Editors note: Potomac Local Parents is a monthly column that looks at life through the eyes of real parents. Do you know of a parent we should feature? Send us their contact information and we'll contact them.

This month, we interview Jennifer.

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WOODBRIDGE — As Prince William County’s population grows, so does the number of 911 calls handled by emergency dispatchers.

As the county quickly approaches nearly a half-million people, Director of Public Safety Communications Eddie Reyes said that not only is call the number of calls on the rise but adds the job is evolving with new smartphone technology.

“The [call] volume has increased with the proliferation of smartphones. We now get multiple calls on one incident. For example, at a crash, if it’s at a busy intersection, we will immediately get five to 10 calls,” said Reyes. “We almost have to talk to each person at some level of detail because maybe one person saw the color of the vehicle, another the license plate… We have to capture every caller even if we get multiple calls.”

Also changing is how call-takers home in on a caller’s location, by using a technology called RapidSOS, which is embedded into a computer-aided dispatch, or CAD, system, a commonly used program for emergency services dispatch.

“Another thing that’s changed related to smartphone tech, with everyone having a smartphone not everyone knows their location. Maybe they’re not able to tell due to a medical emergency. We’ve had to implement technology that gets us close enough to the caller to dispatch services.”

The system takes the IP address from the phone and plots it on a map, revealing a blue dot on a screen. RapidSOS automatically extracts that location from your phone and sends it to the 911 call center.

Each year during the second week of April, the U.S. celebrates National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. it’s a time to thank those who dedicate their lives to serving the public, talking to them on what is most likely one of the worst days of their lives.

The RapidSOS technology recently helped first responders save a life.

“On April 4 [2019] we had a life save. The person calling could not breathe or speak, all they were able to do is call 911. This technology put the blue dot over the door, fire and rescue forced the door open and the team rendered aid. If they had arrived one minute later this person would have been a fatality,” Reyes said.

In 2018, Prince William County dispatched 151,000 calls for service. Of these calls, 133,000 came from smartphones versus 26,000 that came from landlines. They also had 163 texts to 911.

“We had a successful save in which a child was being sexually assaulted by a family member. She could not talk to report so she was texting back and forth with 911 and we were able to arrest that family member,” Reyes said.

First of the first responders

“Our call takers have been coined the first of the first responders,” Reyes said.

“Often times we are providing to people who call 911 medical direction, how to shelter in place during a break-in, how to help someone breathe. We keep people safe until the first responders arrive,” he continued.

The high stakes of the job are stressful and take a toll on the mental health of the telecommunicators.

“We handle three to five calls per day in which people die, sometimes while on the phone with the caller. Of course, they’re completely disheveled when the call terminates. For that reason we have a full-time counselor here at our center who provides grief counseling when they have one of those calls,” Reyes said.

A 911 telecommunicator’s perspective

Kelly Magee, a Telecommunicator 3 for Prince William County has been in her position for four years.

One of the best parts of her job is “being a part of a large family of people who can just come together and synchronize during the most stressful conditions. When the phones start ringing off the hook, everyone pitches in.”

The position also comes with challenges.

“One challenge is to locate citizens who don’t know where they’re located. I ask questions about their surroundings if they remember street names on the way to where they are, making sure I can find them to dispatch the units they need in the right amount of time,” Magee said.

For Magee, not knowing the outcome of every call they dispatch is also difficult.

For those wanting to pursue a career as a telecommunicator —

“Never give up, never lose focus. If you want to be a part of the first responder family just remember your end goal which is to get as many people home safe and sound by the end of the shift.”

Magee says her day is fueled by lots of coffee and good conversation with coworkers.

“My coworkers are such an eclectic and extraordinary group of people. We rely on each other and celebrate when the day is done,” she said.

“We don’t just sit behind a desk and wait for a call to come in. We’re always learning new technologies and new techniques to better assist callers,” Magee said.

Though her job is often thankless, Magee finds it rewarding.

“You never really get recognized. It’s often a thankless job but the reward is knowing that you’ve brought the resources to a stranger and gotten them help. You’re the voice in the darkness, the voice to bring calm to the chaos,” she said.

STAFFORD -- Vernon Green Jr. wanted to build his government contracting business, GCubed, Inc. in Northern Virginia.

The Army veteran chose to locate in Stafford County for his business, as well as its partner non-profit, G3 Community Services (G3CS).

