Petersburg Fire Rescue & Emergency Services

10/20/2026

🚒🚨 EVERY CRASH SCENE PUTS OUR RESPONDERS AT RISK. EVERY DRIVER HAS A ROLE IN KEEPING THEM SAFE.

During the Petersburg City Council meeting, Fire Chief Wayne Hoover was presented with a proclamation recognizing Crash Responder Safety Week, November 9–13, 2026.

This nationwide safety awareness campaign brings communities across the country together to recognize the dangers faced by firefighters, EMS providers, law enforcement, VDOT crews, and tow truck operators working along our roadways. The goal is simple: educate motorists, prevent roadside tragedies, and remind drivers of the importance of slowing down and moving over.

Right here in Petersburg, from I-95 and I-85 to our neighborhood streets, our crews face these dangers every day. The crash may be over, but the danger isn’t.

We thank Petersburg City Council for recognizing this important initiative and standing behind those who answer the call.

Now we’re asking our Petersburg community to do its part. Put the phone down, pay attention, slow down, and move over when approaching emergency vehicles. Give responders the space they need to do their jobs safely. Talk to your family, remind young drivers, and help spread the message. One driver’s decision can make the difference between someone making it home or not.

🚨 PETERSBURG, LOOK OUT FOR THOSE WHO LOOK OUT FOR YOU. SLOW DOWN. MOVE OVER. GIVE US ROOM TO WORK AND A CHANCE TO MAKE IT HOME.

Petersburg The 4 House Petersburg Engine 3 The Wild West End Petersburg Fire Support 6

10/19/2026

🚑🔥 BUILDING SOMETHING BIGGER | PETERSBURG EMS ON THE MOVE!

The wheels are turning, the foundation is being laid, and Petersburg’s EMS Division is making its presence felt beyond our city limits!

Under the leadership of Chief Namola (EMS 1), our growing EMS Division is already putting in the work, building relationships, and making moves throughout the Central Virginia EMS community.

This past Saturday, Chief Namola and Fire Medic 4 (FM4) joined numerous regional public safety and healthcare agencies at Chesterfield County Airport for a National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) exercise.

🚨 WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

This large-scale exercise simulates a disaster involving multiple patients requiring emergency medical attention, coordination, transportation, and hospital care. It’s an opportunity for EMS agencies, hospitals, and emergency management partners to practice working together when the demand for medical resources exceeds what one agency can handle alone.

During the exercise, FM4 transported several simulated patients to participating area hospitals, gaining valuable experience in patient movement, communication, regional coordination, and mass casualty operations.

And THIS is why showing up matters!

We’re not just building an EMS Division to answer calls. We’re building one that’s prepared, connected, respected, and capable of responding when our community needs us most.

Chief Namola is wasting no time getting our people involved, opening doors, and establishing Petersburg’s place at the table.

🚒🚑 Petersburg Fire, Rescue & Emergency Services

Building the division. Strengthening the region. Serving the city.



Petersburg Engine 2 & Truck 1 Petersburg The 4 House Petersburg Engine 3 The Wild West End Petersburg Fire Support 6

10/18/2026

🚒🍂 GOOD WEATHER, GOOD PEOPLE & GOOD TIMES IN THE HEART OF PETERSBURG! 🍁🔥

Now THIS is what community is all about!

Downtown Petersburg was full of life as Century 21 Lifestyle VA hosted this year’s Harvest Festival in Saucy’s parking lot on East Bank Street!

The weather finally gave us a break, and the community showed up! Families, local vendors, a live DJ, bounce houses, food, games, and plenty of smiling faces made for one incredible afternoon!

🚒 Engine 2, Engine 3, Engine 4, Battalion 1, and Fire Medic 4 all came out to join the fun!

Of course, the kids couldn’t wait to climb aboard the fire trucks, but apparently word has gotten around that Petersburg has its own EMS Division now! 🚑😂 Because that ambulance was getting just as much love! The little ones were excited to climb aboard, ask questions, and talk all things EMS with Spencer and Abrahim!

And that’s what makes days like this special. Just our firefighters and EMS providers spending time with the very people we proudly serve.

A huge THANK YOU to Mrs. Danielle Bowers and the entire CENTURY 21 Lifestyle team for inviting Petersburg Fire, Rescue & Emergency Services to be part of such a great event!

We love seeing our downtown come alive, our local businesses bringing people together, and our young people getting a chance to know the faces behind the uniforms.

Petersburg, we enjoyed every minute of it! See y’all next year! ❤️🚒🚑

Petersburg Engine 3 The Wild West End Petersburg VA Petersburg Engine 2 & Truck 1 Petersburg The 4 House Petersburg Fire Support 6

10/17/2026

🚒🚑 BUILDING SOMETHING SPECIAL IN PETERSBURG | EMS CAPTAIN ANDREW SWANN

Great things don’t happen overnight, and they certainly don’t happen without good people willing to put in the work!

As Petersburg Fire, Rescue & Emergency Services continues building and expanding our EMS Division, we want to recognize someone who has been a big part of helping get it off the ground — EMS Captain Andrew Swann!

