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A P R I L 2 0 1 7 P A G E 1 T O P I C S
NOVA Honors
Our Public Safety
Dispatchers
Staying Safe From
Floods
Download LifeSafe
Meet Mike Gonza-
lez, NOVA Dis-
patcher
Meet Nathaniel
Sellers, Emergency
Coordinator
NOVA Police
Training and
Events
S E L E C T E D
P O L I C E
S E R V I C E S
Escorts to vehicles
Motorist assists
Crime
prevention and response
training
Lost and found
Child safety seat
installation and assessment
Police Dispatch
(703) 764-5000
Call Us 24/7/365
NOVA Honors Our Public Safety Dispatchers
The second full week of April (April 9-15) is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
This event, sponsored by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials Interna-
tional, is celebrated annually, and honors the thousands of professionals who respond to emer-
gency calls, dispatch emergency personnel and equipment, and render life-saving assistance to
citizens.
Recent events have highlighted the work of NOVA’s telecommunications professionals, who
operate 24/7/365 in a state-of-the-art communications center. They respond to all crimes,
alarms, and campus calls for assistance. They respond to requests for services submitted in per-
son and via telephone calls and NOVA’s free LiveSafe public safety app (download LiveSafe at
https://www.nvcc.edu/police/livesafe.html), and promulgate timely warnings and emergency
notifications to keep NOVA safe. Finally, they provide countless services to those needing ac-
cess to a secured area, lost and found information, and help in navigating the NOVA bureaucra-
cy. Because our dispatchers are so intimately involved in so many safety and security activities,
it should come as no
surprise that they con-
duct more than 60,000
transactions annually!
NOVA’s dispatchers
are consummate pro-
fessionals. They re-
ceive over 120 hours
of initial training, six
months of on the job
training, and continu-
ing training through-
out the year. They are
proficient in the Na-
tional Incident Com-
mand System, the Incident Command System, and the Virginia Criminal Information Network.
It is no wonder Dan Dusseau, Director of Public Safety at NVCC, lauded the college’s dispatch-
ers with high praise, stating “Our dispatchers are the unsung heroes of NOVA’s public safety
program. They are available 24/7/365, and provide everything from routine to lifesaving infor-
mation and services to the NOVA community.”
NOVA’s dispatch center is located on the Annandale campus in the CA building, and can be
reached anytime by calling 703-764-5000 or via LiveSafe. We congratulate our dispatchers for
their unsurpassed dedication and professionalism. Feel free to drop by or call Dispatch to say
hello, get a tour of the facilities, and acknowledge their superior service to the college.
P A G E 2
Staying Safe from Floods
Last month, in our spring hazard series, we discussed tornado preparedness. We continue this series
with flooding, another spring hazard that can occur just as suddenly.
Flooding is a major annual threat in Virginia. While it is a common hazard, not all floods are alike.
Some floods develop slowly. Others, such as flash floods, can develop in just a few minutes and without
visible signs of rain. The tips below will help you prepare for flooding emergencies.
For more information, please contact NOVA’s Office of Emergency Management and Safety at
http://www.nvcc.edu/emergency/ or 703-764-5043. Also, please visit http://www.vaemergency.gov/
prepare-recover/threat/floods/ and https://ready.gov/floods.
Basic Safety Tips Avoid walking or driving through flood wa-
ters.
Just a few inches of moving water can knock
you down.
Just 6” can make you lose vehicle control.
Almost half of flood deaths happen in vehi-
cles.
If there is a chance of flash flooding, move
immediately to higher ground. Flash floods
are the #1 cause of weather-related deaths.
If floodwaters rise around your car but the
water is not moving, abandon the car and
move to higher ground. Do not leave the car
to enter moving water.
Avoid camping or parking along streams,
Definitions
Flood Watch or Flash Flood Watch
There is a possibility of flooding or a flash flood
in the next 36 hours.
Flood Warning
Issued when a river gauge has exceeded, or is fore-
cast to exceed, a predetermined flood stage.
Flash Flood Warning
Flash flooding is imminent, generally within the
next 1 to 3 hours; usually issued based on observed
heavy rainfall (measured or radar estimated), but
may also be issued for significant dam breaks that
have occurred or are imminent.
Prepare Before a Flood Contact your county or city to determine
your flood risk.
Make a flood emergency plan with your
family.
Build or restock your emergency prepared-
ness kit, including a flashlight, batteries,
cash, and first aid supplies.
Familiarize yourself with local emergency
plans. Know where to go and how to get
there should you need to get to higher
ground, the highest level of a building, or
Get Your Home Ready Homeowner’s insurance does not cover flood
damage. About 25% of all flood claims come
from outside of the floodplain, but only 4.3% of
Virginia homes in those areas are covered by
flood insurance.
Elevate the furnace, water heater, and electric
panel in your home if you live in an area that has
a high flood risk.
Consider installing check valves to stop flood-
water from backing up into the drains of your
home.
Unplug electrical appliances and move them to
higher levels, if possible. Do not touch an elec-
tric appliance if you are wet or standing in water.
P A G E 3
Download LiveSafe, the Next Step in Campus Safety
On April 2, 2014, NOVA launched LiveSafe, its free mobile safety app. Response has been
excellent, and almost 4,000 have downloaded this outstanding resource on their Android or i-
phones.
NOVA Police Chief Dan Dusseau, is a big fan. “LiveSafe is a groundbreaking effort that has
improved communications between the NOVA community and its police”, he stated. “It allows
instantaneous and, if desired, anonymous contact with the police to provide tips on suspicious,
illegal, or emergency activities, and it allows the user to upload audio, video and photographs.
