GRAYSON CO., Va. – Six buildings have been destroyed by fire since December in Grayson County with one killing a man.
“From a fire perspective we have been busier than normal,” said Paul Hoyle, emergency services coordinator for Grayson County.
He said there are more challenges than just responding to the call.
“We have to build in time for our volunteers to respond to the station, pick up their equipment, get turned out appropriately so that they are safe when they get on scene, and then actually get to the scene,” Hoyle said.
Hoyle said with how big the county is, and being completely volunteer-based, it can add precious minutes to response times.
“Here, it is very likely if you’re out in some of the more western reaches of the county, then that response time is going to be 15 to 20 minutes,” Hoyle said.
He also said the weather can then add even more of a challenge.
“We always see on TV the fire engines go really really fast down the road,” said Hoyle. “That is not always the reality. We would rather show up safely.”
By the time crews get on scene, it’s about containment.
“The first arriving unit is going to be just an engine with three or four people,” Hoyle said.
He said with how many citizens in the county rely on wood heat, he cannot stress enough to check your chimney every year.
“So many of us are dependent on wood heat, me included,” said Hoyle. “We strongly encourage all of our residents to have their flue inspected and cleaned at least once a year.”
Hoyle said the number one safety measure is to have a smoke detector in the home. He said citizens in the county can call for a free smoke detector and a firefighter will come out to install one into your home.