Rain coupled with melting snow and ice cause flooding
By Chief Christopher Neice
February 24, 2025
On Saturday February 15th the county was inundated with rain which caused flooding. All emergency workers were out pumping basements, removing trees and debris out of the roadway, as well as assisting VDOT with road closures. The flooding spanned three days and the Fire Department had 18 calls for service. pumping basements in the cascade drive area proved to be a challenge. We got one pumped then went to another only to be called back to the first one. flood waters were coming from both sides of the mountain and concentrating on the homes in the 1100 block of Cascade drive. Later we responded up big stony creek and was met with flooding, large rocks, and trees down. While responding our brush truck was damaged by the rocks causing the brakes to fail then hitting a red oak tree that was covering the entire roadway. Luckily no one was injured, however the truck suffered serious damage.
Eli Dowdy holding the discharge hose during severe flooding in the 1100 block of Cascade drive
This red oak was across the entire roadway
due to a mechanical failure the brush truck cleared a path.
We were lucky someone cut the tree in sections before we arrived.
