Department of Public Safety Communications (9-1-1 Center)

Mission
We at the Fairfax County Department of Public Safety Communications are the first of the first responders. We are committed to answering all 9-1-1 and non-emergency calls with professionalism, integrity and compassion while efficiently dispatching police, fire and emergency medical services. Customer service is essential to our success, so we treat each caller with empathy and respect. Our dedicated and highly trained professionals routinely offer life-saving medical instructions in addition to providing accurate public safety information. Fairfax County 9-1-1: always there, always ready.

Vision
We at the Fairfax County Department of Public Safety Communications strive to provide world class public safety services; optimizing every aspect of our agency in partnership with our stakeholders to continue the growth and development process to be the nation’s leader in the 9-1-1 industry.

The county's 9-1-1 Center, known as the Department of Public Safety Communications or DPSC, is a nationally recognized public safety communications center, one of the 50 largest in the United States and the largest in Virginia. It is the agency responsible for receiving all 9-1-1 emergency calls in Fairfax County and dispatching units of the Fairfax County Police Department and Fire Department and is the Public Safety Answering Point for all 9-1-1 calls dialed in Fairfax County, including the towns of Herndon and Vienna, and the City of Fairfax. DPSC receives and handles approximately 2 million calls per year.

DPSC personnel are highly trained professional public safety communicators. They provide Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) Pre-Arrival Instruction (PAI) in requests for emergency medical service (EMS) and assist with basic life-saving assistance until EMS units arrive. They do not give medical advice or recommend private sector services, such doctors, veterinarians, tow companies, locksmiths, etc., by name. They will direct you to other county/state agencies if necessary to handle your inquiries. They are proud to serve the public safety needs of Fairfax County, Virginia.

The safety of the public is our number one priority. Emergencies occur 24 hours a day; therefore, nights, weekends and holidays are part of the regularly scheduled hours for the more than 150 employees. Employees assigned to the Department of Public Safety Communications are divided among four squads. Each squad works a 12 hour shift schedule. There are two permanent day squads, and two permanent night squads. For information about shift schedules, please go to the DPSC Shift Schedules page.

For more information on how to join the Fairfax County 9-1-1 team, visit our employment page, which features benefits and salary information as well as how to apply.