RICHMOND, VA — New vehicle source exhaust capture and removal systems, designed to ensure clean air in the work environment of firefighters, have been installed at several Richmond Fire Department stations (1, 10, 13, and 22) and training to properly use them is underway. The goal is to have these source capture systems installed at all 20 RFD fire stations by May 2022.

The RFD received a $640,000 grant through the United States Department of Homeland Security Assistance to Firefighter Grants (AFG) Program to fund this project. Air Specialists of Virginia, Inc. has been contracted to install the Plymovent vehicle source exhaust capture and removal systems in the RFD fire stations.

Exposure to vehicle exhaust fumes is a significant cancer health risk for firefighters. The RFD is installing these source capture systems to reduce the risk, create safer working conditions, and control exhaust fumes in the fire stations.

How it works for undercarriage exhaust vehicles:

1. The source capture system features a flexible hose, which follows the vehicle along a high-grade aluminum track and disconnects automatically, with no operator intervention, when firefighters go out on a call.
2. When firefighters get back, the pneumatic grabber on the system connects to the exhaust pipe in one easy step. A firefighter simply pushes the grabber against the tailpipe and presses a button on the hose to seal the system via an inflatable rubber bladder.
3. The pneumatic grabber utilizes a positive seal to ensure virtually no diesel exhaust leaks, while the system is in use (virtually 100% source capture).
4. Hazardous exhaust emissions are then extracted from the apparatus and vented out of the station.

Mayor announces community safety coordinator and partnership to distribute $1M in community grants

Richmond, VA — – Mayor Levar M. Stoney today announced several important steps to protect city residents by addressing and preventing gun violence.

““Nothing is more important than the public health and public safety of our residents,” the mayor said. “Gun violence is a decades old issue that has afflicted cities across the country and has only been made worse by the pandemic. We’re taking these steps because our hearts break each time we hear about the loss of life and the trauma caused by gun violence, and NO mother should have to bury her child because we haven’t done enough.”

The city has hired its first Community Safety Coordinator, Samuel Brown.  The Community Safety Coordinator (CSC), a recommendation of the Task Force to Reimagine Public Safety and supported by the Gun Violence Prevention Working Group and, will be the primary point person within the city administration for issues involving gun violence. 

This Community Safety Coordinator will focus on the fundamentals of the city’s Gun Violence Prevention Framework, including engagement, prevention, intervention, training, and supportive services for victims as well as perpetrators of gun violence. The CSC will also host community conversations and focus groups that involve community members in steps toward halting violence in our communities.   

Reggie Gordon, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Human Services, hailed the hiring of Mr. Brown, who grew up in Richmond and holds degrees from Virginia Union and Virginia State University. 

“Samuel has made a personal and professional commitment to find solutions so that Richmond, Richmond’s children, Richmond’s families can exhale, breathe free and have a restored sense of calm and security,” Gordon said of Brown , who previously worked at the Peter Paul Development Center before joining the City of Richmond in the Human Services Portfolio.

“Samuel has been a teacher and a coach, and is ready to build upon the work that has been done and bring myriad stakeholders together to grow solutions that make our city safer.” 

Mayor Stoney also announced the City will partner with the nonprofit community organization NextUp to distribute $1 million in funding for community led programs for children and families.  Based on CDC guidance, prevention efforts will focus on after-school programming, parenting support, mental health support for kids, tutoring and mentorships.

NextUp will not be the sole recipient of these funds. Rather, it will serve as the fiscal agent to make grants to grassroots and community organizations and provide quality programming and training so that those closest to impacted communities can have resources to disrupt the cycle of violence.

“Communities benefit when children and their families have access to quality programs right in their neighborhoods,” said Barbara Sipe, President and CEO of NextUp. “Richmond has so many amazing providers and programs doing exceptional work, and NextUp looks forward to increasing access to important programs that build community strength and socio-emotional wellness for our youth.”

