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1. What if a 911 caller is deaf or hearing/speech impaired?

Teletypewriter (TTY) or Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD)

If you use a TTY or TDD you should:

• Stay calm, place the phone receiver in the TTY, then dial 911.
• After the call is answered, press the TTY keys several times. This may help shorten the time necessary to respond to the call.
• Give the call taker time to connect their TTY. If necessary, press the TTY keys again. The 911 call taker should answer and type "GA" for Go Ahead.
• Tell what is needed; the police, fire department, or Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Give your name, phone number and the address or location where help is needed.
• Stay on the telephone if it is safe. Answer the call taker's questions.

Video Relay Service (VRS) or Internet Protocol (IP) Relay

If you use a VRS or IP Relay you should:

• Register and provide your address with the relay provider of your choice. Keep your address updated.
• Be aware that relay calls may take several minutes to connect. If you hang up, your call may not be connected to 911.
• Be prepared to provide your location information using an address, cross streets and/or landmarks, since relay calls may not display your location.
• Answer the call taker's questions.
• You may need to be transferred to another 911 center. Stay on the call if it is safe.

If You Don't Have Access to a TTY/TDD

If you do not have a TTY/TDD or access to Relay services, you should dial 911, preferably from a landline/home phone. Do not hang up, keep the line open. With 911 calls made from a home phone, the caller's address is displayed on the call taker's screen, the call taker can listen for background noise, and help will be sent to the location displayed. As a last resort, call from a cell phone and leave the line open, your approximate location may be displayed.

2. What happens when you dial 911?

Your call goes directly to the Public Safety Agency in your area. Communications Center personnel are especially trained to get fast, accurate, and complete information from callers, who are injured, distraught or in shock, from children, the elderly, the hearing impaired. Even if you do not say a word- because of trauma, injury, or physical danger- all this information is electronically available instantly to the operator receiving your call. At that moment, the dispatcher sends a unit while you are still on the line with the operator, so do not hang up. The center also has teletypewriter (TTY) capability for deaf citizens. 

Information 911 Operator Receives

The 911 operator taking your call immediately sees on a computer screen:

• The address from which you are calling
• The ambulance service
• The closet fire station
• The nearest police location
• Your phone number

3. How do I dial 911?

• In an emergency, dial 911 on your phone. It's a free call. You can use any kind of phone: push button, rotary, cellular/wireless, cordless, or pay phone. (With some pay phones, you may need coins to get a dial tone; with many wireless phones, Enhanced 911 does not yet work.)
• Stay calm and state your emergency
• Speak loudly and clearly. Give the 911 call taker your name, phone number and the address where help is needed.
• Answer the call taker's questions. Stay on the telephone if it's safe to do so, and don't hang up until the call taker tells you to.

4. What is Enhanced 911?

Enhanced 911 is a system that links emergency callers with the appropriate public resources. The system tries to automatically associate a location with the origin of the call. This location may be a physical address or other geographic reference information such as X/Y map coordinates. The caller's telephone number is used in various ways to derive a location that can be used to dispatch the necessary response resources. Automatic location of the emergency makes it quicker to locate the required resources during events that communicating one's location is difficult or impossible.

Enhanced 911 Can Help Everyone

Not only does the Enhanced 911 Emergency Phone System save time, it also has other advantages. Even a lost child or a seriously ill person can call 911 for help, knowing help will be there shortly. 911 is an easy to remember number, no matter in the dark, for the mentally disabled, persons in any state of trauma or injury, or the elderly and young citizens.

The number 911 is a nationwide emergency number. These examples are not suppositions- they're proven facts: 911 works.

Silence Doesn't Stop Enhanced 911

When a call is received with no conversation, the nearest police unit will be dispatched and the nearby fire station will be put on alert. If the location is a good distance away, or if the printout screen shows an ill or disabled person in the residence, the ambulance and fire truck will proceed.

5. What is selective routing?

After a serious accident, a motorist from another city needs help. He doesn't know which agency to call, but by dialing 911, his call is automatically routed to the Public Safety Answering Point serving that area. Selective routing is particularly helpful in areas with multiple jurisdictions. No time is lost looking up numbers or transferring the call from one public safety agency to another searching for the correct one.

