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Rockbridge County hurricane guide

Rockbridge County Fire-Rescue & Emergency Management is based in Buena Vista and plans for emergencies in the county, which shares an alert system with the cities of Lexington and Buena Vista. The county says flash floods can come from heavy rains from tropical storms and hurricanes and can develop within minutes. Never drive through a flooded road.

Checked on October 9, 2026

Every phone number and web address on this page was checked against official sources on that date. Details can change, especially during a storm. Always follow instructions from Rockbridge County Fire-Rescue & Emergency Management. In a life threatening emergency, call 911.

What to know in Rockbridge County

  • The county says flash floods are most often caused by slow moving thunderstorms, repeated storms over the same area, or heavy rains from tropical storms and hurricanes, and can develop within minutes. It says six inches of moving water can knock a person down and two feet of water can move a large vehicle such as a bus.

Emergency and information numbers

Service Number Notes
Emergency 911 Police, fire, and ambulance. Call only when someone's life or property is in danger.
Emergency management office 540-572-4213 Rockbridge County Fire-Rescue & Emergency Management, 100 Baner Lane, Buena Vista. Office line. Not for emergencies.
Sheriff's Office non-emergency 540-463-7328 Sheriff's Office dispatch, serving Rockbridge County and Lexington. For police matters that are not emergencies.
Road and traffic conditions (VA511) 511 Evacuation routes and road closures.

Official alerts and information

  • Alert Rockbridge: Free alerts by text, email, or phone. Sign up before a storm. Website.
  • Rockbridge County flooding guidance: The county's flood and flash flood safety page. Website.

Evacuation centers

Open only when announced

Evacuation centers open only when officials announce them, and not every center opens for every storm. Check the official list of open centers before you leave home. Bring your own bedding, food, water, and medicines.

Rockbridge County says school buildings normally serve as emergency shelter locations, but the actual emergency determines where shelters are placed. Shelter locations are given to local television, radio, and newspapers during an emergency. The county asks you to consider friends, relatives, and hotels first, to bring your own bedding, food, water, and medications, and says animals other than service animals are not allowed in shelters and weapons and alcohol are not allowed. Check Alert Rockbridge and local media to learn where a shelter is open.

Cities and towns

Each city has its own services and some have their own alerts. The county's evacuation zones, evacuation centers, and emergency alerts cover everyone, in every city and in unincorporated areas.

Sources

Checked on October 9, 2026. If a number or address here is wrong, please tell us at Keith@KMyers.me.