Wintergreen / Beech Grove
Nelson County, Virginia
From Wintergreen Fire & Rescue
“The Virginia Army National Guard and Chesterfield County Fire & EMS will be conducting their annual hoist training tomorrow. (May 20, 2026) 2 Blackhawk helicopters will arrive around 9:00am and they will be conducting drills until approximately 3:30pm.
The aircraft base will be on Beech Grove Road across from Blue Toad Cider and the mountain landing zone is on Laurel Springs Drive.
Expect to see and hear helicopters hovering for extended periods of time over the Plunge Park at Blackrock Circle, Shamokin Springs off of Laurel Springs Drive, and Peggy’s Pinch off of Old Stoney Creek Road. Expect trail closures in these locations. Please do not approach the aircraft at any time. This is not a “public relations” event.
Traffic on Laurel Springs Drive will be stopped long enough for “touch and go” operations.
This is the third year for this training, and it is remarkable there has not been a single complaint. Our community is obviously supportive of emergency preparedness, and we greatly appreciate your patience.
The teams here tomorrow operate anywhere in the Commonwealth of Virginia, as well as anywhere they are deployed by the Army. They are the people who will be coming to help us if a need ever arises. The pilots and crew feel as if our topography gives them the best possible training they can achieve within a reasonable flight from their base in Richmond.
We are very fortunate to have such a close working rapport with this team. Many localities would love to have this arrangement.
Again, thank you in advance for your patience.
Curtis Sheets, Chief
Wintergreen Fire & Rescue”
