9-1-1 is only to be used in emergencies. An emergency is any situation that requires immediate assistance from the police, fire or rescue. 9-1-1 is for emergencies, potential emergencies, or when an emergency is imminent.

Ask yourself:

Is there a danger to life or property?

Is there a serious medical emergency (chest pains, seizures, bleeding, etc?)

Is there any type of fire (building, vehicle, brush, etc?)

Is there any crime in-progress (robbery, burglary, prowler, fights, etc?)

Are there any other life threatening situations (traffic accident with injuries, stuck in high water, etc?)

Is the caller or someone else the victim of a crime?

If you are ever in doubt of whether a situation is an emergency, you should call 9-1-1. It is better to be safe and let the 9-1-1 call taker determine if you need emergency assistance.

Please, do not call 9-1-1 to report that electricity or other utilities are off; to notify authorities of traffic jams; to inquire about government services or to learn general information.

When reporting an emergency:

Remain calm

Speak clearly

Listen to instructions

Answer all questions

The person answering 9-1-1 is a trained dispatcher. They have been trained as to what questions to ask. Be prepared to follow the dispatcher's line of questioning. (e.g., WHEN did the incident occur, WHAT is happening, WHERE the situation is occurring, WHO is involved, is a WEAPON involved, what INJURIES have been sustained, etc.).

The Emergency Communications Center has several non-emergency telephone lines that are accessible to the public. For all non-emergency situations, please call 804-633-5400. Examples of calls that should be placed to the non-emergency number are:

Traffic accidents that do not involve injuries or hazards

Loud music or barking dogs

Late reported incidents such as theft with no suspect information

Requests for information

Dispatchers ask for pertinent information first - address, type of call, name of caller or those involved. Once the initial information is obtained, additional questions may be asked depending on the type of call. The questioning will not slow down the dispatching of the appropriate assistance. In emergency cases, this information is relayed immediately to field units so they may begin responding to the incident, while the dispatcher remains on the phone to obtain further details that are also relayed to the responding units as it is gathered, in real time. The dispatcher will further assist callers by giving instructions to callers on how to administer life saving techniques, such as CPR, during medical emergencies; to take steps to promote the personal safety of the caller, the victim and responding Police, Fire or EMS personnel, and to engage in those actions that preserve evidence to aid in the apprehension of suspects.

If you call 9-1-1 by mistake, DO NOT HANG UP . Stay on the line and tell the dispatcher that everything is all right. If a caller to 911 hangs up without stating the problem, the caller must be contacted in order to ensure that no actual emergency exits. This may involve the dispatching of an officer to your home or place of business in order to ensure that a problem does not exist. One common misconception that citizens have about dialing 911 by mistake is they will somehow get into trouble. This is not true!

The Caroline County Emergency Communications Center handles approximately 30,000 telephone calls yearly. From these, approximately 25,000 calls are dispatched to Fire & Rescue personnel, Bowling Green Police, Animal Control, and the Sheriff's Office.

Yes. The Emergency Communications Center is equipped with Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD) enabling communications with the speech/hearing-impaired callers.

If a caller uses a TTY/TDD, the caller should:

Stay calm, place the phone receiver in the TTY, dial 9-1-1.

After the call is answered, press the TTY keys several times. This may help shorten the     time necessary to respond to the call.

Give the call taker time to connect their TTY. If necessary, press the TTY keys again. The 9-1-1 call taker should answer and type "GA" for Go Ahead.

Tell what is needed-police, fire department, or ambulance. Give your name, phone number and the address where help is needed

Stay on the telephone if it is safe. Answer the call taker's questions.

If a deaf or hearing/speech impaired caller does not have a TTY/TDD, the caller should call 9-1-1 and do not hang up. Not hanging up leaves the line open. With most 9-1-1 calls, the caller's address is displayed on the call taker's screen and help will be sent.

Yes. When 9-1-1 is dialed on a cellular phone, a call from within Chesterfield County will be routed to the Emergency Communication Center based on cellular tower site location. Depending on the type of call, geographical area and other factors, your call may need to be transferred to another jurisdiction or the Virginia State Police.

Yes. When necessary, a 9-1-1 call taker can add an interpreter from an outside service to the line. The Emergency Communications Center provides a service made available from Language Line Inc. This service provides us over-the-phone interpretation of more than 140 languages, 24 hours a day. A non-English speaking caller may hear a short conversation in English and some clicking sounds as the interpreter is added to the line.

The law goes into effect on February 15th each year and runs through April 30th.

The 4 p.m. Law was adopted during the 1940's to reduce the number of wildfires which occurred each spring. During this time of the year, Virginia traditionally has an increased number of fires. During the winter months, winds are usually elevated, the relative humidity is lower and the fuels on the forest floor are extremely dry, having "cured" without having the tree leaves to shade them.

After 4 p.m., winds usually calm down and the relative humidity levels are on the increase, both of which reduce the potential for a debris fire or any outdoor open air fire to escape your control.

Debris burning is the Number One cause of wildfires, closely followed by intentionally set or "arson" fires.

Virginia has records which date back to 1925, and our 30 year average is 1,449 fires for 8,338 acres per year. 1941 saw the most fires with 3,697, and 1930 had the most acreage burned at 333,023 acres.

NO. Campfires are considered an open air fire. A pit fire or campfire may be approved if it meets ALL the following conditions: Fire is BELOW GROUND LEVEL, continuously monitored AND completely enclosed with cinder blocks AND a ¼" or smaller metal screen is placed over the enclosure. Extra precautions should be taken to clear a 20-foot circle of all flammable materials and have water and a shovel available.

Yes. Although you may have taken all proper precautions and obtained any locally required permits, whoever started the fire is responsible should the fire escape.

Violation of the 4 p.m. law is a class 3 misdemeanor with a fine of not more than $500.

Yes, however you must take proper care and precaution by clearing all flammable material from around it and you must stay with it until it is completely extinguished or turned off.

No, however if the burning operations are greater than 300 feet from the woods or flammable grass/vegetation which would allow the fire to spread to the woods the 4 p.m. law does not apply.