME Excel aerial (1500/300/75’ rear-mount) (Ex-Ladder 13, ex-Reserve Ladder 903) (Donated to the Virginia Fire Museum)
  • (050) - 1998 KME Excel aerial (1500/300/75’ rear-mount) (SN#3449) (Ex-Ladder 7, ex-Reserve Ladder 902)
  • 1996 KME Renegade pumper (1500/500) (Ex-Engine 5, ex-Reserve Engine 903)
  • (040) - 1994 KME Renegade pumper (1500/500) (Ex-Engine 14, ex-Engine 9, ex-Engine 5)
  • (018) - 1993 Simon-Duplex aerial (-/-/100' LTI tractor-drawn) (SN#9301805) (Ex-Ladder 1) (Donated to the Virginia Museum of Transportation)
  • (1025) - 1992 Ford F-800 / Hackney air supply (Ex-Support 4) (Ex-Blacksburg Fire Department (Virginia))
  • 1991 Grumman Panther aerial (?/?/121' AerialCat rear-mount) (SN#18476) (Ex-Ladder 2, ex-Reserve Ladder 901)
  • (064) - 1991 Grumman pumper (1500/500) (Ex-Engine 6)
  • (056) - 1991 Grumman pumper (1500/500) (Ex-Engine 8)
  • (058) - 1991 Grumman pumper (1500/500) (Ex-Engine 7?, ex-Reserve Engine 904)
  • (061) - 1991 Grumman pumper (1500/500) (Ex-Engine 2, ex-Reserve Engine 902)
  • 1991 Grumman pumper (1500/500) (Ex-Engine 3, ex-Engine 13)
  • 1990 KME pumper (Ex-Engine 13)
  • (031) - 1989 KME pumper (1500/500) (Ex-Reserve Engine 901)
  • (034) - 1989 KME pumper (1500/500) (Ex-Engine 13, ex-Reserve Engine 903)
  • 1989 KME pumper (Ex-Engine 11)
  • (033) - 1984 Hendrickson / Grumman pumper (1250/750) (Ex-Engine 10)
  • 1982 Grumman pumper (Ex-Engine 3)
  • (043) - 1980s Grumman pumper (Ex-Engine 2)
  • 1977 Oshkosh M1500 / 1995 Crash Rescue Equipment Service crash tender (1200/1500/180F/450 lbs. DC/50’ snozzle) (Ex-AR 20) (Sold to Blacksburg Fire Department (Virginia))
  • (050) - 1976 Seagrave aerial (-/-/100' tractor-drawn) (SN#F76069) (Ex-Ladder 3)
  • 1972 International LoadStar 1600 / Oren tanker (750/2000) (SN#3163) (Ex-Tanker 10)
  • 1969 International / Oren pumper (750/250) (SN#2706) (Ex-Engine 7)
  • 1968 Seagrave aerial (-/-/100' tractor-drawn) (SN#R4392) (Ex-Ladder 1)
  • 1968 Seagrave aerial (-/-/100' tractor-drawn) (Ex-Ladder 2)
  • 1965 International / Oren pumper
  • 1963 International / Oren pumper (Ex-Engine 9)
  • 1961 International / Oren pumper (Ex-Engine 13, ex-Engine 903)
  • 1958 Walter crash tender (?/1500/190F) (Ex-Engine 13) (Ex-US Army)
  • 1958 Walter crash tender (?/1500/190F) (Ex-Engine 14) (Ex-US Army)
  • 1953 Seagrave aerial
  • 1952 Corbitt / Oren rescue (Ex-Squad 1)
  • (018) - 1950 Corbitt / Oren pumper
  • 1950 Oren pumper (Ex-Engine 5)
  • 1950 Oren pumper (Ex-Engine 11)
  • 1950 Dodge tanker
  • 1950 Maxim aerial (?/?/65' mid-mount) (Ex-Ladder 4)
  • 1950 Maxim aerial
  • 1949 Ward LaFrance pumper
  • 1948 Jeepster 4x4 (Ex-Engine 12)
  • 1948 Seagrave pumper (Ex-Engine 19)
  • 1946 Seagrave pumper (Ex-Engine 18)
  • 1940s Seagrave aerial (-/-/100' tractor drawn) (Sold to Roanoke Firefighters Association IAFF Local #1132)
  • 1940 Dodge pumper (Ex-Engine 10)
  • 1930s Seagrave aerial (-/-/100' tractor drawn)
  • 1918 Seagrave (55' water tower)
  • 1918 Seagrave tractor-drawn aerial (Ex-Ladder 1)
  • 1918 Seagrave pumper
  • 1911 Seagrave pumper (Ex-Engine 4)
  • 1911 Seagrave pumper (Ex-Engine 5)
  • 1911 Seagrave pumper (Ex-Engine 6)
  • (1054) - Chevrolet Express (Ex-Medic 102)
  • (1019) - Chevrolet Express / Wheeled Coach (Ex-Medic 1)
  • (054) - Chevrolet Silverado 2500 4x4 (Ex-Battalion 1)
  • (041) - Chevrolet Silverado 2500 EMS Supervisor vehicle (Ex-RS 1)
  • (017) - Oren pumper (Ex-Engine 5)
  • (015) - Seagrave pumper (Ex-Engine 6)
  • (015) - pumper (Ex-Engine 3, ex-Training Engine 1)
  • (001) - Chevrolet Impala (Ex-District Fire Chief)
  • Chevrolet / American LaFrance pumper (Ex-Engine 13) (Wrecked)
  • GMC tanker (Ex-Tanker 4)
  • Oren pumper (Ex-Engine 1, ex-Squad 1)
  • Seagrave aerial (?/?/100' rear mount) (Ex-Ladder 4)

Future Plans[]

The City of Roanoke has plans to replace two fire stations, Station 2 on Noble Avenue and Station 8 on Crystal Spring Avenue. Station 2 will be relocated closer to Williamson Road and Station 8 closer to McClanahan Street. Construction of the new Station 2 is expected to begin in 2025. Construction of the new Station 8 is not expected until after 2027. The department's 2022-2027 strategic business plan calls for the creation of a new Fire-EMS training facility next to Station 11. The plan also calls for the funding of a full time ambulance to be located at Station 14 starting in 2024.

External Links[]

Roanoke Fire-EMS
Roanoke Fire-EMS Facebook page

Station Map[]

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