Greene County says independent review of Ruckersville Volunteer Fire Department underway as residents demand reactivation

The Greene County Board of Supervisors said an independent review is underway into operations at the Ruckersville Volunteer Fire Department and that neighboring county fire departments and nearby agencies are covering the Ruckersville response area while the review continues.

The supervisors said the fact-finding portion of the independent review will be “wrapped up by the beginning of next week” and that the complete review should be finished by July; the board said it will take action “based on findings of the independent review.” The board also said Ruckersville Fire is cooperating with the review.

The announcement followed a closed meeting in which the board discussed personnel and public-safety matters. The matter drew extensive public comment at the meeting, with several residents and local groups urging quicker action and greater transparency.

“The board does not want to publicize details until the pending investigation is complete,” the chair said after the closed session. The chair also said the board “takes its oversight of key parts of the county’s operations very seriously” and described the review as “sensitive in nature and comprehensive in scope.”

Community members sharply criticized the county’s decision to close the Ruckersville station and the timing of public notices. Steven Fitch, spokesperson for the Greene County Republican Committee, told the board the committee “resolves to voice displeasure” with the closure and urged immediate reactivation of at least an initial response vehicle. “We hope that this is your wake up call. Act like a team and not as individuals, and do not put citizens in peril,” Fitch said.

Ruckersville resident Kathy Darnell told the board she disagreed with the county’s earlier public statement that “the public is not at risk,” saying extended response times from neighboring stations make the public vulnerable. “It’s been three weeks since your May statement was published, and we still have no answers and no emergency services and no known plan. That is unacceptable,” Darnell said.

Paige Roberts, who spoke as a private citizen, criticized what she described as unprofessional behavior at prior meetings and urged the board to focus on long-term county issues while addressing the current emergency.

The board said, in the interest of public safety, the Ruckersville response area is being covered by two other county departments and other outside agencies in close proximity to Ruckersville. The board did not provide incident-level response-time data or a timeline for reactivation; it said those details will be disclosed after the independent review concludes.

Votes at a glance

- Appointment: Virginia Barefoot appointed as the parent representative to the Community Policy Management Team (motion moved by Ms. Durrer; second not specified). Roll-call votes recorded as ayes by Mr. McQuiggan, Mr. Goolsby, Ms. Durham, Mr. Lamb and the chair; outcome: approved.

The board said it will continue to update the public as the investigation proceeds and will act on findings once the independent review is complete. Residents at the meeting requested clearer contingency plans and improved communication while the review continues.