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WOODBRIDGE — Station Plaza Shopping Center, home to Food Lion and B-Thrifty in Woodbridge, is up for sale.

Greysteel, a commercial real estate and capital markets services firm, is conducting the sale.

“The Food Lion renewal and strong per [square foot] sales indicate a healthy location and a buyer can reasonably expect a certain level of stability for many years,” states Greysteel director Benjamin Wilson in an email.

The property is valued at $7.5 million, according to Prince William County tax records. It last sold in 2015 for $11 million. The property sold for $19 million in 2008.

There is potential for redevelopment to an urban mixed-use project in the future.

“Additionally, the property presents a potential opportunity for future redevelopment. …Woodbridge has indicated this site is considered integral to the city’s redevelopment scheme for North Woodbridge and would like to see higher densities and a wider range of uses,” Wilson said.

The shopping center recently announced two new five-year lease renewals with its anchor stores, Food Lion and B-Thrifty. The center is fully leased.

Construction is underway on Route 1 near the shopping center to widen from four to six lanes. According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, Route 1 averages 38,000 vehicles per day within project limits and it’s projected to have traffic volume of 75,000 vehicles per day by the year 2036.

“We are not sure what the long-term impact of the VDOT will be. Naturally, traffic will increase but in the short term, the road has been torn up,” said Wilson.

Greysteel will conduct a call for offers on April 11, 2019.

“We anticipate strong interest,” said Wilson.

The shopping center, located at 13414 Jefferson Davis Highway, was built in 1979.

TRIANGLE — A mountain bicycling club is helping bring new trails to Locust Shade Park.

A new trail system to be built at the park will provide off-road connections with nearby Prince William National Forest Park. Funding for the trails is coming from a combination of a $24,000 federal grant. and from funds raised by the organization building the trails, The Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts, Inc., or MORE.

As part of the grant’s stipulations, MORE must provide an equal match the amount with money and labor.  The match includes volunteer labor, building materials, professional services provided by the county and additional monies through fundraising and donations

“The project is part of a larger [National Park Service]  program to improve trails along the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail corridor in the area. Locust Shade sits along the corridor. We see this as an opportunity to bring more trails and trail users to this part of the county as access is fairly limited especially for off-road cyclists,” states MORE Executive Director Steve DonTigny in an email.

DonTigny said the Prince William County Parks and Recreation Department has had a plan in place for over a year now but have lacked the funds to initiate any new trails or rehabilitation of existing trails.

MORE’s work wouldn’t be possible without the help of volunteers.

“The work MORE’s volunteers are undertaking within Locust Shade addresses deficiencies in both the sustainability and mountain bike users’ experience with the existing trails. The need for this work was documented by our staff in 2016 and it is being made possible by MORE’s volunteer and fundraising capabilities,” states Prince William County Parks and Recreation spokesman Brent Heavner in an email.

“Once this particular project is completed, MORE will continue to provide trail maintenance in the park through agreements with the county Parks office and improvement projects if needed,” DonTigny said.

“This is very exciting for us as the county is committed to expanding trails and riding opportunities. This project and the new master plan for PWNF will allow MORE the chance to have a bigger impact in the county,” DonTigny said.

To volunteer for this project, visit www.more-mtb.org/calendar to see their schedule of events.

Locust Shade Park is located at 4701 Locust Shade Drive in Triangle, off Route 1 near the National Museum of the Marine Corps. It is open to the public from 7 a.m. to dusk year-round.

The park offers boat rentals, has eight pavilions, playgrounds, tennis courts, volleyball courts, and more than 3 miles of scenic nature trails. The park also features a 15-station fitness trail, batting cages, a 25-station golf driving range, and an 18-hole miniature golf course.

There is also an eight-acre pond and marina for boat rentals that is open year-round for fishing and a 400-seat outdoor amphitheater that runs entertainment programs from May through August.

MANASSAS -- The City of Manassas is planning projects for the fiscal year 2020 that will add park space to a historic site, give residents a one-stop shop for city customer service, and honor a local hero and champion of education.  

The Manassas Customer Service Center

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WOODBRIDGE — A Navy veteran needs the Woodbridge community’s help locating his missing truck he inherited from his late brother.

Sometime between midnight and 7 a.m. on March 12, a black 2006 Chevrolet Silverado Intimidator SS was stolen from the 2900 block of Wren Court in Woodbridge. The truck disappeared from the home of Derek Toland, a Navy veteran, and his wife Jamie Randall.

