Frequently Asked Questions

Got Questions About 911? We've Got Answers.

When seconds count, the last thing you need is confusion about who to call.

At NRV 911, our dispatchers answer every call with one goal: get the right help to you as
fast as possible. But we know that most people have never thought about what actually happens
when they dial 911 — until the moment they need it.

This page answers the questions we hear most. Whether you’re wondering what to say, what
we’ll ask, or whether your situation even warrants a 911 call — you’re in the right place.
And if you want a quick, printable reference to keep at home or share with your family,
grab our free guide below.

Free 911 Quick Reference Guide

Select a category below to find answers to common questions regarding 911 services, emergency procedures, and our agency.

What is 911?

911 is the three-digit emergency number you can call 24 hours a day for police, fire, and medical emergencies. When you call, you’re connected directly to NRV 911, where our trained dispatchers assess your situation and get the right help moving immediately.

Call 911 any time there is an immediate threat to life, health, or property. That includes active crimes like assault, burglary, or a prowler on your property; medical emergencies; fires or smoke; and traffic accidents with injuries. When in doubt? Call us. We’re trained to triage your situation and will redirect you if needed — you will not get in trouble for calling.

Call 911 anyway. The National Emergency Number Association (NENA) recommends it, and so do we. Our dispatchers are trained to quickly assess your situation and route you to the right resource. It is always better to call and not need us than to need us and not call.

Do NOT hang up. Stay on the line and tell us it was a mistake, “I dialed by accident, there’s no emergency.” If you hang up without explaining, we are required to call you back to verify that no emergency exists. If we can’t reach you, we will dispatch officers to your location to conduct a welfare check. You will not get in trouble for an accidental call — just don’t hang up. To prevent pocket dials, lock your keypad when your phone is not in use. Keep in mind that even old, inactive cell phones with the SIM card removed can still dial 911..

Yes — and the consequences are serious. Under Virginia law, intentionally calling 911 to make a false report or summoning emergency services without just cause is a criminal offense. Virginia Code § 18.2-461 and § 18.2-461.1 make false emergency communications a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by up to 12 months in jail, a fine of up to $2,500, or both. If the false report targets someone based on race, religion, gender, disability, or other protected characteristics the offense escalates to a Class 6 felony. Virginia law also extends this to false emergency reports made to any person or service, not just 911 lines. Every false call diverts trained dispatchers and emergency responders away from someone who may actually be fighting for their life.

What happens when I call 911?

You’ll hear “NRV 911, what’s the location of your emergency?” We ask for your location first — always.
Once we know where you are, help can be dispatched while we continue gathering details. We also ask that you verify your phone number in case we get disconnected. Stay on the line if it is safe to do so. Your updates go directly to responding units in real time as they head to you.

When you call 911, your call is answered by a trained call taker at our regional center. We first verify your location to make sure help is sent to the right place. Then we assess the situation by asking specific questions that determine the appropriate response and ensure the safety of both you and our responders. The appropriate police, fire, and/or EMS units are dispatched, and additional instructions are provided as needed. Our goal is simple: get the right help to the right place as quickly and safely as possible.

First, we start with your location, a specific address, an intersection, or landmark.  
Then we ask about the nature of the problem, what happened, how long ago, whether anyone needs medical attention, whether weapons were involved, suspect descriptions, and direction of travel.  And, we also ask you to verify your phone number in case we get disconnected. For medical calls, we’ll ask things like: “Are they conscious? Are they breathing?”
Every question we ask is designed to protect you and ensure our responders arrive prepared. Speak clearly, and skip the speakerphone if you can.

We dispatch as quickly as possible based on your initial information and continue updating responders as you speak.
You do not have to finish the conversation before help starts moving — your updates reach them live while they’re en route.

Every NRV 911 dispatcher is a certified Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD). The EMD program gives dispatchers the training necessary to provide lifesaving pre-arrival emergency medical instructions this includes CPR, bleeding control, and other critical steps  while help is on the way. Stay calm and follow our instructions. We will walk you through everything step by step. 

We understand. It can feel like a lot when you’re stressed. But details like “Were there weapons?” or “Which direction did the suspect go?” directly protect both you and our officers in the field. For example, if a burglary just occurred, officers have a far better chance of apprehending the suspect with a good description and direction of travel. We are trained to ask quickly and efficiently. Just answer what you can because every detail matters.

Stay calm and state your emergency clearly. Speak loudly and clearly. Please avoid using a speakerphone if possible. Give us the address where help is needed, along with your name and phone number. Answer our questions and stay on the line until the call taker tells you it’s okay to hang up. Do not hang up on your own unless your life is in immediate danger.

What if I don't speak English?

No problem at all. We can connect an interpreter through our Language Line service, which covers more than 140 languages. When we bring the interpreter on the line, you may hear a brief conversation in English and some clicking sounds — that’s completely normal. Do not hang up. Help is still coming.

Yes. 911 is available to everyone. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, you may use TTY/TDD or Text to 911 to contact us.  Our call takers are trained to assist all callers and will work to get help to you as quickly as possible.

Text to 911 is available. If you are unable to make a voice call, you may send a text to 911. Please include your location and the nature of your emergency so we can dispatch help as quickly as possible.

Yes! Text-to-911 is available throughout our service area. However, if you are able to make a voice call, always call rather than text. Speaking directly with a call taker allows us to gather information faster and more accurately than texting. Use Text-to-911 only when making a voice call is not safe or not possible. If you do text, include your location and the nature of your emergency in your very first message. And remember, never text and drive. If you are in a vehicle, pull over safely before contacting 911.

Not always. Cell phones provide an approximate location, but not a precise address. The location displayed to our dispatchers is based on network capabilities and appears as a general area or latitude and longitude. This is why it is critical that you always tell us exactly where you are. Give us a street address, intersection, mile marker, or a specific nearby landmark. Do not assume we can pinpoint you automatically. We will also capture your callback number in case we get disconnected , unless the phone is inactive or has no SIM card.

What if my situation isn't an emergency?

If you need a law enforcement, fire, or EMS response for something that is not an immediate threat or has already occurred, call our non-emergency dispatch line at (540) 382-4343. This keeps 911 lines open for life-threatening calls. Examples include reporting a past theft or vandalism (suspect already gone), a minor fender-bender with no injuries, noise complaints, or suspicious activity that poses no imminent danger. 

Records requests, accident reports, and background checks are handled directly by each agency.
Please contact the appropriate law enforcement agency for these requests and use the links below to visit their websites. 
Dispatchers handle active incidents only.

That’s not something we handle. For tickets, you’ll need to contact the Montgomery County Courts directly. Our dispatchers and administration staff manage emergency communications only.

What is NRV 911?

The New River Valley Emergency Communications Regional Authority (NRV 911) was established under the Virginia General Assembly in 2010 to provide consolidated 911 dispatch and emergency communications services for Montgomery County, the Towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg, and Virginia Tech. We serve approximately 98,000 people across 393 square miles and are the first point of contact for four law enforcement agencies, five fire departments, and six EMS agencies in the region.

Always. NRV 911 operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. We are never closed.

EMD stands for Emergency Medical Dispatch. It’s a program that gives our dispatchers the training and certification necessary to provide lifesaving pre-arrival medical instructions to callers while help is on the way. When you call 911 for a medical emergency, our EMD-certified dispatchers will ask a series of targeted questions and can guide you through critical steps including CPR, bleeding control, and more until responders arrive.

We’d love to hear from you. Visit our Employment page for current openings and information about becoming an NRV 911 dispatcher.