This evidence greatly assists us in responding more effectively, with the ultimate benefit of
making our campuses safer and more secure”, Dusseau added.
LiveSafe has shown significant benefits in the last three years. Police dispatch has already re-
ceived more than 150 tips, including information about vehicle accidents, assaults, disorderly
conduct, suspicious activities, and campus equipment/facilities in need of repair. Dispatch has
also received more than 65 emergency messages and provided almost 800 virtual escorts to
NOVA community members. The app has also been used to offer suggestions to the police.
Finally, LiveSafe provides immediate emergency response information on what to do in the
event of many emergency situations, such as an active shooter, a bomb threat, severe weather,
or sexual assault.
“Downloading the app is easy. Even a police lieutenant can do it!” said Lt. John Weinstein,
who coordinated the LiveSafe roll out for the police department. “It takes about a minute. Just
go to iTunes or Google Play, download LiveSafe and select NOVA as your school, and fill in
the profile.
NOVA is one of the few colleges in Northern Virginia that offers this free personal safety app.
Take a moment and do something that will empower you, keep you and your friends safe, pro-
vide peace of mind, and make NOVA’s already safe campuses and centers even safer. If you
have any questions, stop by any campus police office or call Police dispatch (703-764-5000) or
check out the police website at www.nvcc.edu/police for the LiveSafe link. If you would like a
presentation at a division or staff meeting or for a class, call dispatch and the police will make it
happen!
Download NOVA’s free LiveSafe mobile safety app.
www.LiveSafeMobile.com
P A G E 4
Meet Mike Gonzalez, NOVA Dispatcher
Michael Gonzalez currently serves NOVA as a public safety dispatcher, and has
been with the College since 2009. He began his career as a P-14 Parking En-
forcement officer at the Manassas campus and transitioned to a full-time over-
night campus security officer at Manassas in 2011. He spent three months in
that position before becoming a NOVA public safety dispatcher in November
2011.
Mike has obtained superior professional training and holds numerous certifica-
tions. Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services certifications include
Communications Basic, General Instructor, Field Training Officer (which au-
thorizes him to train and assess new dispatchers), campus security officer, and
Virginia Criminal Information Network operator. He is also certified by the
Association of Public Safety Communications Officials as both Public Safety
(PST-1) and Law Enforcement Telecommunicators, Active Shooter for Public
Safety Communications, and Comprehensive Quality Assurance.
He puts these skills to work in many ways that benefit the College: he is on the LiveSafe mobile Safety App and em-
ployee recruitment and retention committees. Mike also serves on the Public Safety Advisory Committee reporting
to Police Chief Dan Dusseau.
Mike is married and has two children. In his spare time, he enjoys video gaming, painting, and playing both the elec-
tric and acoustic guitars.
Mike Gonzalez has played a significant role in the establishment and maintenance of the high standards of service
that keep the college safe, thereby contributing to the achievement of its academic mission.
The Of-
fice of Emergency Management and Safety (OEMS) welcomes NOVA’s newest
Emergency Coordinator, Nathaniel Sellers. Nathaniel will be responsible for
OEMS operations at the Woodbridge and Alexandria campuses, and will con-
duct training and exercises college-wide—including the Campus Community
Emergency Response Team (C-CERT). He was previously the Emergency Plan-
ner at the Prince William Health District of the Virginia Department of Health,
and is currently an Emergency Management Specialist for the D.C. Air National
Guard. Prior to joining the Air Guard, Nathaniel was a Medic for the Army Na-
tional Guard in Idaho and Virginia, and deployed overseas.
Nathaniel earned a Bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University-Idaho
and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree from American Military University
in Emergency and Disaster Management.
Nathaniel has achieved many awards and certifications, including: Hazardous Materials Technician, FEMA Profes-
sional Development Series, DHS National Planners Course, Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program
(HSEEP), Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), American Heart Association BLS CPR/AED, and OSHA
30-Hour General Industry Safety and Health.
Nathanial can be reached at [email protected].
Meet Nathaniel Sellers, Emergency Coordinator
P A G E 5
NOVA Police Training and Events
NOVA Police conduct an active community outreach program and are looking for opportuni-
ties to address your class, club, division, or campus at large on any of the following topics:
Active Shooter Response
Dealing with Difficult People
Staying Safe in the Classroom
Staying Safe on the Campus
Self-Defense Considerations
Survival 101: Staying Safe in the Community
10 Things Adjuncts (and other faculty) Should Know About Security
20 Things You Probably Don’t Know About the NOVA Police (But You Should)
Bomb Threat Response
Sexual Assault, Crimes Against Women, and/or Bystander Intervention
Identity Theft
DUI Awareness
Narcotics
If you are interested in scheduling any police training, please contact Officer Juan Cardenas at
[email protected] or (703) 764-5000 to arrange a convenient time.
Contact Officer Juan Cardenas, NOVA Police Com-
munity Outreach Officer, at [email protected]
with any questions.
NOVA COLLECTION SITES
04/29/2017
10:00am - 2:00pm
Annandale Campus
8333 Little River Turnpike
CA Building
1st Floor, Main Entrance Lobby Area
Annandale, VA 22003
Alexandria Campus
5000 Dawes Ave.
Tyler Building
1st Floor Main Entrance Lobby Area
Alexandria, VA 22311
*We cannot accept any syringes*