Richmond Police Department Chief Gerald Smith also discussed the role of RPD’s civilian “Violence Interrupters” in helping to deescalate conflict and be credible, trusted community voices to help residents connect to support systems instead of violence.

“This evidence-based intervention leverages multiple sectors of our community to provide a holistic approach for those who are most at risk of perpetrating or being victimized by violence,” said Chief Smith. “The violence interrupters draw upon lived experiences to help deescalate and mediate conflicts, diffuse tensions and act as peer counselors. They are of the community and for the community.”

The $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPS) funding targeted specifically for gun violence prevention is only one component of the city’s investment in keeping communities safer. Other investments include:

• $2M in ARPA for childcare and parental support
• $1.5M in ARPA for initiatives out of the Office of Community Wealth Building   
• $ 500,000 to the Richmond City Health District for the establishment of a trauma response network
• $300,000 from the Gang Violence Assessment grant from DCJS
• $500,000 from DCJS for ”We Matter RVA” program

“These steps signify progress in implementation of our framework, and while no one program or strategy is a panacea that will cure this decades-old issue overnight, it’s our firm belief that the solution that’s right for Richmond relies on a holistic, community-based approach,” the Mayor said. “One that takes into account the roles housing, transit, jobs and social supports play in healthier families and safer streets. One that builds trust from the ground up through collaboration and cooperation.”

The mayor also thanked the many community members and organizations that have played a role in working to prevent gun violence in the city, including Sheryl Garland, Torey Edmonds and Dr. Michel Aboutanos of the VCU Health System, and the staff of the Richmond City Health District, as well as the hundreds of city first responders who show up when the call for help goes out.

And the mayor made a special mention of the unsung heroes who go out of their way to protect their communities and work to resolve conflict and prevent violence, calling it a “team effort” that needs everyone to be involved.

“Somewhere in Richmond, right now, someone, some young man or woman, is alive due to a mentor, a coach, a pastor, a neighbor a big brother or big sister who intervened just at the right moment to help that young person divert from situations that would have placed their life in jeopardy,” the mayor said. 

“To you unsung, unknown, angels, guardians, parents, teachers who have saved the life of a youth that you know, I say, ‘Thank you.’ We all thank you.”

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The city has contracted with Team Henry Enterprises to dismantle and transport to storage the pedestals that previously held monuments to the Confederacy. Pedestals associated with the monuments to Matthew F. Maury, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, Jefferson Davis, J.E.B. Stuart and Confederate Soldiers and Sailors and the Confederate Cannon are included in the contract.

The code of the Commonwealth of Virginia gives local governing bodies the authority to determine the final disposition of publicly owned monuments or memorials for war veterans.

The A.P. Hill statue and pedestal are also included in this contract. Specifically, this includes the removal of the cast iron monument and removal of the stone pedestal and all associated materials. The City of Richmond will coordinate the chain of custody for the burial site and remains of A.P. Hill and the required permitting with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.

Work could last as long as two months, depending on the details of the A.P. Hill removal.

The contract was awarded to the firm that met all requirements while offering the lowest cost to the city: Team Henry Enterprises at $1,495,998.

For the pedestal materials to be stored correctly, they need to be placed on plastic pallets rather than wood ones. To accommodate this change, the city issued a change order and increased the size of the contract by $67,965.17, totaling $1,563,963.17.

The need for pallets and proper storage procedures were identified in the original Invitation for Bid, making this cost anticipated.

Additional costs associated with monument removal and storage include that of the reinternment of A.P. Hill, capital project consultants, storage materials, any legal services contracted by the City Attorney’s office, and a cost share with the Commonwealth for the Lee statue and base transfer. The costs will be covered by operating expenses in the budget of the DCAO of Operations.

Team Henry Enterprises contracted with the city to remove the confederate statues on city land in July of 2020 and with the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of General Services to remove the Robert E. Lee statue and pedestal in 2021.

