RICHMOND, Va. –
National 911 Awareness Month is observed every April on Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia. The 911 system serves as a vital link between emergency responders and the public. The number gives the public a single, simple way to call for help in the event of a fire or other emergency. 911 was chosen as the national emergency phone number during the days of rotary telephones because the 9 and the 1 were easy to find on the dial.
Tips for calling 911 in an emergency:
- Try to remain calm. You are the eyes and ears of the dispatcher, so the calmer you are, the better they can understand your needs.
- If the area you are in is unsafe, leave and find a safe location to call from.
- Know your location.
- Tell the dispatcher the building number, bay, floor, room or cube number you are calling from. Avoid using organization names like Information Operations, or National Guard.
- If you are not in a building, give the lot number or nearest landmark. If using a building as a landmark, let the dispatcher know which side of the building you are located on.
- Know the number of the phone you are calling from and provide an alternate cell phone number if you are evacuating the area.
- Be patient and let the dispatcher lead the conversation.
- Give short, clear and direct answers to help speed the response. Dispatchers must ask certain questions depending on the type of call; this allows the dispatcher to dispatch the appropriate units.
- Follow the directions provided by the dispatcher. You may be given direction on how to perform medical treatments, evacuate the area or send someone to meet the responders.
- Do not hang up until the dispatcher tells you to; they may need more information or may need to give you pre-arrival instructions.
- If you call 911 by mistake, stay on the line and advise the dispatcher it was a mistake. If you are unable to respond, police officers will be dispatched to your location to check on you.
- All calls are prioritized and dispatched in order of severity.
- From a Voice over Internet Protocol phone [office phone] always dial 911. The 911 phone lines are answered before the business lines.
If you are calling 911 from a cell phone or non-DSCR phone prefix (279), Chesterfield County Emergency Communications Center will answer your call. Tell them that you are calling from Defense Supply Center Richmond or DSCR at 8000 Jefferson Davis Hwy. When calling 911 from a VoIP phone, your call will be answered by the DLA Installation Management Richmond’s Emergency Communications Center.
We will soon be rolling out a new enhancement to our 911 system called Omni, which will allow the dispatchers to pinpoint the exact location of the VoIP phone from which you are calling.