New consolidated 9-1-1/police dispatch centre

In an effort to enhance 9-1-1 call-answer and police dispatch services on Southern Vancouver Island, police agencies in Greater Victoria and the Capital Regional District (CRD) will join forces and operate out of a new shared state-of-the-art post-disaster facility.

The new South Island Dispatch Centre will be the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers on South Vancouver Island and will also house police call-taking and dispatch for the Victoria, Saanich, Central Saanich and Oak Bay police departments as well as all local RCMP detachments. Construction of the new centre will begin later in 2017 with the centre expected to be operational in 2019.

“We are confident that this project will improve service to the public, increase officer safety and provide efficiencies for local governments, police and the RCMP.”

Barbara Desjardins,
CRD Board Chair

“CRD staff have been working hard with the South Island Police Dispatch Steering Committee to finalize facility planning for this new dispatch centre and we look forward to breaking ground in 2017,” said Barbara Desjardins, CRD Board Chair. “We are confident that this project will improve service to the public, increase officer safety and provide efficiencies for local governments, police and the RCMP.”

The facility will be located in Saanich and managed by E-Comm which will oversee 9-1-1 call-answer services for southern Vancouver Island and police call-taking and dispatch operations for the five police agencies within the region. With 18 years’ experience as a 9-1-1 Primary Public Safety Answer Point and dispatch centre, E-Comm has managed more than 17-million 9-1-1 calls and earned a reputation as a leading emergency communications centre in North America. E-Comm President and CEO David Guscott spoke about how the organization is looking forward to supporting its South Island partners.

“Our goal is to provide residents and officers in Greater Victoria, and the CRD, with high-quality and effective service. We are proud to be their partners in public safety.”

David Guscott,
E-Comm President and CEO

“We’re eager to start work on this project and to welcome the region’s existing 9-1-1 call-takers and dispatchers to the E-Comm team,” said Guscott. “Our goal is to provide residents and officers in Greater Victoria, and the CRD, with high-quality and effective service. We are proud to be their partners in public safety.”

2018 will also see E-Comm continue to expand its public safety services within the Lower Mainland, following two new partnership announcements.

Coquitlam Fire/Rescue recently confirmed that the department plans to transition its call-taking and dispatch services to 9-1-1 While a transition date is yet to be confirmed, Fire Chief Wade Pierlot advised the decision to integrate with the emergency communications centre was made following a comprehensive review of the department’s current operations. The review determined that a move would allow them to continue to deliver safe and efficient emergency response well into the future. Coquitlam Fire/Rescue will be the 19th fire department to join E-Comm’s dispatch family.

The Township of Langley Fire Department has also decided to join the regional radio system and is currently scheduled to transition in February 2018. This will mean that for the first time, firefighters, police officers and paramedics within the Township will be able to communicate over the same radio system. This will be extremely helpful during mutual-aid events such as motor vehicle incidents. As Fire Chief Stephen Gamble explains, the move will provide his firefighters with enhanced communication capabilities when out in the field. “Firefighters work in hazardous situations, locations and weather, where communication is relied upon to successfully protect our staff and the public. The features of the new radio system are a welcome addition to our existing tools and the skills of our firefighters,” he says.

“Being a part of E-Comm’s next generation radio system will benefit both operations and safety. A radio is literally a lifeline.”

Mayor Jack Froese,
Township of Langley

Township of Langley Mayor Jack Froese, a former Vancouver Police Officer, agrees. “The safety of first responders and the public they serve is a top priority for the Township,” adds Mayor Froese, who is also a member of E-Comm’s Board of Directors. “I understand the rigorous conditions firefighters work in and being a part of E-Comm’s next generation radio system will benefit both operations and safety. A radio is literally a lifeline.”

The Township of Langley Fire Department will be the 13th fire department to join E-Comm’s radio system. The Langley RCMP has been a radio partner since 2002 and BC Emergency Health Services has been using the radio system for the ambulance service since 2000. Both are scheduled to move to the “next generation radio system” later this year, and once the Township’s fire department joins in 2018 all three agencies will be able to communicate together in real-time.

Find out more about E-Comm’s services and stay up to date on news and announcements by visiting ecomm911.ca.