Stay connected during an emergency – Did you know that before, during and after Hurricane Irene, the emergency hotline was updated 12 times, 71 status updates were posted on Facebook and 27 tweets were tweeted on Twitter? The County takes getting emergency information out to our citizens seriously. Sign up, log on or phone in…you can choose one or all:

• Sign up for JCCAlert.org
• Follow the County on Facebook and Twitter
• Visit jccEgov.com
• Watch JCC TV online or on Cox Cable channel 48
• Call the Emergency Hotline – 757-875-2424 and the Parks Hotline – 757-259-5360

JCC Emergency Communication Officers honored – In May, two JCC Emergency Communication Officers saved two lives in two separate incidences by helping the callers perform CPR until the medics arrived.

On May 24, Master Emergency Communication Officer Kathy Larrimore answered a call from a citizen on News Road. The caller reported a man convulsing and lying unconscious in a field. After a quick assessment, Larrimore determined that the individual was not showing signs of life. Larrimore gave the caller step-by-step instructions in CPR until medics arrived. Because of the instructions provided by Larrimore, this individual survived.

On May 26, Senior Emergency Communication Officer Diane Mason answered a call from a visitor on Jamestown Island. The caller advised Mason that his wife had fallen unconscious. Through questioning, Mason determined that the wife was not breathing and needed CPR. Mason gave CPR directions to a bystander who relayed the information to the husband who provided CPR to his wife. Like Larrimore’s call, as a result of the instructions provided by Mason, the caller’s wife survived.

Larrimore and Mason are two shining examples of how James City County’s Public Safety Emergency Communications Center operates as an integral role in the “EMS Chain of Survival”.

Good info from the JCSA – Sediment can get into your water when a pipe breaks and dirt gets in during repairs. Fortunately, this doesn’t occur very often and usually clears up quickly.

If you have a pipe break and find sediment in your home, flush your system through a hose bibb for several minutes until you get clear water. If it doesn’t clear, call the JCSA at 757-229-7421 to investigate the cause.

It is a great time to buy a house – Ready to take advantage of historically low mortgage interest rates? The County’s First-Time Homebuyers Program has several single-family homes for sale in the Ironbound Square neighborhood.

The Program offers down payment assistance grants up to 10 percent of the purchase price, forgiven after 10 or 15 years, to purchasers who contract to buy a house before October 31, 2011. Grants up to $7,500, forgiven after five years, are available on a first-come, first-served basis until the end of the year. Eligible homebuyers must meet credit-worthiness guidelines and have an annual household income between approximately $38,000 and $81,000.

For more information, call 757-259-5340.

See you at the Fair! – The 34th Annual James City County Fair is Saturday, September 24, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sunday, September 25, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at Chickahominy Riverfront Park.

This year’s event promises to be filled with live music - including Slapwater and Sheltered Reality - lawn mower racing, a new rides zone, bingo and more. Admission to the Fair is free, daily parking is $5 and ride tickets will be available for purchase at the Fair.

Have a GPS unit in your car? – There is an increase in theft from cars parked overnight in front of County homes. These crimes typically involve the removal of small but valuable items such as purses, laptops, iPods and GPS units.

If you must leave valuables in your car, keep them in the trunk so they are out of sight. Always lock your vehicle, especially if it contains an automatic garage door opener which gives a thief access to your home. If you see suspicious activity, call 911. For more information, call the Community Services Unit at
757-603-6021.

Water use regulations remain in effect – The annual outdoor water use regulations for James City Service Authority (JCSA) customers continue through September 30.

Under the Ordinance, customers may use water outdoors for any purpose, at any time, on any day, as long as it is with a container or a hose with an automatic shutoff nozzle. Any other method of outdoor water use must follow the Outdoor Water Use Schedule. For more information, visit the website or call 757-259-4152 or
757-253-6800.

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