The Lynchburg Fire Department provides storm response assistance to other regions

Lynchburg, Virginia – On Tuesday, February 11, the Lynchburg Fire Department is providing storm response assistance to neighboring regions.

Nine members of the Lynchburg Fire Department’s Urban Search & Rescue team are being sent to help first responders in Southwest Virginia, where snow and rain are predicted to cause major flooding and other problems in the coming days, per Governor Youngkin’s directive.

According to the Lynchburg Fire Department, the crew will remain based in Wytheville until their ultimate deployment locations are decided.

In the event of a natural catastrophe or other emergency, Lynchburg’s and other technical rescue teams from throughout the region can be sent to help neighboring communities under cooperative agreements with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM). Due to Governor Youngkin’s Emergency Declaration, the state and federal governments are responsible for covering all team deployment expenses.

“This kind of deployment is part of what it means to be a first responder in the Commonwealth of Virginia,” says Greg Wormser, the fire chief for Lynchburg. The rest of us are here to aid when one area of the state needs it. Our well-trained search and rescue crews are prepared for situations like these. Wormser stated that there is still enough staffing to handle crises in the city and that the deployments will not affect the provision of local services.