SPEEDWELL, Va. – A group of spelunkers entered a cave just south of the community of Speedwell, Tuesday morning. The cavers were part of a summer camp from North Carolina, taking part in a training exercise inside the popular cave.

Sometime that afternoon, a nineteen year old female found herself wedged in a narrow crevice inside the cave. Members of the group initially attempted to pull her free, but were unsuccessful in their efforts.

At 3:32 p.m. the Wythe County E-911 Center received a call from members of the group, requesting emergency assistance in rescuing one of the cavers pinned between the crevices of two rocks.

Members of the Speedwell Volunteer Fire Department and Wythe County Rescue were first on the scene, followed by Wythe County Emergency Management and Rural Retreat Emergency Services & Volunteer Fire Department.

Serving as commander inside the cave, Wythe County Rescue’s Mike Davis led a group to the trapped caver shortly upon arriving at the scene.

“It was very tight and damp inside. The patient was really calm and cooperative throughout the duration of the rescue; anything we asked her to do, she did it without any complaint,” said Davis.

According to Davis, the operation – which involved at least ten different agencies – was one of the better coordinated operations in which he had ever been a participant.

Ikey Davidson, Director of Wythe County Emergency Management and incident commander, agreed, echoing Davis’ sentiments.

“We had so many departments and agencies cooperating together. It was great to see all the people working toward the common goal of freeing this woman. We’re just glad that it ended well.”

Later that evening, members from Black Diamond Search & Rescue, a Virginia Department of Emergency Management rescue team arrived on the scene.

Members from Black Diamond Search & Rescue, along with local first responders, were finally successful in freeing the trapped woman around 7:30 p.m.

Though the nineteen year old female showed no signs of critical injuries, she was airlifted to Bristol as a precaution.

The underground network of caves south of the Cripple Creek stream has multiple entrances. Over the past several years, local emergency responders have been called to the cave on several occasions to rescue trapped or lost spelunkers.

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WYTHEVILLE, Va. – Over the past two decades, Wythe County has invested over $40 million in the development of Progress Park; an investment that has netted a return of 750 jobs and millions of dollars in additional tax revenue.

In an effort to remain proactive in the ever changing business climate, Wythe leaders say they will begin marketing the county’s premier industrial site in-house.

The idea was first proposed earlier this year, prior to the retirement of longtime Joint Industrial Development Authority (JIDA) director, Dr. Alan Hawthorne.

In a March 2014 letter issued to the chairperson of the JIDA, Wythe County Administrator Cellell Dalton stated, “Wythe County offers to provide the day-to-day oversight of the JIDA activities and staff in order to provide the continuity we feel is essential to the success of the park and other economic centers.”

County leaders say they never received a response from JIDA officials, prompting them to move forward with their plans to market of the county’s industrial development in-house.

According to local officials, marketing the county’s vacant industrial sites at Progress Park will allow the opportunity for the county to best utilize its resources, as well as take the appropriate actions to keep the site at the forefront of potential industries.

The county has already begun taking actions to increase the industrial park’s exposure.

Yesterday, members of the board of supervisors, accompanied by leaders from the Town of Wytheville, met with Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam at Progress Park. The county says it will unveil a new website dedicated to exclusively showcasing the top tier industrial park to potential buyers within the next two weeks, as well as launch a new advertising campaign aimed at blitzing high profile industry leaders with all the benefits that accompany doing business in Wythe County.

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WYTHEVILLE, Va. – A capacity class of twenty-eight individuals – all wishing to become emergency responders – participated in a state sanctioned emergency vehicle operator’s course [EVOC] this past weekend at Wytheville Community College.

Completion of the two day training program is a requirement for any person interested in becoming a first responder, including law enforcement officers, fire and rescue personnel, as well as those seeking a career in emergency management.

Participants sat through eight hours of classroom presentation on Saturday, as Ikey Davidson, Wythe County Emergency Services Coordinator, lectured the class on the subject of state laws pertaining to emergency vehicles and provided students with safe driving instructions.

The following day, Davidson was joined by Virginia Department of Emergency Management personnel as the class was taken outside, where a temporary road course had been constructed on the campus’ upper parking lot.

Students weaved and raced through the cones in a wide range of vehicles, including fire trucks, ambulances and heavy duty vehicles.

The training course was made possible thanks to a grant secured from the Virginia Department of Fire Programs.

Instructor Ikey Davidson said the class was an overwhelming success, noting that dozens of people had to be turned away due to reaching capacity.

“We had people from as far away as Newport News calling, wanting to know if there was space available in the class,” said Davidson, adding, “Interest in the class was so impressive, we’re looking at trying to host a similar class next month.”

Persons interested in registering for future EVOC classes are encouraged to call Davidson at the following number: 276-223-4521.

According to Davidson, the class could not have been possible without the generous support of community leaders and organizations, including Wytheville Community College, as well as the several
Wythe County rescue and fire departments who both promoted the event and donated their vehicles to be used in the training session.

The Wythe County Department of Emergency Management is urging residents to take precautions, as a slow moving storm front moves through the region today and into tonight, bringing scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms.

The primary threat will be localized flooding, beginning on Thursday. A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for Wythe County through late tonight. Residents should expect an average of 1.5 to 3 inches of rain, with even greater amounts in some areas.

Flash flooding of small creeks, streams and urban areas will be possible. Flooding of larger river basins may occur tonight and into Friday.

Motorists approaching roadway flooding are advised to turn around and seek alternative routes. Residents living in areas prone to flooding are warned to closely monitor water levels and take appropriate action.
Wythe County emergency officials will continue to monitor the situation closely and advise the public accordingly.

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WYTHEVILLE, Va. – Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe has designated the entire month of May as “Electrical Safety Month.” The designation comes on the heels of an estimated 25,900 residential electrical fires across the nation, last year.

Electrical fires are responsible for over 275 nationwide deaths annually and lead to more than $1.1 billion in total property loss.

In an effort to combat this alarming trend, Chip Dunford, Wythe County building official, has released a series of tips for local residents to follow in order to adhere to electrical safe practices.

Among the tips Dunford listed are encouraging residents to talk to their children about the dangers of playing around power lines and poles.

Other instructions included encouraging residents to inspect extension cords for nicks and cuts, as well as replacing the batteries in smoke detectors on a routine bases.

Dunford says the dangers presented by electricity are very real and warrant everyone’s concern.

“Each year, thousands of electrical accidents occur across the nation. We’re encouraging local residents to take a proactive approach in recognizing the dangers and make appropriate precautions,” stated the veteran building official.

The International Association of Electrical Inspectors, a leading organization in electrical training, also urges homeowners to check the wattage of light bulbs in all light fixtures: “All light fixtures have a label with the maximum rated size wattage bulb required for that light. This also includes table lamps, but especially light fixtures with covers – they hold the heat in.”

Additional information concerning electrical safety may be found at www.iaeivirginia.com.

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WYTHE BUILDING OFFICIALS ENCOURAGING ELECTRICAL SAFETY