Roanoke honors firefighters, social services after city agencies cared for seven children
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Summary
Roanoke City Council on Nov. 18 recognized firefighters, EMS and the Department of Social Services for an interagency response that sheltered, cared for and reunited seven children found during a U.S. Marshals operation.
Roanoke City Council on Nov. 18 recognized city firefighters, emergency medical staff and the Department of Social Services for an interagency response that cared for seven children — ages 1 to 12 — after a high‑risk warrants operation.
Gwen Coleman, director of the city’s Department of Social Services, told council the department received a call about seven children and worked with firefighters and EMS to provide food, clothing and hygiene care and to locate family members so the children could return home the same day. “We were able to lessen their trauma because that afternoon, they were able to go home with family members,” Coleman said.
Roanoke’s fire chief and other department leaders described how station staff sheltered the children at Station 5 for roughly eight to nine hours while social services and family members were contacted. The chief singled out Captain Drew Abel and Lieutenant James Richards for their roles; a fire department speaker said Richards “actually held the infant, the 1 year old for over 2 hours” while coordinating the response.
Council members praised the collaboration. Deputy City Manager Angie O’Brien and multiple council members thanked investigators and front‑line staff by name, and the council invited those who responded — including investigators Rhianna Chambers, Summer Pippert and Lisonbee Crockett and supervisors Beth Fletcher and Dawn Goss — to come forward for formal recognition and a group photograph.
The council’s remarks emphasized the roles of first responders and social‑services staff in addressing an unexpected, complex child‑welfare situation without immediately placing children in custody. Council members also encouraged continued coordination among the sheriff’s office, social services, police and nonprofit partners in similar cases.
No formal action was required; the presentation concluded with public acknowledgement of the staff involved and thanks from Mayor Lee and council members.
