“Since 1972, I have been involved in some type of volunteer service,” said Sloan. “Giving back to my community has been a very big part of my life. It is an honor to be selected to serve as chief of Buchanan.”
“I have known Ray and worked with him in various official and unofficial capacities for nearly 20 years,” said Chief of Fire & EMS Jason Ferguson. “He has a passion for the Buchanan community, and I am excited to see many great things develop under his leadership.”
Prior to Sloan’s appointment, District Fire Chief John Crouch had overseen the Buchanan station since 2018. Chief Crouch has been an integral part of helping to stabilize the volunteer membership of the station, Ferguson said. He also led the process to replace a 1980s extrication truck with a more modern piece of apparatus for vehicle crashes, including those along Interstate 81. Crouch’s two-year term expired in late 2020, but he was willing to remain in the position until a process to fill the vacancy could be completed.
“It has been a pleasure to work with Chief Crouch over the past few years,” said Ferguson. “We would like to express our sincerest appreciation to John and his family for his dedication and efforts to making Buchanan a safer place.”
The Buchanan Volunteer Fire Company is a component of the coordinated Fire & EMS System for Botetourt County. The District Fire Chief position is appointed by the Botetourt Chief of Fire & EMS. The station is always looking for volunteers to help serve the community. If you are interested in joining the fire and EMS team, visit botetourtfireems.org for more information.
