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Vancouver, B.C. – The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) has awarded E-Comm 9-1-1 its Public Safety Excellence in Teamwork award for a gold-medal performance during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games—the busiest two weeks in the emergency communication  centre’s history.

The award recognizes the efforts of 9-1-1 call-takers, dispatchers, and critical support staff who worked throughout the Games and in particular, two of the most challenging shifts: the night of the Opening Ceremonies and Day One. On both occasions, call-takers and dispatchers coped with huge crowds and multiple violent protests.

“9-1-1 staff may work behind-the-scenes, but they are an integral part of public and responder safety,” says E-Comm President & CEO David Guscott, who saw the events unfold first-hand. Guscott was the VANOC executive vice-president in charge of the Opening Ceremonies at the time. “It was a frightening situation for many, including many innocent bystanders in attendance, and the skill and stamina of E-Comm staff certainly supported the successful efforts to end the violence quickly and peacefully.”

As the Public-Safety Answer Point for Metro Vancouver and surrounding areas, E-Comm staff are accustomed to receiving thousands of 9-1-1 calls every day. But in February 2010 call volumes increased by 11 per cent (79,000 calls) over the previous year. Calls for police in Vancouver and Richmond, two Olympic host cities, increased by a resounding 28 per cent. The amount of radio traffic dispatchers had to contend with also increased by a staggering 40% on just February 12 alone.

“The 2010 Winter Games presented one of the biggest challenges and also proudest moments for me, my team, E-Comm, the host cities and the entire country,” says E-Comm police dispatcher Tammy Baines, who recently accepted the award at the APCO Canada 2011 Conference in Ottawa.  “I’m so lucky to be a part of such a dedicated, professional and skillful team. This recognition affirms my sense of pride in what we all do every day at E-Comm.”

E-Comm spent years planning for the Olympics, including providing 900 hours of in-house training for its 250 Operations staff in support emergency services and the 7,000 police officers from across Canada deployed for the safety and security of the Games.

APCO Canada President Ryan Lawson says the performance of E-Comm staff really stood out. “The Award Committee is made up of public-safety professionals across the country, so they can all personally attest to the work and composure required in managing an event of this magnitude.”

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For more information:

Amanda Brkich, E-Comm Corporate Communications

Direct: 604-215-4813

Twitter: @EComm911_info
ecomm911.ca

*Additional background info:

• • E-Comm staff members accepting the Public Safety Excellence in Teamwork award at the APCO Canada Conference, who are residents of the following communities:
    • Melissa Johnson, operations team manager – Vancouver
    • Tammy Baines, police dispatcher – Langley
    • Heidi Fritsch, police call-taker – North Vancouver
  • Ryan Lawson, APCO Canada President and E-Comm operations manager is a resident of Richmond
• The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO), Canada, Inc. is a voluntary, not-for-profit organization dedicated to the enhancement of public safety communications. Members come from every type of public safety organization in the country, including 9-1-1, police, fire and emergency medical services, as well as emergency management, disaster planning and federal search and rescue personnel. For more visit apco.ca

Abbotsford, B.C. – The Abbotsford Police Department (APD) has strengthened the communication capabilities of its members and the region, following its move to the E-Comm Wide-Area Radio Network.

The City of Abbotsford—the largest municipality in B.C. in area (360 square kilometres) — is also the first municipality outside of Metro Vancouver to join E-Comm’s radio network. Abbotsford police now have access to stronger and wider radio coverage, better radio clarity and a higher level of security.

Abbotsford Police Chief Bob Rich sees the transition as critical for officer safety as their previous system was known for coverage gaps — dead zones — where contact was lost with dispatchers or fellow officers.

 “Radios are a lifeline for police. If I had to give up my gun or my radio, I’d give up my gun,” says Chief Rich. “Communication is just too important to both officer and public safety.”

More than 200 portable radios have been deployed in Abbotsford and their members will  now be able to communicate directly with all police departments in Metro Vancouver.

As the recent provincial hockey riot review noted, APD members deployed in support of Vancouver police (VPD) June 15, were not yet on the radio system. Now, if APD or VPD are supporting each other at large-scale events they will be able to communicate with each other because they are both on the E-Comm radio system. This will also be possible with RCMP detachments in neighbouring Langley and Maple Ridge along with members of the inter-municipal emergency response team (MIERT): Delta, Port Moody and New Westminster police departments.

“Joining E-Comm’s radio network will streamline our communication with the partner agencies we respond with daily,” says Chief Rich.  “It will enhance our response and ability to provide improved service to our citizens.”

E-Comm’s multi-jurisdictional, multi-agency radio network, will replace the department’s 14-year old unsecure VHF radio system.  It will offer Abbotsford police better coverage, enhanced security features, greater clarity and improved reliability through an earthquake-resistant infrastructure.

