ROANOKE (WSLS 10) - Crews are preparing ahead of this weekend's weather. As they anticipate several inches of rain and flooding, they can't help but reflect on the flood of 1985.
When he was just 21-years-old, current Roanoke Fire-EMS Chief David Hoback said he worked for almost three days straight following the '85 flood.
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"We didn't have the infrastructure we have today," says Chief Hoback."We didn't have the planning, the training for swift water or water rescue equipment. We did everything makeshift and did the best we can do to serve the public."
Hoback says after the flood public safety leaders made changes and learned how to better prepare.
Some of those changes included training for water rescues and working with neighboring departments to share resources and equipment.
Now during emergencies, there are no boundaries and responders will help one another in case crews can't get to locations, despite what department they work for.
Roanoke County's Battalion Chief Bill Duff who was working as a volunteer firefighter during the flood of '85 says the improvements also help them stay safe.
"Looking back now there were more risks taken then," says Duff. "Nobody had personal flotation devices, you had big boots that would be full of water and raincoats."