All dismantled pedestal materials will be appropriately documented and stored in a secure location. They will be given to the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia along with the statues, according to the decision of Richmond City Council on Monday, January 24.

Pedestal removals will be accompanied by streetscaping and landscaping efforts by the city administration according to approved plans, which may require traffic detouring.

A non-technical summary of plans for each removal site

The medians housing the A.P. Hill monument and Jackson pedestal will be completely removed from their respective intersections. The area will be paved with asphalt.

At the medians housing the Davis, Maury, and Stuart pedestals, all stones associated with the monuments will be removed and grading will take place to direct runoff from the median and into the roadway stormwater system.

At the site of the Confederate Cannon, the pedestal will be removed and the disturbed area will be seeded with grass to match the surrounding area.

At the site of the former Confederate Soldiers and Sailors monument, the steps, fence, and curb associated with the monument will be removed and replaced with granite cobblestone paving to match the surrounding area.

Street closures associated with these efforts will be communicated by the Department of Public Works.

The city is accepting applications and recertifications for the Tax Relief for the Elderly and Disabled program. Existing participants in the program must submit application and recertification documents by March 31, 2022 to remain in the program. New applicants must submit a full application by June 15, 2022.

Participants in the program can apply for tax relief or a tax freeze. Tax relief partially or fully exempts residents from real estate taxes, depending on their income and assets. A tax freeze exempts residents from paying any increase in real estate taxes over the course of the three-year period while in the program.

Tax relief or freeze runs on a three year cycle. Participants in the second and third years must submit their recertification by March 31 annually. When the three year cycle is complete, participants must submit a full application.

If you or a loved one is unsure of whether you should apply, recertify, or reapply call 3-1-1.

Eligibility

Residents are eligible for the program if, as of 2021, they:

• Are 65 years of age or older or permanently disabled;
• Own and live in their own home;
• Have an annual household income less than $60,000;
• Have owner and spouse assets totaling less than $350,000 (excluding the value of their home and one acre of land); and
• Are current on their real estate taxes.

Accessibility

All associated forms and instructions are available in Spanish on the Department of Finance webpage.

If you are a caretaker or loved one of an elderly or disabled Richmonder and would like to help them apply, the Department of Finance wants to empower you to do that. You can fill out the Authorized Representative Form, found here, or present your Power of Attorney document to enable you to apply on behalf of an individual.

The City is making an effort to promote this program directly to potentially eligible participants. If you would like to support this effort by hosting an information session, airing an interview, or distributing materials, please contact (804) 646-6015. We’d be honored to have your help.

Other Resources

To learn more about the program, download application and recertification forms, and read a helpful FAQ, visit https://www.rva.gov/finance/assistance.

Click here to download the program brochure in English and Spanish.

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With the City of Richmond under a Winter Storm Advisory from Friday afternoon through Saturday morning, city staff are preparing for the inclement weather and urging citizens to be proactive about staying safe.

Residents in the City of Richmond could see from one to three inches of snow and feel wind gusts up to 30 miles per hour. These factors pose a threat for downed trees, electrical outages, and major impacts to travel. Plan on slippery road conditions that could impact the Friday evening commute. If at all possible, stay off the roads. If you must travel, know road conditions before you leave and consider keeping a cold weather kit in your car.

To prepare for the forecasted weather, crews from the Departments of Public Works and Public Utilities have begun to pre-treat roads. They will continue to do so throughout the storm. There are over 100 city employees covering snow routes throughout the city.

“Since Thursday evening, city crews have been preparing for any impacts we could see from this winter weather,” said Mayor Levar Stoney. “I urge all residents to stay off the roads throughout the Winter Storm Advisory. If you must travel, be cautious and courteous to others. Your safety and the safety of your fellow Richmonders should be the top priority.”

For updates on service impacts and any delays or closures, follow @CityRichmondVA on Twitter.

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