Danville Life Saving Crew to expand to better serve the growing city

DANVILLE, Va. (WDBJ) - The former H&O Auto Sales on South Boston Road will soon become the Danville Life Saving Crew’s third station.

One of the buildings will become a 911 crew station with three truck bays and living quarters for first responders. The other will be home to a Community Paramedicine Center.

“Our program now goes out to where the folks live at, to talk to them,” said Bryan Fox, Deputy Chief of the Danville Life Saving Crew. “This is going to give them an opportunity if they’re out and about somewhere to be able to come see us where we are. It provides another avenue to reach out to the community for more help.”

The new location will help better serve the eastern area of Danville where 25% of their calls come from.

“If we can get there within three minutes, they have a 70% chance of survival. We’re now at a 7-, 8- or 9-minute response. They may only have a 20-30% chance of survival. So, it’s going to increase the quality of customer service that we can provide our citizens and make it better for everybody” added Deputy Chief Fox.

They will have quicker access to the growing River District.

“The majority of the time, we’re going to be going downtown and to the River District, which is a big thing now,” said Robbie Woodall, Chief of the Danville Life Saving Crew. “It will cover all the residents down there. It’s really going to put this availability of resources where it needs to be.”

It is also close to the River Walk Trail, Dan Daniel Memorial Park, and Anglers Park.

“A lot of people go in there for different things. A lot of fishermen go in the river with their boats and kayaks. To have access to that and be closer to that with our resources should an emergency arise is phenomenal for the folks that are doing that. It’s a huge asset to them.

Construction will begin in July and they plan to open by the end of this year.

Copyright 2023 WDBJ. All rights reserved.