REMEMBER, DIAL 911 IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS ONLY!
ALL OTHERS DIAL 434-985-2222
When faced with an emergency time is critical. Knowing who to call, what to say when you call, and what will happen once you make the call is critical.
What is an Emergency Communications Officer (Dispatcher)?
The Emergency Communications Officer is the most important public safety professional you may never see. The Greene County Emergency Communications Officers are highly skilled and extensively trained professionals. These professionals are the first link in the public safety chain. They gather essential information from callers, and dispatch the appropriate public safety responders to the scene of the emergency. These professionals take control of situations that are often chaotic, heart-wrenching, stressful, confusing and terrifying. Many of the callers who call 911 are experiencing the worst time in their life. The Emergency Communications Officer is tasked with obtaining information under extreme situations from callers who may be screaming, crying, hysterical, angry, or verbally abusive. The Emergency Communications Officers utilize their training and experience to diffuse these situations prior to responder arrival so as to minimize the danger to the citizens as well as the responders.
The Greene County Emergency Communications Center (GCECC) is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The professional men and women who make up the GCECC undergo stringent, rigorous and unwavering training to achieve certification, as well as continuous training to maintain certifications in:
Emergency Medical Dispatch
Communications Officer Basic Academy
Fire Communications
Crisis intervention
Virginia Criminal Information Network/National Crime Information Center
Incident Command Systems
The National Incident Management System
Cardio-pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
In addition to mandated training these men and women attend training courses, take online training courses, and regularly review and practice skills not used on a daily basis.
WHAT IS AN EMERGENCY?
An emergency is any situation that requires immediate assistance to protect life, limb and property. Examples include, but are not limited to:
• A fire
• A crime, especially if in progress
• A medical emergency
• A motor vehicle accident
IMPORTANT: If you are unsure whether the situation is a true emergency, call 911 and let the Emergency Communications Officer determine if emergency assistance is necessary.
- WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU CALL, OR TEXT, 911:
When you call 911, be prepared to answer the Emergency Communications Officer’s questions, which will include:
• “What is the address of the emergency?” The location is the absolutely most important piece of
information you will provide. Know where you are at all times so that in an emergency help can be
dispatched to you quickly.”
• “What is your name?”
• “What is the phone number you are calling from?”
• “What is the emergency?”
Remember to stay calm and answer the Emergency Communications Officer’s questions. It may seem at the time that the questions are irrelevant and a waste of time. However, these questions are important and could mean the difference in life & death, catching the bad guy, or stopping a crime in progress. Greene County Emergency Communications Officers are trained to provide Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD). EMD helps the Emergency Communications Officer quickly and properly determine the nature and priority of the medical call, dispatch the appropriate response, and then give the caller instructions to help treat the patient until responders arrive.
REMINDER:
In the event of an emergency please call 911. If you are unable to make a voice call you can send a text message to 911.
CALL IF YOU CAN, TEXT IF YOU CANNOT!!!!