6. When should you not use 911?

Do not tie up a 911 line for general information, such as; time of day, location of street, addresses, other Public Safety Agencies; follow up information about a previous emergency. If you dial 911 by mistake tell the operator it was an accident.

7. Why should I have Enhanced 911?

The Enhanced 911 Emergency Calling Service is designed to make it easier for police; fire and ambulance help to reach you faster. All 911 calls in West Baton Rouge Parish are answered by the Central Communications center All medical calls are transferred to Acadian Ambulance Service, who will remain on the line and give pre-arrival instructions and dispatch a unit.

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1. How do I become a West Baton Rouge Parish firefighter?

We are always looking for people to join our team. No Experience required. For more information on become a firefighter for West Baton Rouge visit our Join Our Team page.

2. Why does a Fire Engine respond to a medical emergency?

Time is critical in a medical emergency. Due to the number of Fire Engines and the strategic locations of our Fire Stations, our Fire Engines can typically get to an emergency incident quicker than one of our medic units. All Fire Engines are staffed with personnel certified as emergency medical technicians and many are staffed with personnel certified as paramedics. Engines have also been equipped with medical supplies and equipment, such as automatic defibrillators.

3. Why does it seem that a lot of fire apparatus respond to a simple incident?

Fire Department units are dispatched according to information received by the 9-1-1 operator. A computer selects the closest unit to respond to an incident. The fire department’s philosophy is to get firefighters to the emergency as soon as possible, prepared to encounter the worst. This will occur via a fire engine or fire truck. In the event that an injured or ill person needs continuous medical treatment, an ambulance is dispatched so that the department can provide the highest level of emergency medical care from the scene of the incident all the way to the emergency room physicians.

4. Why do firefighters break windows and cut holes in the roof of a building that is on fire?

As a fire burns, it moves in all directions and grows very fast. Dangerous gases and dark smoke accumulate and, unlike the movie versions of fires, it is impossible for firefighters to see and search for trapped victims in such an environment. In fact, the super-heated gases and toxic smoke are usually the cause of fatalities when people become trapped inside of a burning building. Breaking windows and cutting holes in the roof is called ventilation and there are many reasons why firefighters do this. It slows the fire’s growth; it helps get rid of the dark smoke that makes it hard for firefighters to see where they are going and it helps the firefighters fight the fire more quickly, improving the ability to save lives and property. Another reason for venting the roof is to stop the horizontal spread of fire throughout a building and direct the heat and flames in a vertical fashion. Firefighters can then get ahead of the fire on a roof, cut holes above the fire and stop the spread of the fire to minimize damage.

5. Why do firefighters cut holes in walls of a building?

This is done so that the fire department is sure that the fire is completely out and that there is nothing burning inside the walls or in other hidden places.

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1. Are the chemicals you use hazardous to humans, pets, and plants?

No, not when applied in a correct manner. The pesticide products we use here at WBR Mosquito Control are licensed and approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality for the control of insect pests. Our staff is licensed and trained to correctly handle and apply these products in an efficient and proper manner. Additionally, detailed records of pesticide applications are kept and archived. Some of the products we use, however, can be harmful to some species of fish such as koi and goldfish if applied in proximity to them. For more information contact our department at 225-214-5900 and ask to speak with our Mosquito Control Superintendent George Bragg or our Mosquito Control Supervisor Michael Joseph.

2. One of your trucks just drove by with the lights on but with no spray coming from the truck. Was he supposed to be spraying?

Our drivers are instructed that when spraying dead-end streets they are to go to the end of the street and spray going out so as to avoid driving through the spray. This has the added bonus of alerting people standing outside that their street is about to be treated. Additionally, our drivers may have already sprayed the area and are en route to another spray zone. All of our spray trucks are equipped with GPS tracking technology. If you are concerned that we missed spraying your area, please call our office (225-214-5900), provide us with a date and time, and we can look the mission up on our computer and confirm whether our driver sprayed your area or not.  

3. I have a large canal or ditch near my home.Is this the source of my mosquito problems?

In most cases, large canals and ditches are not prime habitats for prolific mosquito breeding. The main reason is that these canals or ditches usually contain large and varied natural predator populations (such as fish, tadpoles, dragonfly larvae, etc.) that act to control mosquito breeding. Most mosquito breeding problems around a residence are caused by standing water or containers that have not been emptied or treated. If you are concerned that an area may be breeding mosquitoes, call our office at 225-214-5900 to report the issue and we will have one of our staff investigate the problem. 

