Teresa VanDyke, deputy director of the 911 center, reminds the public that dialing 911 will not change when the 10-digit dialing for all local numbers becomes mandatory February 28. It is NOT necessary to dial 304 for emergencies, VanDyke said. Simply dial 911.
When 10-digit dialing goes into effect Feb. 28, local calls will not go through unless you dial the 304 area code. For example if you usually dial 555-5555, you must now dial 304-555-5555.
Long distance calling remains the same.
Telecommunications companies in West Virginia required the change because they are running out of phone numbers available with 304, the only area code West Virginia has had until now. In the future, all new numbers in West Virginia will have the new 681 area code, but all the old 304 numbers will remain the same.
VanDyke said that callers should remember three important facts: “Your telephone number, including area code, will not change. Your local calls are still local calls, even though they must be dialed using 10 digits. YOU CAN STILL USE THREE DIGITS TO REACH 911 or 411.”
“I encourage people to start using the 10-digit calling now because the system is already in place, although the 10-digit dialing doesn’t become mandatory until Feb. 28,” she said. “An easy way to remember is to put a note on your phone now to remind yourself to dial 304 before all local numbers and to simply dial 911 for all emergencies.”