Working alongside Fire Chief Wayne Hoover, Captain Swann has helped turn a vision into reality. From laying the groundwork to helping establish the division, his dedication has been about one thing: making sure the citizens of Petersburg have the emergency medical services they deserve.

Building an EMS Division takes more than ambulances, equipment, and staffing. It takes leadership, commitment, teamwork, and people who truly believe in what they’re building.

🎥 The City of Petersburg created this special video to spotlight one of our own, recognizing Captain Swann and his commitment to serving this community.

Captain Swann, we appreciate you! Thank you for answering the calling, putting in the work, and helping build something that will make a difference in Petersburg for years to come.

We’re not just growing a division. We’re strengthening a department, investing in our people, and building a better future for the city we proudly serve! ❤️

One team. One mission. One Petersburg.

10/14/2026

🚒🔥 HONORING OUR OWN | 2026 PETERSBURG FIRE & RESCUE AWARDS BANQUET 🏆

Behind every great department are people who make it great. Saturday night, we celebrated ours!

Petersburg Fire, Rescue & Emergency Services gathered for an unforgettable evening of recognition, fellowship, and appreciation. A night dedicated to honoring the men and women whose courage, commitment, and service continue to define our department.

🏅 UNIT CITATION AWARDS

🚒 Engine 2: Captain Jerren Lucas Sr., FF Trevor Gammon, FF Sterling Akers-Allen, and FF William Whitmire.

🚒 Engine 4 | EMS 2 | Fire Medic 4: Captain Luke Sears, FF James Burns, FF Russell Frazier, EMS Captain Vernon Barnes, EMS Provider Hanh Deniston, and EMS Provider Samantha Savage.

❤️ LIFE SAVE AWARDS

Recognizing those whose decisive actions gave someone the greatest gift imaginable — another chance at life.

🚑 Engine 4: Captain Cody Edlin, FF Jacob Sommers, FF Samuel Lawton, and EMS Captain Timothy Swann.

🚑 Engine 2: Captain Jerren Lucas Sr., FF Sterling Akers-Allen, FF Trevor Gammon, and EMS Captain Timothy Swann.

🚑 Engine 4: Sgt. Shania Inge, FF Thomas Seward, and FF George Allen.

🚑 Engine 5: Captain Ethan Johnson, Sgt. Shania Inge, and FF TreVaughn Compton.

🏆 2026 FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR | SGT. GABE SANFORD

A student of the craft, a mentor to others, and a firefighter whose passion and dedication challenge those around him to raise the standard. Well earned, Gabe! Congratulations! 👏🏽

🏅 DEPARTMENT APPRECIATION AWARDS

Congratulations to Captains Luke Sears and Michael Newton for their outstanding dedication and contributions to our department!

🙏 A SPECIAL THANK YOU

🎤 Chief Bride — Our Master of Ceremonies, thank you for guiding us through an exceptional evening of celebration and recognition!

📸 Al Gouder — For faithfully capturing our milestones and preserving the moments that become our department’s history!

🚒 Dinwiddie Fire & EMS — For covering Station 4.

🚒 Colonial Heights Fire & EMS — For covering Station 2.

🚨 Our on-duty Petersburg crews — For holding the line while we honored our own.

And to our families, supporters, and everyone who helped make this evening possible, thank you!

🎬 Our 2026 Department Video premiered during the banquet! We’re excited to share it with our community later this week. Stay tuned!

Awards may carry individual names, but behind every recognition stands a department built on sacrifice, teamwork, and pride.

Saturday wasn’t simply about presenting awards. It was about reminding our people that their work is seen, their sacrifices are valued, and their legacy is being written every day.

PETERSBURG FIRE, RESCUE & EMERGENCY SERVICES | EST. 1773 🚒🔥

10/12/2026

🚒🏆 2026 PETERSBURG FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR ‼️SERGEANT GABE SANFORD 🚒

Some people leave their mark on a department by what they accomplish. Others leave theirs by what they inspire everyone around them to become.

Sergeant Gabe Sanford has done both.

Behind this recognition are countless hours of work, sacrifices made without hesitation, training opportunities created, improvements to our facilities and equipment, and knowledge passed down to the next generation of firefighters.

But what makes Gabe deserving of this honor goes deeper than any list of accomplishments.

It’s his pride in the profession. His commitment to the people beside him. His willingness to do the work nobody sees and challenge a department he believes in to become everything it’s capable of being.

He never needed recognition to make a difference. He simply cared enough to make one.

Sgt. Sanford, you haven’t just invested in this department. You’ve invested in its future. And long after the applause fades, the work you’ve done and the firefighters you’ve influenced will continue to speak for you.

On behalf of Petersburg Fire, Rescue & Emergency Services, congratulations to Sergeant Gabe Sanford, our 2026 Firefighter of the Year.

The true measure of a firefighter isn’t just what they give to the job, but what they leave behind for those who follow.

Some wear the uniform with pride. Others make the uniform mean a little more to everyone who wears it.

