Submitted by Rebecca Barnes
OWL VFD
Woodbridge, Va. — Women’s history month has long been recognized as an opportunity to showcase the accomplishments made by women in our country. Occoquan Woodbridge Lorton Volunteer Fire Department in Woodbridge celebrates the contributions of women serving our community as firefighters and EMTs.
OWL VFD is proud of the fact that we were one of the first departments in Prince William to include women in the fire service. The vibrancy and quality of our services has been enhanced and their contributions to this department have been dynamic and abundant.
Our department has women making a vital difference in every part of our organization. Women serve as fire fighters, EMT’s, as well as holding leadership positions all the way up to President. OWL VFD women have received national recognition for their service.
We want to thank all of our women members, past and present and welcome future women leaders in our department. We are grateful for your service and sacrifice and are honored to work side by side with you to achieve the mission of OWL VFD. In a letter to our female members, Delegate Rich Anderson summed it up nicely when he said “…the rest of us are able to go about our daily lives and sleep soundly at night knowing that the Occoquan-Woodbridge-Lorton Volunteer Fire Department family is on duty.”
OWL VFD is one the largest and busiest volunteer fire departments in the United States with over 300 members. OWL VFD provides fire suppression, EMS care, and rescue services to 80,000 residents in our 27-square mile area through the operation of three fire stations.
OWL volunteer Firefighters and EMTs work a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. shift, five days a week, plus 24/7 holidays and weekends. For more information on OWL VFD, visit owlvfd.org or become a fan on Facebook at Occoquan-Woodbridge-Lorton Volunteer Fire Department.
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Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS), the second-largest school division in Virginia, announced the closure of all schools and offices for Monday, January 6, 2025, due to a Winter Storm Warning. The announcement, posted on the division’s official account on X, formerly known as Twitter, stated, “Due to Winter Storm Warning, all Prince William County Public Schools and Offices will be closed Code Red on Monday, January 6, 2025 (exception: Inclement Weather Employees). Weather conditions will be monitored throughout Monday and an update will be provided as needed.”
The closure affects more than 90,000 students enrolled across the division’s 100 schools, including elementary, middle, high schools, and specialty programs. PWCS serves a diverse and growing population, providing a range of academic, athletic, and extracurricular opportunities for students in Prince William County and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.
Under the Code Red designation, only designated inclement weather employees are required to report to work. The school division emphasized that it will continue to monitor weather conditions throughout the day on Monday and provide further updates if necessary.
Manassas Park City Schools (MPCS) announced that all schools will be closed on Monday, January 6, 2025, citing snowy conditions as the reason for the closure. The announcement on the division’s website stated, “All Manassas Park City Schools will be closed tomorrow, Monday, January 6th, due to snowy conditions. Code RED for employees.”
The closure affected more than 3,000 students enrolled in the city’s four schools, which include Cougar Elementary, Manassas Park Elementary, Manassas Park Middle School, and Manassas Park High School. MPCS serves the small, tight-knit community of Manassas Park and provides a range of academic and extracurricular programs designed to meet the needs of its students.
A Code RED designation means that all school employees, except those specifically designated for inclement weather duties, are not required to report to work.
Manassas City Public Schools (MCPS) announced that all schools will be closed on Monday, January 6, 2025, due to forecasted inclement weather. The announcement, shared on the district’s official account on X, formerly known as Twitter, noted, “Manassas City Public Schools will be closed Jan. 6, 2025, due to forecasted inclement weather. Code BLUE for employees.”
The closure affects approximately 7,000 students across the city’s nine schools, including five elementary schools, one intermediate school, one middle school, and one high school. MCPS serves the city of Manassas with a variety of academic programs designed to meet the needs of a diverse student population.
The Code Blue designation means that employees are not required to report to work unless specifically notified by their supervisors. Further updates regarding school operations will be provided through the district’s official communication channels, including its website and social media accounts.
Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), the largest community college in Virginia and one of the largest in the nation, has declared a “Code Purple” for Monday, January 6, 2025. All classes and services will be conducted online, with no in-person operations at any of the college’s six campuses or satellite centers.
The announcement, made on X, formerly known as Twitter, stated, “All #NOVA campuses are operating virtually. Classes and services are online only.” The move impacts more than 70,000 students enrolled across the college’s campuses in Alexandria, Annandale, Loudoun, Manassas, Springfield, and Woodbridge.
Experience the passion and drama of Puccini’s “The Girl from the Golden West”.
Featuring special guest musicians from The Chesapeake Youth Orchestra, this performance brings Puccini’s masterpiece to life with an extraordinary cast.
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Travel to French soil and celebrate with us for an unforgettable evening of delicious food, wine and music.
What better way to celebrate the end of the 2024 wine harvest in style than at the Embassy of France at DC’s only official celebration?
This is the Wine Event Of The Year!
