Eastern Shore of Virginia

9-1-1 Communications Center

23201 Front Street, PO Box 337, Accomac, Virginia 23301-0337

Trooper Johnson Named One of America’s Top Police Officers

The Eastern Shore of Virginia 9-1-1 Commission and staff and the Eastern Shore’s public safety agencies join PARADE Magazine and America’s police chiefs in recognizing Trooper Kurt Johnson of the Virginia State Police as one of America's Top Police Officers in 2009.

Trooper Johnson crawled through the crumpled rear passenger door of a burning vehicle on U.S. 13 in Pastoria to reach a small girl wedged under the dashboard and pull her to safety. The girl, rescued on her third birthday, has since recovered from two broken legs.

9-1-1 Supervisor Surran Named Virginia’s

Communications Line Supervisor of the Year 2008

The Virginia Chapter of Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) and the Eastern Shore of Virginia 9-1-1 Commission are pleased to announce that Communications Supervisor Margaret (Marge) Surran has been named the Virginia Association of Public Safety Communications Officials Line Supervisor of the Year.

Surran received this prestigious honor on May 7, 2009, in Virginia Beach during the APCO-NENA Spring Conference. APCO Chapter President Carol Adams and APCO International First Vice President Bill Carrow presented her award.

Surran began her employment with the Eastern Shore of Virginia 9-1-1 Center in 1993 as a Communications Officer and was promoted to a supervisory position in 2001. Throughout her tenure in the organization, she consistently has demonstrated a deep commitment to the well-being and forward progress of the 9-1-1 Center. In addition to supervising the operations of the 9-1-1 Center dispatch floor, she is presently responsible for supervising thirteen Communications Officers. These duties are in addition to numerous other administrative tasks she is charged with managing. These include, but are not limited to the overall management of the 9-1-1 Center schedule, coordinating office supplies and uniform needs, serving as a training officer, attending various fire/EMS and community meetings, managing public education events, and serving as the on-call Supervisor on a regular schedule. She wears many hats and wears them well!

Supervisor Marge Surran demonstrates a high level of commitment to all employees. In addition to 9-1-1 Center issues, she is someone Communications Officers often seek to discuss issues occurring in their lives for her direction and understanding. She demonstrates a rock-solid character when it comes to integrity and fairness. Many issues in a 9-1-1 Center need to be examined closely and she does this. Her development of leadership skills is ongoing and Supervisor Surran is willing to complete the necessary educational opportunities to learn and move forward. This includes recently attending two employment development classes for supervisory skills and completing the APCO Supervisor class in 2008.

Communications Officers are often at various levels in their abilities and experience. Marge consistently discusses both positive and areas of improvement needed with those she supervises. Her dedication, whether it be covering unexpected changes in the schedule, attending a meeting for the 9-1-1 Center, coordinating preparation and scheduling for significant events (such as Tropical Storm Hanna), instructing Telecommunicators in a neighboring PSAP in APCO Emergency Medical Dispatch (she is an APCO EMD and Basic Telecommunicator Instructor), or teaching about 9-1-1 Center operations to the fire/EMS community or general public, has been demonstrated prior to 2008, during 2008, and continues into 2009. She is a respected member of the public safety community, both in her role as a Supervisor in the 9-1-1 Center and as an EMS provider in the Wachapreague Volunteer Fire Department. When those critical incidents (large fires, significant accidents, etc.) are received and dispatched by Supervisor Surran she always maintains composure and handles the incident with professionalism.

Supervisors (out of necessity) have so many additional responsibilities and roles than just supervising and monitoring 9-1-1 dispatch operations. Marge places the needs of the 9-1-1 Center first and her overall work performance, attitude, and ability allow the 9-1-1 Center to move forward and provide an excellent service to the community.

Holloway Named 2008 Telecommunicator of the Year

Communications Officer Kevin Holloway was recently recognized as the Eastern Shore of Virginia 9-1-1 Center’s 2008 Telecommunicator (9-1-1 Dispatcher) of the Year. After being nominated by his peers, he was selected by a group of public safety (fire and EMS) representatives from both Accomack and Northampton counties. Communications Officer Holloway began his service at the Eastern Shore 9-1-1 Center in 1998 and has served with dedication and professionalism for over a decade. Jeff Flournoy, Director of the ESVA 9-1-1 Center, stated, “Kevin is an extremely competent and professional 9-1-1 Communications Officer. This includes answering and processing emergency 9-1-1 calls, dispatching fire and EMS services, and his interactions with both the public and field personnel. He is an asset to our 9-1-1 Center and the community”. In addition to being selected as the 2008 Telecommunicator of the Year for the ESVA 9-1-1 Center, Holloway was nominated for the Virginia Telecommunicator of the Year award.

Communications Manual Now Online

Amendments Effective March 24, 2009 Incorporated

The revised Communications Manual was approved by the Accomack County Fire-Rescue Commission and Northampton County Fire-Rescue Commission during the fall of 2008. A number of corrections and amendments effective February 1, 2009, February 10, 2009, and March 24, 2009, are now incorporated and available for review. To review the Communications Manual, select the Communications Manual link in the Table of Contents (left panel) or click here .

ESVA911 Center is an Accredited Emergency Medical Dispatch Center

In September 2007 the Eastern Shore of Virginia 9-1-1 Center implemented the APCO Emergency Medical Dispatch program. The program provides consistency in the call-taking of EMS incidents, priority of EMS incidents, and pre-arrival instructions. In February of 2008 the 9-1-1 Center was recognized as being an accredited emergency medical dispatch (EMD) center, after submitting the necessary documentation to the Virginia Office of EMS. Key components of meeting the accreditation standards include using an approved EMD program, having at least 25% of Communications Officers certified in EMD, always having at least one Communications Officer on duty certified in EMD, maintaining forty hours on continuing education every two years, and having a quality assurance and improvement process in place. The 9-1-1 Center has taken the steps to certify all Communications Officers in EMD. At the July 31^st, 2008 9-1-1 Commission meeting, Ken Crumpler and Wayne Berry, from the Virginia Office of EMS presented the Center’s Director, Jeff Flournoy, with a plaque recognizing the accreditation of the 9-1-1 Center.

The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International (APCO), the world's largest organization dedicated to public safety communications, is a member driven association of communications professionals that provides leadership; influences public safety communications decisions of government and industry; promotes professional development; and, fosters the development and use of technology for the benefit of the public. The APCO Institute Emergency Medical Dispatch Program is based on the NHTSA National Standard Curriculum for EMD and incorporates all of the current ASTM International guidelines in a comprehensive EMD Package.

FOR ALL EMERGENCIES, DIAL 9-1-1

Non-Emergency Phone Numbers: (757) 787-0911, 824-0911, 442-0911

9-1-1 Administration: (757) 787-0909

Contact the Webmaster

Last Updated October 2, 2009