Kathy Adams, The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)

An international public safety group has chosen three city 911 dispatchers to receive Heroes Awards for helping children in crisis.

The nonprofit, 9-1-1 for Kids, provides training to reduce nonemergency 911 calls and recognizes local dispatchers who act heroically in the course of their work.

This year, 9-1-1 for Kids recognized five Virginia dispatchers. The three from Virginia Beach are Gail Kerns, Lee Anne Storey and Andrea Bramley, according to a news release about the awards.

In January, Kerns calmed a 6-year-old girl who called 911 to report someone abusing her mother, according to the release. Kerns kept the girl on the phone until help arrived about four minutes later.

In August, Storey and Bramley sent police to a home where a cellphone had made repeated 911 calls, according to the release. Officers responded and helped a crying 2-year-old girl and a woman found lying on the floor.

The Virginia State 9-1-1 Heroes Awards luncheon and ceremony was scheduled to take place this past Thursday at the new Yard House restaurant in Town Center, according to the release.