NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – The Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority began installing an ’emergency call box’ Wednesday.

In a news release, NRHA said residents in the Calvert Square community requested the emergency callbox to make emergency calls 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

“Anyone can use the emergency callbox to report a security situation or a health care emergency,” said Karen Rose, NRHA Director of Safety and Security.

The blue and white call box is along Bagnall Road.

“Resident safety and peace of mind are at the heart of all our programs at NRHA,” Rose said. “This is another example of how we are working to provide both.”

NRHA officials told 10 On Your Side that the free voice automated calls are directed to a monitoring agency that will dispatch first responders — police, fire or paramedics — depending on the call.

Julius Norman, the NRHA Client Services director, said this is a positive step for the community.

“We try and make sure that we’re responsive to residents,” Norman said.

The NRHA is also surveying the area for more ways to help connect people with jobs, transportation and access to other resources.

“We are looking for opportunities,” Norman said. “We’re looking for partnerships. We’re looking to see what we can do to help with the food insecurity.”

It will likely take a couple of days before the call box is fully functional. Then, officials will monitor and test the effectiveness of the call box.