“Joining the E-Comm radio network is a cost-effective, long-term investment in public safety for our community,” says Abbotsford Mayor George W. Peary.  “The E-Comm radio network will ensure that our officers have the best and most secure communication available to them at all times.”

 “We’re very pleased to welcome Abbotsford, our 15th police department, onto our radio system,” says David Guscott, E-Comm’s president and CEO. “An integrated emergency communication system is critical to both emergency responder and public safety.  We look forward to seeing more agencies join us in the years to come as we work to build the most resilient region possible.”

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Media contacts:

Cst. Ian MacDonald

Abbotsford Police Department

604-864-4721

[email protected]

Jody Robertson

E-Comm 9-1-1

604-640-1342 (pager)

[email protected]

Vancouver, B.C.– E-Comm 9-1-1, southwest British Columbia’s emergency communication centre, is pleased to announce its 2011-2012 board of directors, a diverse mix of leaders from across Metro Vancouver. The board is comprised of 17 directors and includes elected officials, representatives of emergency services and the provincial government, along with municipal staff and local community and business leaders.

“E-Comm is focused on building the most resilient public safety communications infrastructure possible and is already a North American leader,” says David Guscott, E-Comm president and CEO. “The leadership our board provides is essential to our future strategic direction and decision making as we focus on how to best unite the highly specialized communication systems that currently exist with the many new opportunities presented by today’s wireless world.”

• Jocelyn Kelley, Independent Director, has been appointed Board Chair.

2011-2012 Board of Directors (in alphabetical order)

• Dr. Penny Ballem, City Manager, City of Vancouver (representing City of Vancouver).
• Helen Blackburn, Independent Director (also appointed chair of the Audit Committee).
• Ernie Daykin, Mayor, District of Maple Ridge (representing District of Maple Ridge and City of Pitt Meadows).
• Rebecca Denlinger, Fire and Emergency Management Commissioner of British Columbia (representing Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General).
• Charlie Fox, Councillor, Township of Langley (representing City of White Rock, City of Surrey, Township of Langley).
• Len Garis, Fire Chief, City of Surrey (representing City of Surrey, City of White Rock, Township of Langley).
• Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, Mayor, District of West Vancouver (representing District of West Vancouver, District of North Vancouver, City of North Vancouver) (also appointed chair of the Governance Committee).
• Barrie Lynch, Councillor, City of Coquitlam (representing City of Coquitlam, City of Port Moody, City of Port Coquitlam, City of New Westminster, Village of Belcarra).
• Ernie Malone (representing the Royal Canadian Mounted Police).
• Bill McNulty, Councillor, City of Richmond (representing the City of Richmond).
• Clayton Pecknold, Assistant Deputy Minister, Policing and Community Safety Branch, Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General (representing the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General).
• Karl Preuss, Director of Finance, Corporation of Delta (representing the Corporation of Delta).
• Bob Rolls (representing the Vancouver Police Board).
• Michael Sanderson, Executive Director, Lower Mainland, BC Ambulance Service (representing Emergency Health Services Commission).
• Sheldon Stoilen, Independent Director (also appointed chair of the Human Resources and Compensation Committee).
• Joe Trasolini, Mayor, City of Port Moody (representing independent police boards for the City of Port Moody, District of West Vancouver, City of New Westminster, City of Abbotsford and South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Police Service).

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For more information contact:

Jody Robertson, E-Comm Corporate Communications

Direct: 604-215-4956
Pager: 604-640-1342

Vancouver, B.C.—The District of North Vancouver has strengthened the communication capabilities of its firefighters following the transition of its fire service to the E-Comm Wide-Area Radio Network.

The multi-jurisdictional, multi-agency radio network, which replaces the District’s old VHF radio system, offers firefighters increased coverage and the ability to communicate directly with police and ambulance personnel within the District through the flip of a switch.  It will also allow for shared communication with responders in neighbouring jurisdictions that are also on the E-Comm radio system, like the City of North Vancouver Fire Department. This will streamline communication and enhance response as it will no longer be necessary to hand out VHF radios to City firefighters when assisting each other at both routine and major emergency events.  Now firefighters from both departments simply need to switch to a common radio channel on their own radios to communicate with each other.

“We will now be able to seamlessly communicate with the partner agencies we respond with daily,” says  District of North Vancouver Deputy Fire Chief Victor Penman.  “Not only will this be an improvement in the area of responder safety, but we strongly believe that the service we provide to our citizens has now significantly improved.  This is a very important day for the District of North Vancouver.”

55 portable radios are now deployed among the five fire halls serving the District of North Vancouver along with mobile data terminals on 14 fire trucks.

“We’re very pleased to welcome the District of North Vancouver Fire-Rescue Service, our tenth fire department, onto our radio system,” says David Guscott, E-Comm president and CEO. “Shared radio communication is critical to both emergency responder and public safety.  The E-Comm network, which is the largest of its kind in Canada, will offer better coverage, security features and an earthquake resistant infrastructure to District firefighters.”

