Emergency Response Personnel & Emergency Services

Interviews with Homeowners conducted
October & November 2006 by LGA, Public Safety Committee

Summary of Responses

Has the public in this area posted the 911 address markers properly? 

Many individuals still have not posted the required 911 street/house numbers and it varies greatly community to community.  Lots of people that had mailboxes before with numbers, have not changed and may even have both the old numbers and new 911 numbers posted, resulting in confusion which can delay emergency response.  It is important that callers provide accurate phone number and 911 addresses including the spelling of the address.  Although under the ordinances, fines can be imposed against those who do not put up the correct 911 address info, the larger penalty is to those who need help and have not posted the proper signs.  They can suffer more serious damage/physical failure while the emergency rescue people search for the reporting individual.  The reason to spell the address is to avoid inaccuracies in conveying information between dispatchers and responders.

Are there specific equipment or training requirements that the public can help with? 

The Roanoke Wildwood VFD is funded approximately/roughly 60% public funds (Northampton and Warren County fire district assessments) and 40% contributions from garage sales, bake sales and fund drives.  The budget is a “0” Balance budget with public funding provided to a particular level for fixed expenditures with all received funds and expenditures audited annually by a Certified Public Accountant and subject to audit by the counties of Northampton and Warren, as well as, the State.  The contributed funds go to extra/early payments for trucks, personnel equipment, communications and building improvements. The department also applies for grants for additional equipment such as improved, extended time air packs.   The community college has been valuable in providing the continuing courses which fire and emergency medical personnel require. 

Is there adequate manpower for the VFD/EMS activity that you lead and how can volunteers contact you to become a part of your team?

Additional people power is always needed.  There are several issues associated with adding personnel.  One cannot just sign up and magically be a fireperson or an emergency medical technician.  To become certified requires a long term commitment, and continuing training and validation of skills.  It is anticipated that a local newspaper will be doing an in depth study of this subject in the near term and it would be informative to read the result of that interview.  It is admitted that more can be done with round the clock staffing at the firehouses.  Currently there are no “time passing conveniences” at the stations such as television (with sports channels hopefully), pool tables, or a place to catch a nap. 

Also, while there is a large population of resident retirees, there is a smaller population of volunteers willing to undergo training and make a commitment for duty 4 or more times a month for 12 hours.  This is not a problem isolated to the volunteer fire departments or rescue squads.  If one looks at the organizations around the lake such as the Lake Gaston Association, the Lake Gaston Water Safety Council, Lions, or Coast Guard Auxiliary, they will see many of the same faces executing the work of the organizations even though the organizations may have very small or relatively large membership.  This is neither a shot at those that are not more actively involved, nor a pat on the back for those who are, but a statement of fact.  As the permanent resident population ages there are less people able to continue to execute the activities of the organizations.  All of the organizations need to work together more and concentrate on accomplishing things cooperatively.  There is a need for more participation from those that can and for us together to find more contributions that non permanent community members can make. 

Persons interested in volunteering to help the volunteer emergency and rescue services can contact the following:

      Roanoke Wildwood VFD: Serving the north shore of the lake in Warren and Northampton Counties, N.C. (252) 586-5737.

      Longbridge VFD: Serving the south side of the lake area in Warren County, N.C. (252) 586-2480.

      Littleton VFD: Serving the Littleton area of Halifax County, N.C. (252) 586-4513.

      Churchill Five Forks VFD: Serving the western end of the lake including several communities in Virginia (252) 257-2323.

      Ebony VFD: Serving the Brunswick County, Va. and part of Warren County, N.C. (434) 636-2643 or Chip Hill 434 636 5101

      Lake Gaston VFD: Serving the north shore of Lake Gaston in the Mecklenburg/West Brunswick County, Va., areas. (434) 636-3473.

      Gasburg VFD: Serving the north shore of the lake in the South Brunswick County, Va. area (434) 577-2561 or Rickie Woodard 434 577 2058.  

      Brunswick county volunteer information for EMS---Devon Clary 434 917 9015 

Is there space for emergency vehicles to turn around in your area of responsibility versus backing down narrow roadways?

There are many areas that are neither conducive to turnaround or the passage of two vehicles side to side.  The VFDs for that reason also train some of its personnel to manage traffic to avoid conflicts between supporting/responding units in an emergency. When possible, subdivisions should work to ensure that roadways and turnaround can be navigated with ease by emergency vehicles. When a subdivision is in development, potential buyers need to work to force developers to construct roadways which can be transferred to the state for maintenance.  Such roads have required width, construction quality and cul de sac diameter.

Have dry fireplugs in your area been tested in the recent past?  (VFDs only) 

Yes, where they exist.  There really are no dry hydrants in Northampton, lots of wet ones.  There are many in Warren County at private sub division ramps.  More likely is the case that the responding fire department will use either a wheeled portable unit taken to the water’s edge which has its own gas pump rated at 250 gallons per minute, or the responder will go to the nearest ramp or reach water and place a floating suction head in the water (that has a strainer over the head) to maintain pumping pressure/flow.

