ROANOKE, Va. – Firefighters battling a house fire in Roanoke Thursday faced an additional opponent: winter weather conditions that turned every movement into a challenge.
“It makes it 10 times harder because you’re slipping and falling,” said Roanoke City Fire Chief David Hoback. “Pulling the hose is a lot harder; connecting the hydrant is a little harder. It takes a lot more manpower and intensity to really do your job.”
The fire department has implemented emergency protocols to maintain services during the aftermath of last weekend’s winter storm. These include deploying snowplows ahead of emergency vehicles and increasing staffing levels.
“When you got a situation like this, you just got to adapt to it,” Hoback said. “We bring up our snowplows that will go ahead of the ambulances and engines and go into neighborhoods to be able to make sure they have a clear path.”
First responders are confronting multiple challenges, from snow-blocked driveways to dangerous ice falling from roofs. The conditions have forced the department to modify its response protocols to ensure both crew safety and effective emergency response.
“This has been a very, very difficult snowstorm, not only to manage from our first response, but also to clear some streets,” Hoback said.
The department continues to maintain emergency services despite the severe weather conditions, with crews adapting their techniques to navigate ice-covered equipment and slippery surfaces.