The Salem Museum will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Flood of 1985 with a special panel discussion featuring members of the Salem Rescue Squad and Salem Fire-EMS who responded to the disaster.
The free event will take place Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, at 7 p.m. at the Salem Museum as part of the museum’s speaker series.
On Nov. 4, 1985, torrential rains caused the Roanoke River to overflow, inundating neighborhoods and turning streets into rushing torrents. Dozens of residents were stranded on rooftops and in vehicles as floodwaters surged through the city. Thanks to the efforts of local rescue crews and firefighters, no lives were lost within Salem’s city limits.
Panelists Carey Harveycutter, Mike Moore, Tom Roseberry, Randy Smith and Eddie Hite will share their firsthand accounts of the rescues, the teamwork that kept them going, and the spirit of volunteerism that carried the community through one of its most challenging days.
The discussion will follow the museum’s annual meeting of the membership. A general reception will begin at 5 p.m., and members are encouraged to arrive by 6:30 p.m. to elect officers and directors for the upcoming year.
The Flood of ’85 remains one of the most significant events in Salem’s history, remembered for both its devastation and the community’s resilience.
-The Salem Times-Register
