Emergency Communications Center

Chesterfield's Public Safety Answering Point

The Chesterfield Emergency Communications Center (ECC) serves as the primary answering point for emergency and non-emergency requests within the county. Our dedicated Emergency Communications Officers (ECOs) work 24/7 to:

  • Assist with saving lives and protecting property
  • Facilitate the flow of information between callers and county Fire and EMS, Police and Animal Services
  • Provide aid and instructions prior to the arrival of public safety field resources 

Provide Emergency Contact Information

Chesterfield maintains emergency contact information to assist during emergency responses. Owners and managers of locations such as apartment communities, businesses and places of worship in Chesterfield County are encouraged to provide location information, authorized emergency contacts, owner/management company information and emergency equipment (AEDs, alarm/gate codes, knox boxes, fire systems, security systems, etc.). Provide your emergency contact information or learn more regarding alarm systems permits and false alarms.

For questions or assistance regarding the completion of this form, contact Chesterfield Fire and Life Safety by email or by calling 804-748-1426.

Accreditation and Certifications

The goals of the Public Safety Communications Accreditation Program are to promote superior public safety communications services and recognize professional excellence.

Public Safety Communications Accreditation logo opens in new windowChesterfield Emergency Communications Center has been accredited since 2006 through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA). CALEA has become the primary method for a communications agency to voluntarily demonstrate its commitment to excellence. The program sets standards and best practices related to law enforcement and communications and provides communications center with a process to systemically review and internally assess its operations and procedures.

Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services, Virginia Department of Health logo opens in new windowChesterfield Emergency Communications has been accredited since 2005 through the Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS). The OEMS maintains an accreditation program for 911 public safety answering points (PSAP) and emergency dispatch centers to promote the implementation of emergency medical dispatch (EMD) protocols and continued training and education in this area. This accreditation is an acknowledgment from the OEMS of a PSAP’s effort to implement guidelines set for communications involving EMS.

CALEA has a public comment portal to receive comments regarding our agency’s compliance with CALEA accreditation standards, engagement in the service community, delivery of public safety services and overall candidacy for accredited status.

CALEA is not an investigatory body and subsequently the public portal should not be used to submit information for such purposes. Additionally, there will be no response other than acknowledgement to submissions; however, the information will be considered in context to its relevancy to compliance with standards and the tenets of CALEA accreditation.

Since 2022, all Chesterfield emergency communication officers are certified in EMD through the International Academy of Emergency Dispatch (IAED). Since 1988, the IAED has developed and maintained advanced protocols for emergency call-taking. The science-based, time-tested approach establishes a globally recognized standard that minimizes subjective interpretation of high-pressure calls, helping emergency dispatchers and call-takers provide a critical lifeline of support.