Crime and Public Safety
If heavy rain associated with Hurricane Florence does cause flooding or other hazardous conditions in Roanoke this weekend or early next week, Citizen Engagement Officer Whitney Slightham says there are ways residents can stay connected for emergency alerts. Hear a complete conversation about the “Citizen Engagement Office” below:
From Roanoke County Police Department: Just after midnight, the Roanoke County Emergency Communications Center began to receive 911 calls in reference to flash flooding. Additionally, they also got calls about vehicles being stuck in the flooded roadways. The flash flooding was predominantly in the south county area off of and on Electric Road. A total of five rescues of the stranded motorist was conducted by Roanoke County Fire & Rescue and Roanoke County Police. No persons were injured during this flooding event. At this time all roadways are back open in the county.
Roanoke County public safety agencies want to emphasize to the public to never risk your life or property. If you see standing water do not drive through it. Turn around, don’t drown.
If the worse happens this weekend and local residents lose power, water or are forced to relocate due to flooding from heavy rain – will they be prepared? WFIR’s Gene Marrano has more:
Roanoke City 9-1-1 department manager Sonya Roman is asking residents to make sure they only dial that number if there is a true emergency as potential heavy rains are forecast.
Roanoke City has 9,500 storm drains, and if debris ends up blocking any of them, that can create street flooding or problems for nearby homes and businesses. City crews are doing their best make sure all those storm drains are clear so that when the heavy rains come, the runoff actually runs off. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
It looks increasing likely that Hurricane Florence will impact our part of Virginia with heavy rains — creating the potential for serious, widespread flooding. Emergency officials are saying it has the potential to be “catastrophic”, and just because we are well inland does not mean we are out of trouble. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
Gov. Ralph Northam
RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency today in anticipation of the potential impact from Tropical Storm Florence. The order is designed to mobilize resources in preparations of the storm and to help Virginia mitigate any damage and to streamline the process that the Commonwealth uses to provide assistance to other states vulnerable to Florence. “While the impacts of Tropical Storm Florence to Virginia are still uncertain, forecasts increasingly expect the storm to strengthen into a major hurricane that could seriously affect the East Coast and Virginians,” said Governor Northam. “Accordingly, I am declaring a state of emergency so that we can begin to prepare state assets, and I encourage Virginians to monitor forecasts and make their own preparations now.”
A state of emergency allows the Commonwealth to mobilize resources, including the Virginia National Guard, and pre-position people and equipment to assist in storm response and recovery efforts. While the track of Tropical Storm Florence is still uncertain, it appears increasingly likely that Virginia may see significant impacts from this storm next week. Impacts include possible flooding, high winds, and potential storm surge.
(Bedford County release) September 07, 2018, Bedford County 911 received a call from 1034 River Oak Dr. at 11:44 p.m.by a male subject stating that his roommate had been shot. Bedford County Sheriff’s deputy arrived on scene at 11:50 p.m. and found a male subject in the floor with multiple gunshots to his body. Deputies started CPR until Rescue arrived and took over. Aaron Robert Brumfield, age 22, 1034 River Oak Dr. Forest Va. was pronounced deceased by the rescue squad at 12:06 am. The witness stated that three people came into the house and gunfire was exchanged hitting the male victim. The witness stated that the suspects then ran out the side door.
Anyone with information on this crime can call Bedford County Sheriff’s Office at 540-586-7827 or Central Virginia Crime Stoppers at 1-888-798-5900 or go online to wwwcvcrimestoppers.org. Crime Stopper callers remain anonymous and could receive a cash reward up to $1,000.00.