4. There is standing water on my property, can it be breeding mosquitoes?

The answer is yes and no. Standing water around the home can be a major mosquito breeding ground if it stays around long enough, usually about 4 days or more. During warm weather, the mosquito’s life cycle (from egg to adult) can take anywhere from 3 to 10 days, depending on temperature and species. So if rainwater pools in your yard and then is gone in 2 to 3 days it is usually not a mosquito problem. If the standing water stays around longer it will be a mosquito problem. If getting rid of these standing water areas is not an option you may want to consider the purchase of some home-use mosquito larvicide. These products often come in the form of donuts or pellets that you would apply to the standing water on your property. You can usually find these products at your local hardware store or home improvement center. When applying any chemical around your home always read and follow the manufacturer’s directions.

5. Will you spray my private driveway?

The pesticide products we use here at WBR Mosquito Control have an effective swath width of 300 feet from the spray truck. If your residence is located beyond that distance, has a solid driveway, and a good place for our spray trucks to turn around, we may add your driveway to our private drive spray list. If you feel this fits your situation, give our office a call at 225-214-5900. We will look up your address via a GIS map and do an online measurement. If the measurement confirms that your residence is beyond 300ft from the road, we will come out to inspect the driveway and turn around area during the day. After the inspection, a determination will be made whether to add your driveway to our list or not. Please note, if your driveway is added to the list, you are responsible to maintain the driveway in good condition and provide an unobstructed turnaround area for our spray trucks. Failure to do so can result in your private drive being removed from our spray list.      

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1. How do I start a business in West Baton Rouge?

Follow our easy to understand guide which applies to most cases of starting a business in West Baton Rouge.

2. How much is our Parish sales tax rate?

Our current sales tax rate is 5%.

3. How do I file my sales taxes online?

Visit Sales Tax Online website and you can submit everything necessary there.

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1. My bill seems higher. Do I have a leak?

We recommend reviewing your last 15 months history of your water bills. If your bills have increased tremendously, it may be due to a leak. To check for a leak, turn off all faucets in the home or anything that may use water. Once this step is taken, go to the meter and see if the dials are spinning.  If so, you have a leak somewhere.  If dials are not spinning, call the office with the reading you get off of the meter @ 225-336-2406 and someone can determine if the meter is correct or may have been over read.

2. If my water is disconnected due to nonpayment, do I have to come into the office to have it restored?

Yes. Additionally we do accept payments by phone using your MasterCard or Visa. Please be advised there is a convenience fee when using these methods of payment.  DO NOT PAY ONLINE IF YOU ARE DISCONNECTED FOR NONPAYMENT.  

3. When will my payment post to my account?

If paying in person or through ESuite System, your payment will post the same day.  When paying using personal bank’s bill pay it could take up to three business days to receive payment; receiving a confirmation number does not confirm an immediate payment to the water company.

4. Where are you located?

We are located at 880 N Alexander Ave, Port Allen, LA 70767 next to the Library and in front of the Court House.

5. If I paid to have service restored today, what time can I expect my water to be reconnected?

Same day reconnection is not guaranteed.  We will do our best to restore your service as soon as possible.  

6. Is my meter read every month?

Yes. Each meter is read manually every month; however, we have secured grant funds to upgrade all meters to AMR (smart meters) which will provide timely and accurate readings.

7. I have been gone all month and have not used any water, why do I still owe a water bill?

Every active water account is charged a minimum monthly water bill based on the size of the water meter regardless of usage.

8. Is there other ways to make payments other than online or in person?

Yes, we offer bank draft which is done in-house and we draft your checking or savings account on the 5^th of every month. We also have night box drop locations that you can put payments in after hours. Locations are: Town Hall in Addis, 7818 La 1, Brusly Utility Office/Voter Registration Office, 150 E. St Francis, and our main office in Port Allen at 880 N Alexander Ave.

9. If my water is disconnected due to nonpayment, do I have to come into the office to have it restored?

No, we accept payments for reconnect over the phone, as well as in-person.  Please be advised there is a convenience fee when paying with a credit card and the total bill amount plus the $25 reconnect fee must be paid to have service restored. 

DO NOT PAY ONLINE IF YOUR SERVICE HAS BEEN DISCONNECTED.