Blacksburg Volunteer Rescue Squad honored as top EMS agency
During the start of National EMS Week on Monday, Chief David English accepted the award from the governor on behalf of the entire team.
John Clair named new chief of Blacksburg Police Department
'The Town offers its congratulations to the Blacksburg Volunteer Rescue Squad for receiving this prestigious award for the second time in eight years, said Deputy Town Manager Steve Ross. 'Being recognized a second time demonstrates the outstanding EMS services the Rescue Squad continues to provide our community. Additionally, we are appreciative of all the individuals who volunteer their time to provide this valuable service.'
The Outstanding EMS Agency award recognizes local, regional, state, and national EMS agencies for exceptional professionalism, a strong commitment to community service, and excellence in patient care, demonstrated through innovative training programs, public health initiatives, robust community engagement, and leadership.
First black Chief of Police of Blacksburg, William 'Bill' Brown remembered
'I'm truly honored to accept this award on behalf of Blacksburg Rescue,' said David English, Chief of Blacksburg Rescue. 'It is a testimony to the dedication and professionalism of our team. In a time when many volunteer agencies are struggling, it's especially meaningful that our all-volunteer rescue squad can achieve this distinction from among the hundreds of other volunteer, career, and combination departments across Virginia.'
With 170 active volunteers, the Rescue Squad is a non-profit that provides prehospital emergency services, training, community events, and other public services to Blacksburg, parts of Montgomery County, and other neighboring communities.
Blacksburg PD K9 Unit receives ballistic vest donation
'The Blacksburg Volunteer Rescue Squad is a pillar of the Blacksburg community through public education, safety training, and participation in local events. The award underscores the organization's sustained impact and commitment to excellence in emergency medical services.'
For more information about the Blacksburg Volunteer Rescue Squad and its programs, visit www.blacksburgrescue.org.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
UPI
22-07-2025
- UPI
AstraZeneca to invest $50 billion in United States facilities
The AstraZeneca headquarters in Sydney, Australia, in August of 2020. File Photo by Dan Himbrechts/EPA-EFE July 22 (UPI) -- The biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca announced it will $50 billion into the United States, with plans to open several manufacturing facilities in several states. AstraZeneca said in a press release Monday that it will invest by both manufacturing some of its medicines and conducting research and development stateside, and will reach that $50 billion mark by 2030. This move is intended to create thousands of new American jobs, with the main effort to expand being a multi-billion-dollar manufacturing facility to be built in Virginia. A number of its weight management drugs are to be produced there, and it will create its products via a combination of data analysis, AI and automation. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin thanked AstraZeneca in the release, "for choosing Virginia as the cornerstone for this transformational investment in the United States." "This project will set the standard for the latest technological advancements in pharmaceutical manufacturing, creating hundreds of highly skilled jobs and helping further strengthen the nation's domestic supply chain," said Youngkin. "Advanced manufacturing is at the heart of Virginia's dynamic economy, so I am thrilled that AstraZeneca, one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, plans to make their largest global manufacturing investment here in the Commonwealth." Other highlights of the $50 billion investment include research and development facilities constructed in Maryland, Massachusetts, Texas, Indiana and California. According to the release, the financial goal of AstraZeneca is to reach a total revenue of $80 billion by 2030, half of which is expected to be generated in the United States. U.S. Secretary of Commerce said in the release that the Trump administration is "proud that AstraZeneca has made the decision to bring substantial pharmaceutical production to our shores." "This historic investment is bringing tens of thousands of jobs to the [United States] and will ensure medicine sold in our country is produced right here," he added.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Yahoo
AstraZeneca grows US presence with $50B in spending plans
This story was originally published on BioPharma Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily BioPharma Dive newsletter. WASHINGTON — AstraZeneca, the U.K.'s third biggest company by market value, is making itself a bit more American. On Monday, AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot joined Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin in Washington D.C. to sign an agreement on the company's plans to spend $4 billion building a new drug factory in the state. The investment is AstraZeneca's largest for a single site, and a portion of $50 billion it says it will spend on manufacturing and R&D in the country between now and 2030. By that time, AstraZeneca aims to make $80 billion in annual revenue, half of which it expects will be generated in the U.S. The company is also reportedly weighing moving its principal stock listing from London's exchange to the U.S. 'We are very focused on our commitment to the United States,' said Soriot. 'The great majority of our portfolio of new products originates out of our research and development here in the United States.' 