Tag: emergencies
VDOT open house features traffic management and safety agencies
Dozens of trucks on display at VDOT’s Incident Management Open House. Although traffic congestion is a way of life in the D.C. metro region, imagine how much worse it would be without the dozens of agencies from multiple jurisdictions that work to keep things running as smoothly as possible. Many of those agencies took part … Continued
Prepare for Hurricane Florence
The projected path of Florence, as of Sept. 11. [National Hurricane Center] As Hurricane Florence approaches the Carolinas, Fairfax County urges residents to prepare for possible flooding. While major winds are not expected to be a problem, Fairfax County could get four to eight inches of rain beginning late Thursday into early Friday, according to … Continued
When faced with an active shooter: Run, hide, fight
A scene from a training video by the Houston mayor’s office showing office workers fighting an active shooter. What would you do if someone bursts into your office, school, or house of worship and starts shooting? Everyone should be prepared to run, hide, and fight, said Lt. Brian Ruck in a presentation at a meeting … Continued
Emergency system test tomorrow
If your cell phone buzzes loudly twice tomorrow between 10 and 11 a.m., don’t be alarmed. Local governments in the D.C. region, including Fairfax County will be testing the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system. Cellphones or mobile-enabled devices located in Fairfax County will receive a test message that reads: “This is a test of the … Continued
Windstorm causes widespread damage
The windstorm uprooted a tree on Cindy Lane, Annandale. [Raffie Shahrigian] The windstorm on March 2 caused significant damage to homes and cars throughout Northern Virginia. Trees were down all over, and Dominion Energy reported more than 100,000 people in Fairfax County lost power at some point. In the Annandale area, as of 9 p.m. … Continued
Toppled tree traps man in bed
Tree destroys bedroom in Lake Barcroft house. [Photos: FCFRD] Heavy winds knocked a tree onto a house in the 3500 block of Highview Place in Lake Barcroft, trapping an occupant in his bed, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department reports. The incident happened at about 3:40 a.m. on March 2, as winds throughout the … Continued
Concerns raised on Vulcan project
Railcars on the Vulcan property. About a dozen people spoke at a Fairfax County Planning Commission hearing March 1 on a rezoning application from Vulcan Materials Co. Among residents who live near the Vulcan concrete facility on Industrial Drive in Springfield, the main concern is about the potential health risks from Vulcan’s proposal for an asphalt … Continued
Prepare now for an emergency
Examples of items for an emergency kit. Pack an emergency kit. Draw up an action plan. Organize essential information. That’s some of the advice from public officials at a Resilience Summit Oct. 12 hosted by Mason Supervisor Penny Gross. The key message is to prepare now, so if a natural or human-caused disaster strikes – … Continued
Fairfax County rescue team working in Puerto Rico and St. Croix following Hurricane Maria
Members of VA-TF1 at the San Juan command post [FCFRD]. It’s been a busy month for the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department’s Urban Search and Rescue Team (VA-TF1). After weathering Hurricane Maria in San Juan, Puerto Rico, 19 team members were airlifted to St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands to perform search and … Continued
Fairfax County team in the Virgin Islands helping victims of Hurricane Irma
VA-TF1 team members rescue a hurricane Irma rescue a Hurricane Irma victim. The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department’s Urban Search and Rescue Team (VA-TF1) rescued an elderly woman who was critically ill and trapped in her home, which had been damaged by Hurricane Irma, on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, The team … Continued
Fairfax County team in Texas helping Hurricane Harvey victims
The Fairfax team brought seven boats to Texas. [FCFRD photos] The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department’s Urban Search and Rescue Team is in the Houston area helping with the emergency response to the severe flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey. So far, the team, VA-TF1, helped evacuate six residents in the Kingwood, Texas, area, and … Continued
Storm knocks down trees, power lines
Whispering lane [Photos Larry Golfer] The brief hail storm Thursday evening knocked down trees all over the Annandale/Mason District. There’s another truck buried under those branches on Chaco Road in Parklawn. Jay Miller Drive [Larry Golfer] Lake Barcroft was hit particularly hard with downed trees and power lines blocking several roads and some residents are … Continued
Fire displaces five residents of Oakview Gardens in Bailey’s Crossroads
A fire at the Oakview Gardens, an apartment complex in Bailey’s Crossroads, displaced five people and caused an estimated $20,000 in damages, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department states. Upon arrival, just after 3:30 p.m. on July 29, firefighters saw smoke showing from the front terrace level of a three-story garden apartment in the … Continued
Fire department honors man who saved woman from drowning in Lake Barcroft
Phil Horowitz (center) with A-shift firefighters at the Bailey’s Crossroads Fire Station. Lake Barcroft resident Phil Horowitz was honored with a Citizen Lifesaving Award by the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department for rescuing a woman who fell into Lake Barcroft. After hearing a women’s panicked screams that she could not swim, Horowitz jumped into … Continued
Downed tree knocks out power in Lake Barcroft
Here’s the downside of living in a heavily wooded neighborhood: A large tree came down on Lakeview Drive in Lake Barcroft July 6 during a rainstorm, knocking down power lines and leaving residents with no electricity for about four hours. A VDOT crew removed the tree and Dominion restored power. [Photos from J. Larry Golfer … Continued