There are more than 7,100 E-Comm wide-area radios in use throughout the Lower Mainland, generating approximately nine million radio transmissions per month, which equates to someone talking for 24-hours a day for 400 days straight.

Both the District of North Vancouver Fire-Rescue Service and E-Comm report that the changeover went extremely well thanks to thorough advance preparation work by both teams and the support of the North Vancouver City Fire Department.

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 Photos of transition day available upon request.

Contact Information:

Jody Robertson
E-Comm 9-1-1
604-215-4956
604-640-1342 (pager)

Jeanine Bratina
District of North Vancouver
Telephone:  604-990-2459
E-mail:  [email protected]

Additional Background:

Advantages of E-Comm Radio Network:

• Cross communication between services – police, fire and emergency health personnel within the same community can communicate directly with each other in “real” time
• Cross communication between agencies in different municipalities – emergency personnel can communicate directly with each other in “real” time
• Wider radio coverage area
• Better in-building coverage
• Greater clarity
• Improved reliability
• Enhanced security
• Earthquake resistant infrastructure

Vancouver, B.C. —It’s day one of 9-1-1 Awareness Week in British Columbia and the regional emergency communication centre for southwest B.C. – E-Comm – reports accidental, non-emergency and general information calls continue to swamp call-takers.

“People might be surprised to know we receive hundreds of accidental calls every day,” says E-Comm spokeswoman Jody Robertson. “These calls come from cell phones for the most part and have the potential for getting in the way of real emergency calls.”

As part of awareness week, the centre is asking for help from cell phone owners by making sure they store their devices carefully (e.g. not carrying loosely in a purse, back pocket or knapsack where keys can be accidentally pressed), and to not pre-program 9-1-1 into any phone.  Doing these two things will help reduce accidental calls.  The public can also help by staying on the line and not hanging up if they dial 9-1-1 accidentally.

But accidental calls are not the only issue. The centre reports that callers are also using 9-1-1 to ask general questions regarding everything from power outages to traffic updates to when clocks should be turned back.

“9-1-1 is for police, fire, or medical emergencies when immediate action is required: someone’s health, safety or property is in jeopardy or a crime is in progress,” says Robertson. “9-1-1 is not an information line and we’re imploring people not to use this important lifeline in this way.”

Recently an E-Comm 9-1-1 call-taker even reported that an irate fast-food customer dialed 9-1-1 to complain that her chicken sandwich wasn’t up to snuff. “We’re here to help people when they need it most,” explains Roxana Higgins, a seven-year police call-taking veteran.  “It can be frustrating to receive calls like this because while they’re complaining about a refund, someone in trouble could need me.”

During Emergency Service Dispatchers’ and 9-1-1 Awareness Week, which runs April 8-15, E-Comm is reaching out to the community to recognize the contribution of 9-1-1 professionals who work behind the scenes to support emergency response and  to raise awareness about accidental calls, non-emergency calls and “knowing your location”—three key areas where the public can have a major impact. It’s also asking residents to follow its new Twitter feed, @ecomm911_info, for need-to-know information about 9-1-1 service, emergency info, and tips for helping to keep the emergency system as efficient as possible on a day-to-day basis and in the event of a major crisis.

E-Comm answers more than one million 9-1-1 calls each year for Metro Vancouver, the Sunshine Coast, Whistler, Squamish and the southern portion of the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District. For tips on using 9-1-1 and more information about E-Comm visit www.ecomm911.ca

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Media contact: Jody Robertson 604-215-4956

Additional background and data:

• E-Comm will be tweeting regularly under the #911awareness hashtag during Dispatchers’ and 9-1-1 Awareness Week. Media note: news releases and other info of media interest from E-Comm will disseminated through our Twitter handle @ecomm911_info – please follow us.

• As the first point of contact between emergency services and those who need help, call-takers and dispatchers focus their efforts on collecting, prioritizing and disseminating significant and crucial information to responders en route and on-scene at emergency events.
• The province of British Columbia has proclaimed April 8-15 Emergency Service Dispatchers’ and 9-1-1 Awareness Week in honour of the report agents, call-takers, and dispatchers who are “a calm voice for people in crisis and the eyes and ears of responders until they arrive on scene.”
• The proclamation also recognizes the technical and support staff of emergency services for their behind-the-scenes support of frontline call-takers and dispatchers (a copy of the proclamation is available at ecomm911.ca)
• Five E-Comm staff members are currently featured in an education campaign-they are residents of Port Coquitlam, Surrey and Vancouver.
• E-Comm received 1,031,326 calls to 9-1-1 in 2010 (70% of 9-1-1 calls were directed to  police; 24% were directed to ambulance and 6% were directed to fire agencies)
• 55% of 9-1-1 calls are now placed from cell phones (567,000 in 2010)
• Approximately 2,800 calls a day are placed to 9-1-1; E-Comm conservatively estimates 200 accidental calls each day