Blog | 911 Emergency Dispatcher | 911 Emergency Dispatch

“So much joy”: Canine wellness visits offer comfort, cheer to E-Comm staff

Two E-Comm call takers pet a golden retriever therapy dog wearing a blue bandana with white lettering that that says "HERO DAWGS".

E-Comm Call Takers enjoy visits with HERO DAWG Skylar.

Of all the visitors to the E-Comm Operations floor in Vancouver, there are two in particular that always generate a big reaction.

“It brings the energy up just automatically,” said Police Call Taker Julia Andrews. “I think everyone loves to see them.”

The popular pair wander the aisles, taking time to greet 9-1-1 operators, emergency call takers, and dispatchers as they make their way around the room. On a recent visit, both wore matching blue bandanas emblazoned with their organization’s name: HERO DAWGS Pet Therapy Society.

“It’s just uplifting for sure,” remarked Police Call Taker Nathan Lal. “I think everybody immediately smiles knowing what’s coming.”

E-Comm staff have gotten to know two of the HERO DAWGS quite well; sweet-natured Golden Retriever Skylar and bubbly Bernese Mountain dog Brinkley have become regular visitors as one of several health and wellness initiatives for employees.  Faces visibly light up when the dogs appear, and chairs quickly swivel around so people can deliver pats, ear scratches and cuddles to the canine companions.

“It makes a large impact on our day,” said Non-Emergency Call Taker Jessica Sutherland. “They bring so much joy into the room.”

The pet therapy visits are offered to E-Comm employees through partnerships with HERO DAWGS in the Lower Mainland, and the Pacific Animal Therapy Society (PATS) on Vancouver Island. Physical and mental health support options are a priority for E-Comm, as call takers and dispatchers experience intense and challenging calls throughout their daily work while guiding the public and first responders in emergency situations.

An E-Comm call taker smiles as she pets a Bernese Mountain dog wearing a blue bandana with white lettering that says "HERO DAWGS".

HERO DAWGS Bernese Mountain dog Brinkley loves making the rounds on the Operations floor.

HERO DAWGS Founder and Executive Director Carey McBeth says the canine visits provide a “paws” from the pressure.

“Whoever’s not on a call, basically we ask them would you care for a visit from the dog,” said McBeth. “Just stroking a dog can lower your blood pressure, and increase those feel-good hormones and decrease the cortisol, so it doesn’t take a long period of time to make an impact.”

McBeth says HERO DAWGS specializes in supporting first responders and health care workers, particularly in critical care settings, and they feel “honoured and fortunate” to be working with E-Comm staff.

“I am a proud citizen of the Squamish Nation, and when I started HERO DAWGS I started with my dog and my family dogs and that’s something that’s very important to me,” McBeth said, and added she visits E-Comm with her father, an Indigenous elder. “We’re so proud of that and to be able to heal through the power of pets.”

At E-Comm’s Vancouver Island facility, volunteers with the Pacific Animal Therapy Society bring their four-legged friends to visit call takers during their busy workday.

PATS Board member and former Program Manager Marina Haden says along with E-Comm, their volunteers primarily visit hospitals, long-term care facilities, and post-secondary schools.

Three women sit and crouch on the floor petting two black and white dogs on leashes.

Dogs with the Pacific Animal Therapy Society (PATS) spend time with E-Comm staff on Vancouver Island.

“When we’re doing regular visits in a facility like we do with E-Comm, it becomes not just about people getting introduced to the dogs but people forming a community around the dogs,” Haden said. “When people can connect with the animals, that’s beautiful, and when people can connect with other people, that’s beautiful. It just becomes this moment in the day when people are connected to each other, and they have a moment of stress relief, and I think that can be really impactful.”

Police Dispatcher and Acting Supervisor Trevor Travis said the volunteer visits are eagerly anticipated by staff on the Island.

“Once in the building, a one-on-one with the dogs gives everyone an opportunity to ‘just be’ for a moment,” he said. “In a career ruled by emergency, a precious puppy kiss that stops time means everything.”

Haden said the connections being built with staff at E-Comm’s Island facility are evident, with the same PATS volunteers signing up for repeat visits.

