By Matt de Simone
A significant washout on Ball Park Road in Eagle Rock left more than 30 homes cut off from access following a severe rainstorm on Thursday, July 31. The Botetourt Emergency Communication Center alerted the Eagle Rock Volunteer Fire Department and Emergency Management officials after the storm damaged a large section of roadway in the 2000 block of Ball Park Road. Responding personnel found that approximately 25 feet of the road had been washed away.
An August 5 social media post by Botetourt Fire & EMS explained what happened during the event. Fire & EMS Chief Jason Ferguson was recently asked about the collaborative repair efforts. He explained that when the 911 Center first received the report, there were no active emergencies – only the notice of a road outage.
Eagle Rock VFD Chief Darryl Johns was alerted, and Emergency Manager Daniel Murray responded to the site to begin coordination. “The initial actions that night were identifying the complexity of the issue and working with local property owners to identify an alternative route,” Ferguson continued. A narrow ATV/RTV trail was discovered, and responders used both door-to-door checks and emergency notifications via Everbridge to contact the 14 occupied homes affected. While no one required evacuation or immediate assistance, Ferguson noted the most pressing concern was the inability to reach residents in the event of a fire, medical, or law enforcement emergency.
A road washout typically occurs when heavy rain or flooding overwhelms drainage systems, washing away the underlying soil and causing the surface to collapse. Poor drainage, aging infrastructure, and surrounding slopes or waterways – like Craig Creek nearby – can intensify the damage.
Officials quickly notified the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM), and by Friday morning, Emergency Management personnel and VDEM representatives returned to the scene. Ferguson explained that a situation report had been filed with the state the previous evening, which quickly escalated the issue to the Governor’s Office. Governor Glenn Youngkin personally contacted local officials to offer state-level assistance.
VDOT sent an engineer from the Salem District to assess the damage and provide technical input, although Ferguson pointed out that since Ball Park Road is privately owned, there are “many legal, financial, and technical challenges” when public agencies are involved in such situations without a declared emergency.
The complexity of the repair led to creative local problem-solving. As heavy rain continued through that Friday, the county identified a need for more equipment, materials, and skilled operators. Local officials reached out to APEX Energy, who was fortunately nearby with helpful resources to aid in the matter. “A phone call to APEX’s CEO proved to be all that was needed,” Ferguson shared. APEX and Faulconer Construction responded immediately. Within hours, both companies were on site evaluating the situation and preparing for repairs.
Later that day, the Virginia Department of Forestry provided critical support. They deployed a bulldozer to widen the narrow trail originally accessible only by foot or ATV. This created a temporary secondary access route for utility pickups and brush fire trucks. “It was really our best and only option to ensure we could still provide some level of response directly to a person or house on the other side of the outage,” Ferguson noted. Had there been a fire, responders could have drawn water from Craig Creek, and a utility vehicle could have transported a patient to an awaiting ambulance.
Crews from APEX and Faulconer were back on site early Saturday, August 2. Supported by heavy machinery, they worked throughout the day, and by sundown, the roadway was restored. Ferguson praised the speed and efficiency of the operation, saying it averted a situation that might have taken days – or longer – to resolve.
The emergency underscored the importance of pre-established community relationships and rapid interagency communication. “These events take strong communication, collaboration, and partnerships,” Ferguson said. While infrastructure incidents like this aren’t routine, he said they’re “not rare either,” citing past flooding events on Ball Park Road and major rescues following the 2012 derecho.
Botetourt Fire & EMS continues to focus on preparedness efforts, including improving local hazard mitigation strategies, expanding emergency notifications, and increasing access to predictive tools like water level gauges. Ferguson emphasized the importance of knowing local resources and maintaining open communication year-round, not just during declared disasters.
The rapid restoration was ultimately the result of coordinated efforts among APEX Energy, Faulconer Construction, the Virginia Departments of Forestry, Transportation, and Emergency Management, along with the Governor’s Office and the Secretariat of Homeland Security and Public Safety. Their collective action ensured that residents regained access quickly, safely, and without incident.
