MONETA, VA — August 16, 2026 — At approximately 11:37 p.m. Saturday night, the Smith Mountain Lake Volunteer Marine Fire Department was requested by Franklin County for a boating accident in the area of Marker R21 on Smith Mountain Lake.

Fireboats 11-5 and 11-9 responded to the scene and located a single-engine center-console vessel that had run up onto the shoreline.

Three occupants were aboard ... (Full Story & Photos)

Moneta, VA — Smith Mountain Lake Volunteer Marine Fire & Rescue has completed a major electronics upgrade on three of the department’s primary fire boats, improving the crew’s ability to navigate and operate safely while responding to emergencies across Smith Mountain Lake.

The department’s “triplets” — 11-5, 11-6, and 11-8 — have each received a new Garmin electronics package, replacing the original ... (Full Story & Photos)

Smith Mountain Lake Marine Fire Rescue now offers a live scanner feed on its website. This feature allows users to listen to all Fire, EMS, and Sheriff channels, also known as talkgroups. Listeners can choose to scan every available talkgroup or select specific ones, providing flexibility based on individual preferences.

The scanner is currently in a beta testing phase and may experience brief interruptions ... (Full Story & Photos)

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Smith Mountain Lake Marine Volunteer Fire Rescue has implemented several updates to its website, with plans for ongoing enhancements to provide important information to the community.

The home page now features a ticker at the top displaying the current lake level. The ticker uses three colors to indicate lake conditions: green for levels between 0 and 3 feet below full pond, yellow for 3 to 6 feet, ... (Full Story & Photos)

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The Smith Mountain Lake Marine Volunteer Fire Rescue Department extends its appreciation to everyone who has contributed donations and materials to support the ongoing dock project at headquarters. Community generosity has played a crucial role in making this project possible.

The project is not yet complete. Fundraising efforts continue to install the roof and boat lifts. Updates on the progress ... (Full Story & Photos)

Rob Mann from American Electrical Power presents a check to Smith Mountain Lake Marine Fire and Rescue Chief Todd Ohlerict to assist with the construction of a new dock at the firehouse. Also pictured are SMLMFR President Frank Geovannello and Vice President John Honaker.... (Full Story & Photos)