This truck means more to Toland than just a means of transportation. It is the last physical tie he had to his brother, R.J. Toland. R.J. Toland was serving his seventh year in the Navy as an aviation technician in 2013 when he passed in a motorcycle crash.

“…ever since it was given to me I’ve taken the best care of it I can, I cherish it being in my possession now knowing that he loved the vehicle. One thing I loved to do was play the song ‘I Drive Your Truck,’ by Lee Brice and just drive for a bit. We played that song at my brothers funeral and it hits the heart in a special way every time,” Toland states in an email.

The limited edition truck has very distinctive features, according to Toland.

“The truck stands out more than your ordinary Silverado. It has lower suspension, a black Chevy bow tie symbol on the front grill, a black grill, black front end intake exhausts below the bumper, original stock clear headlights and taillights, a splotch of off black paint on the driver door that is noticeably different, rain guards on the driver and passenger windows with one partially falling off, and stock chrome rims on it when it was stolen,” Tolan’s email states. .

Having this truck back will make Toland feel, “…whole again, it’s all I want right now. I’m grateful for whoever knows about it in the community and area to be looking for it.”

“I wouldn’t have this truck had my brother not passed away six years ago. Not having it in my possession is one thing, but the thought of it not ever being found is heartbreaking,” Toland said.

The couple reported the truck stolen to Prince William p

Anyone with information about this incident they can report it to the Prince William County Police Department at 703-792-6500 or on its website.

NORTH STAFFORD -- A second location of Jay’s Sports Lounge will open soon in the spot formerly located by Mick’s Lounge in North Stafford. Jay’s Downtown Sports Lounge has been a staple of the downtown Fredericksburg nightlife since 2014.

Company president Sanjay Sharma is excited to bring Jay’s experience to North Stafford. Jay’s Sports Lounge will be serving up American fare along with beer, wine, and cocktails.

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PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY — As the 2019 Virginia General Assembly session kicks off, residents can expect to see legislation concerning the fate of the toxic coal ash that currently sits in unlined pits outside four of its stations across the state.

Residents and government officials heard from Dominion Virginia Power at a town hall meeting on December 11. Dominion presented information on different closure possibilities for the coal ash ponds as well as results from groundwater tests.

“The report makes pretty clear that there are multiple recycling technologies that exist that are viable including processing coal ash for use in making concrete. According to the report that’s the most viable,” said Senator Scott Surovell (D-36, Fairfax, Woodbridge, Stafford).

Dominion is still proposing capping the pits in place and performing groundwater tests as part of a potential solution for the coal ash.

“I would say cap in place is not the entire solution. We are looking at a bunch of different options and it will highly likely be a hybrid solution — recycling, landfilling, capping in place. We will be working on it with the general assembly over the next few months,” said Dominion spokesman Rob Richardson.

According to Surovell, there is some dispute to whether capping the coal ash ponds in place violates the Clean Water Act.

“According to the Southern Environmental Law Center, coal ash was found below the water table. According to them, cap in place is not legally feasible under the Clean Water Act. Additionally, there were some decisions that came down from D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals that raised serious questions as to whether capping in place would be allowable under the Clean Water Act. The EPA needs to rewrite the rules before that can be explored,” Surovell said.

The water testing results showed some leakage of heavy metals associated with coal ash at all sites.

“…[Dominion Energy] showed leakage at all four sites, but not enough to create a violation at every site. From my perspective, any leakage is a problem. From Dominion’s perspective, if there’s not a violation then it’s not an issue, but from my point of view it’s kind of like any amount of poop in my cookies isn’t a good thing,” Surovell said.

“There are impacts to groundwater at Possum Point Power Station on Dominion’s property, but there are no impacts to drinking water, no impacts to surface water,” Dan Genest, a second spokesperson from Dominion Energy said.

Surovell has heard concern among his constituents about how the coal ash will be transported away from Dominion Energy recycles it.

“The biggest concern I’ve heard from people in the immediate community is the worry about how anything is going to be transported offsite,” Surovell said.

Instead of trucking out along the two-lane Possum Point Road, Surovell says he’ll fight to ensure it’s removed, instead, on rail cars that run along the train tracks adjacent to the Possum Point Power Station.

As the EPA’s deadline draws near for implementing a solution, both Dominion Energy and legislators are eager to come to a solution.

“Something should pass in the 2019 session,” Surovell said.