'To great extent, we are American,' he added. In addition to the newly announced site in Virginia, AstraZeneca is building an R&D center in Cambridge, Massachusetts; cell therapy facilities in Maryland and California; and expanding in Maryland, Indiana and Texas. AstraZeneca is also including its spending on U.S. drug R&D in its $50 billion target for the next five years. The company did not break out in its statement an accounting of spending by project. Soriot announced his company's newest U.S. commitment as the Trump administration weighs imposing heavy tariffs on pharmaceuticals imported into the U.S. In response, many of AstraZeneca's peers have made similar investment declarations, of various size, as the industry works to shift branded drug production to the U.S. Soriot said that, while the prospect of tariffs can accelerate decisions on investment in research and manufacturing, AstraZeneca would have expanded in the U.S. regardless. 'We understand the need for a country like the U.S. to see medicines serving patients in this country manufactured in this country,' Soriot added. 'It's a question about national security.' The U.S. Commerce Department is currently conducting an investigation into pharmaceuticals and that same question, with tariffs the expected result. Reports have indicated an announcement could be coming this month, and President Trump has hinted duties could be up to 200%, but phased in over time. 'For decades Americans have been reliant on foreign supply of key pharmaceutical products,' Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in AstraZeneca's statement. 'President Trump and our nation's new tariff policies are focused on ending this structural weakness.' Trump also issued an order directing his administration to come up with a 'most favored nation' policy, whereby the prices paid for drugs by the U.S. are no more than those charged abroad. While it's not clear what mechanism the White House could pursue to enforce the policy without Congress enacting a new law, drugmakers are considering how they might work with the administration. Pharma companies are also seizing on Trump's argument that other countries should pay more. 'The U.S. cannot alone carry the cost of R&D for the entire world,' Soriot said Monday. AstraZeneca's announcement of its $4 billion investment in Virginia was born out of a meeting between Soriot and Youngkin at the former's London offices in mid-June. Soriot called it the fastest investment deal negotiation his company has ever completed. Once operational, the plant will produce the 'drug substance' in some of AstraZeneca's newest medicines, including an oral GLP-1 treatment for weight loss, an oral cholesterol-lowering therapy and the blood pressure drug baxdrostat. All three programs are currently in clinical testing and not approved. While the plant's site is not yet finalized, Youngkin said at Monday's event that Virginia has several 'shovel-ready' locations. The facility will employ several hundred staff when complete. Recommended Reading Trump says pharmaceutical, copper tariffs coming 'very soon'
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Yahoo
AstraZeneca announces $50 billion U.S. manufacturing investment, matching its big pharma peers
AstraZeneca (AZN) said it is investing $50 billion in U.S. manufacturing by 2030, following the lead of big pharma peers that have, combined, announced more than $200 billion in investments in coming years. The commitment is the largest investment to-date, according to the company in a statement Monday. It includes expansions of current sites, including in Maryland and Massachusetts, as well as new facility in Virginia. "The cornerstone of this landmark investment is a new multi-billion dollar US manufacturing facility that will produce drug substances for the Company's innovative weight management and metabolic portfolio, including oral GLP-1, baxdrostat, oral PCSK9 and combination small molecule products. The new state-of the-art centre will produce small molecules, peptides and oligonucleotides," the company said. U.K.-based AstraZeneca said it currently relies on the U.S. market for 42% of its revenues, and hopes to increase the U.S. market share to 50% with this move. Its known for oncology drugs Tagrisso and Imfinzi. AstraZeneca's leadership was scheduled to speak at an event in Washington, D.C. Monday evening, flanked by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and U.S. Commerce Dept. representatives. "Today's announcement underpins our belief in America's innovation in biopharmaceuticals and our commitment to the millions of patients who need our medicines in America and globally. It will also support our ambition to reach $80 billion in revenue by 2030," said CEO Pascal Soriot. The strategy to invest billions in manufacturing is one being deployed by the industry in order to curry favor with President Donald Trump and his re-shoring agenda, and in hopes of avoiding strict tariffs on imported drug components manufactured abroad. Some of the largest investment commitments to-date have been Johnson & Johnson's (JNJ) $55 billion announcement and Eli Lilly's (LLY) $50 billion. With a previous $3.5 billion announced in November 2024, the new $50 billion commitment puts AstraZeneca in second. Trump has promised the pharma industry will face tariffs starting August 1. Industry leaders have pleaded with the administration for more time, and Trump has hinted the tariffs could be phased-in, as the companies work to bring their manufacturing onshore. The industry has been hoping Trump would ease up on the tariffs, in exchange for the onshoring commitments. J&J CFO Joe Wolk recently told Yahoo Finance the company has met with Trump and tried to persuade him to understand that the industry can't move facilities overnight. Meanwhile, others, like Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks, are hoping the administration would halt tariffs on the industry altogether. Ricks previously said that if the administration wants a commitment to make generics and other low-revenue products in exchange for no tariffs, its something the industry could consider. Anjalee Khemlani is the senior health reporter at Yahoo Finance, covering all things pharma, insurance, provider services, digital health, PBMs, and health policy and politics. That includes GLP-1s, of course. Follow Anjalee as AnjKhem on social media platforms X, LinkedIn, and Bluesky @AnjKhem. Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest health industry news and events impacting stock prices Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