Well deserved, Sergeant. Keep raising the standard. 🚒👏

Petersburg Engine 2 & Truck 1 Petersburg Engine 3 The Wild West End Petersburg The 4 House Petersburg Fire Support 6 Petersburg VA

10/06/2026

🚒 WELCOME TO PETERSBURG, BATTALION CHIEF NAMOLA! 🚑🩺⚕️⛑️ EMS 1🫡

Growth isn’t just about adding people. It’s about adding the right people, the right experience, and the right leadership to help move the mission forward.

Petersburg Fire, Rescue & Emergency Services is proud to welcome Battalion Chief Jason Namola, who will lead our Emergency Medical Services Division as EMS 1.

Chief Namola comes to Petersburg with more than 35 years of Fire & EMS experience and over 26 years in progressive leadership. His career has taken him from Captain/Paramedic and Flight Paramedic to Battalion Chief, Tactical EMS provider, and longtime ALS/BLS and Paramedic instructor.

That kind of experience matters‼️especially right now.

Our department is growing. Our EMS Division is growing. We are bringing in new personnel, developing our people, strengthening our capabilities, and continuing to build a department prepared to meet the changing needs of the city we serve.

Chief Namola will be a major part of that next chapter.

His experience developing personnel, supervising teams, teaching providers, managing emergency operations, and leading from the front gives our growing EMS Division another strong foundation to build upon. Just as importantly, his knowledge gives our younger providers and future leaders another experienced voice to learn from.

We aren’t building for where we are today. We’re building for where Petersburg is going tomorrow.

Chief Namola, we’re proud to have you here and excited to have you become part of what we’re building.

Welcome to Petersburg. Welcome to PFR. Welcome to the family.

Everybody help us welcome our new EMS 1 💯 Battalion Chief Jason Namola. 🚒🚑

More people. More experience. Stronger leadership. Better service to our city.

The growth continues.

Petersburg Engine 3 The Wild West End Petersburg Engine 2 & Truck 1 Petersburg VA Petersburg The 4 HousePetersburg in VirginiaPetersburg Fire Support 6Petersburg Fire Support 6

10/02/2026

🚒 NEARLY $3 MILLION. 15 ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS. A SAFER PETERSBURG. 🧱 🏗️ ‼️

Petersburg Fire, Rescue & Emergency Services has been awarded a FEMA SAFER Grant totaling nearly $3 million. This funding will support 15 additional firefighter positions over the next three years.

For Petersburg residents, this means more trained firefighters available to respond when you need help most..whether it’s a fire, medical emergency, rescue, vehicle crash or another emergency.

Adding firefighters also strengthens the safety of the men and women who respond to these calls. More personnel means stronger crews, better support on scene and greater capacity to protect both our citizens and our firefighters during the most challenging emergencies.

This grant builds on progress already underway. Eleven recruits are currently attending Crater Regional recruit school, working hard to earn their place in the Petersburg Fire Department.

Together, these efforts will help improve staffing, strengthen emergency response and provide more dependable coverage across our city.

It is about making sure Petersburg has the personnel needed to protect its residents and support the firefighters who serve them.

11 recruits already in the process. 15 additional positions made possible through this grant.

That is an investment in the safety of Petersburg‼️‼️one that helps build a stronger, better-prepared city and a safer future for everyone who lives, works and visits here.

🔥 More firefighters. Stronger crews. Better protection for Petersburg.

Brick by brick, Petersburg is building a safer future.

Petersburg Engine 3 The Wild West End Petersburg VA Petersburg Engine 2 & Truck 1 Petersburg The 4 House Petersburg Fire Support 6

09/29/2026

09/29/2026

🔥 BACK-TO-BACK FIRES IN 2S DISTRICT

It was one of those MORNINGS where you clear one fire, get your equipment back together, and the tones drop for another.

Just after midnight, units were dispatched to South Hampton st in Engine 2’s first due for a reported 🔥. Engine 2 arrived to a single story detached garage w/an above Loft space with heavy fire showing from the Alpha side and went straight to work. Engine 4 and Truck 1 assisted with fireground operations, and crews made a quick knock on the fire and brought the incident under control.

Companies cleared South Hampton, started getting themselves and their equipment back together, and at 1:56 a.m. they were headed right back out.

This time to 201 Bolling Brook Street, where crews arrived to find a greenhouse fully involved with heavy fire showing and a trailer loaded with hay burning Next to Heretick Feed and Seed Downtown.

Multiple lines were stretched and crews made an aggressive attack, knocking down the main body of fire and stopping it from spreading any farther. With the amount of hay involved, the work didn’t end when the flames disappeared. Engine 2 remained on scene pulling things apart, wetting everything down and working hotspots to make sure there was no rekindle.

Two working fires, back-to-back, in the middle of the night.

No long story needed. Crews stretched, worked, packed up, and did it all over again.

While the city slept, Petersburg Fire was putting in work. 🚒🔥

Petersburg Engine 3 The Wild West End Petersburg Fire Support 6 Petersburg The 4 House Petersburg VA Petersburg Engine 2 & Truck 1