Do you know the emergency phone numbers for police, emergency medical service and fire?

Most all individual interviewed did know to call 911.  One long term resident did not know about the 911 calling system and another insisted the number is 919 (the area code for Raleigh/Durham and vicinity).

All counties in the area now have a fully implemented 911 system in which you use one number for emergencies.  The operators assign response to the closest unit or closest backup if another emergency is in process. 

One quirk in Northampton is that the 911 dispatcher in Jackson calls the dispatcher in Warrenton who contacts Roanoke Wildwood for fire response.  Sometimes there is a glitch if the landline in Warren County is severed which happens on an infrequent basis.  There is a myth in Northampton that Central Rescue in Gasburg, Virginia may be dispatched by the Northampton 911 dispatcher.  An individual can call Central directly, but they are not certified in North Carolina and North Carolina 911 activities will not call them.  In Northampton, when a unit is dispatched (such as the Gaston EMS unit stationed on River Road near Speckle Cove) another unit is dispatched to the area as backup.  It may only go partway, but it is closer than Gaston. 

For fire, the Roanoke Wildwood units are certified in both states and both stations are notified for any call (once word is received from the Warren County dispatcher.  Certification is reciprocal as long as the papers are filed and the training is sufficient.  Central Rescue in Gasburg has not filed in NC.) The counties do not yet have reverse 911 implemented which provides an address when the phone connection is made.  The communication link with Warren County and in Warren County will be improved with the completion of a new tower prior to the end of the year.  The reverse 911 system is to be in place during the first quarter of next year in Northampton. 

In Warren County the responding unit situation is a little complex with the distances in the county and the fact that there are a number of Warren county residents that live on the north shore of Lake Gaston.  Enhanced 911 in Warren is in Phase 2 which means that your name and address comes up on the screen when you call.  However, for those on the North side of the lake served by Ebony they should be sure to give the dispatcher that information because Warren County can not dispatch Ebony - Warren Dispatch has to call Mecklenberg 911.   If the person identifies their subdivision, dispatch can look it up on their coverage map and tell but if someone is not in a sub and does not know to tell EMS that they are served by Ebony, then Roanoke Wildwood or Longbridge will be dispatched. 

Does your home have the required 911 street address marker in an area clearly visible to responding agencies?  Are others in your homeowners association as knowledgeable as you? 

The responses to the questions were mixed.  Most full time residents have the required 911 markers, but many indicated that weekenders often did not and that some full timers had different numbers on mail boxes.  Full time residents thought other full time residents were knowledgeable about Emergency Services but indicated that many part timers were not.

How frequently have you observed law enforcement personnel (including VA DGIF and NC Wildlife) in your neighborhood or on local waterways? 

Sheriff – Seldom; Dept of Wildlife – Often in boating months

Is your neighborhood involved actively in Neighborhood Watch?

Most are neighbors looking out for one another

What is the most important thing we can address to improve the situation in your area?

1.  Two commented - Have water samples taken in periods of no rain and just after drenching rains to identify level of nutrients from runoff from septic drain fields.

2.  Three commented - Have a deputy through the area on a random basis, but every once in awhile so it is known that the Sheriff’s Dept is available.

3.  Have greater participation from all residents in VFD and EMS/VRS

4.  Man the fire houses with drivers full time

5.  Publicly reveal the Roanoke Wildwood Budgets and spending

6.  Post average response times to emergencies with recommendations for improvement

7.  Residents and part timers need to know the fire laws particularly regarding burning of trash or leaves.  One is only allowed to burn what has grown on the property with dimensions less than 6 inches.  Burning stumps, old cabinets and such is not legal.  Fires started need to be tended until totally extinguished.  You cannot set a fire and then leave thinking there is not a problem.  A problem might just blow in.

Other Comments?

1.  Be aware that gangs are coming into the area and going to shopping malls and grocery parking lots in windowless or dark tinted glass vans where one person sits in the vehicle and alerts others to single persons/people traveling alone to set up muggings/robberies.  Suggest not traveling alone, particularly at night, and do not park in proximity to such vans.

2.  As cell phones are carried by the majority of the population, all you need to do is program the number of a contact person or persons and store the name as "ICE". The idea was thought up by a paramedic who found that when they went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but they didn't know which numbers to call. He therefore thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name to file "next of kin" under. The idea is that you store the word "ICE " in your mobile phone address book, and with it enter the number of the person you would want to be contacted "In Case of Emergency ". In an emergency situation, Emergency Services personnel and hospital staff would then be able to quickly contact your next of kin, by simply dialing the number programmed under "ICE".