Council accepts Richlands resolution commending Bristol fire department’s swift‑water response

Bristol City Council on Aug. 26 read and accepted a resolution from the Richlands Town Council commending the Bristol Virginia Fire Department for its response during a Feb. 15, 2025 flood in Richlands.

The Richlands resolution, read into the record by a Bristol official, credited Bristol’s swift‑water rescue team with conducting “over 80 evacuations including 20 or more dangerous swift water rescue operations under extremely hazardous conditions.” The resolution expressed the town’s “profound gratitude” for the department’s assistance and directed that a certified copy be forwarded to the Bristol Virginia Fire Department.

Mayor Nave and council members publicly thanked the fire department for the mutual‑aid response and invited Chief Armstrong and members of the department forward to receive the resolution. Council noted the operations saved lives and prevented additional harm in a neighboring community.

Action: Council accepted and read the Richlands resolution and presented the department with a copy; formal forwarding of a certified copy to the Bristol Virginia Fire Department is referenced in the Richlands resolution text.

Context: The resolution commemorates an interjurisdictional emergency response; no new budget or policy action was tied to the recognition at this meeting.