“I’m really appreciative of E-Comm trusting us and welcoming us into your space and making our volunteers feel so welcome,” she said. “It’s a privilege on both sides of the equation.”

Both PATS and HERO DAWGS assess prospective volunteer animals to determine their comfort level in a variety of different environments. McBeth said HERO DAWGS is hoping to expand the support services it offers in the future, so more front-line and emergency workers can experience the same type of joy on display at E-Comm’s facilities when Skylar and Brinkley make their rounds.

“We need to take care of those who take care of us,” McBeth said.  “That’s what the HERO DAWGS are here for. Take care of our heroes.”

Learn more about the work of HERO DAWGS and PATS.

E-Comm supports greater provincial role in 9-1-1 and emergency communication services

E-Comm welcomes today’s announcement from B.C.’s new Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Garry Begg regarding an independent review.

The work of our call-takers, dispatchers, technical and support staff is vital to public safety. They help people in the most challenging of situations, and support our emergency responders with compassion, professionalism and dedication.

E-Comm has long stated that changes are needed to ensure our governance, operations and financial model are sustainable and efficient. In particular, E-Comm supports the advocacy of the Union of BC Municipalities and our local government and first responder partners, who for several years have called for a greater provincial role in, and funding for, 9-1-1 and related emergency communication services in B.C. Currently B.C. is one of only two provinces in Canada that has no provincial legislation governing 9-1-1 services, and one of only three provinces that doesn’t provide dedicated operational funding for 9-1-1 services.

Recognizing this, E-Comm initiated and actively participated in two prior reviews, one in 2021 focused on service delivery and the second this year regarding governance. The first, conducted by PwC identified key issues like historic underfunding and understaffing of E-Comm that lead to the investment, supported by our Board, driving the current transformation plan.

As a result of this financial investment from our partners, transformation efforts have made a positive impact on our operations. In fact, we have experienced our best operational performance in years across all areas of the business: 9-1-1, police/fire emergency and non-emergency call-taking, and our consistently reliable wireless radio performance.

The second, the Deloitte governance review completed earlier this year, identified some key changes needed to our governance and financial models which we are in the process of implementing in collaboration with our shareholders.

Our mission is to deliver excellence in emergency communications, and any step to strengthen our ability to do so and ensure a sustainable and effective model is welcome. E-Comm looks forward to participating fully in the independent review. E-Comm’s regular operations and the service-improvement projects underway will continue during the review. British Columbians can continue to rely on our services during this period.

E-Comm encourages you to “Make the Right Call” throughout the busy holiday season

As British Columbians gear up for Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals, and a busy holiday shopping season ahead, E-Comm and our policing partners are reminding the public to remain vigilant for those attempting to prey on unsuspecting shoppers – whether at the mall, via phone call or online.

As part of an ongoing education campaign, the public is encouraged to learn about how to “Make the Right Call” – and utilize the proper resources to report scams and frauds through either the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre or their local non-emergency police number.

“Make the Right Call” to report scams & frauds

  • To report a scam where money has been lost, call your local police non-emergency line or file a report online. Find your local number or online reporting tool at nonemergency.ca
  • To report a scam where no money has been lost, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or visit antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/
  • Any crime in progress or threat to your personal safety, such as an extortion attempt or theft, please call 9-1-1

“Ensuring less urgent crimes are properly reported through the correct channels means that our police partners have a more accurate picture of crime trends and new scams that emerge,” explains Kelly Furey, Communications Specialist with E-Comm 9-1-1. “By making the right call to non-emergency or the Anti-Fraud Centre, you are helping to keep 9-1-1 for its intended use – as the lifeline for those who need immediate, emergency help from first responders.”

Reporting crime matters

Reporting all crimes, including scams and fraud, is important and makes communities safer by helping to identify trends and inform proactive police resources and patrols.

As part of the “Make the Right Call” campaign, E-Comm is emphasizing the importance of using your local 10-digit non-emergency police number unique to your community to report crimes with a time delay, or situations that don’t require immediate help.

Key improvements to non-emergency call-taking services for E-Comm’s Lower Mainland police agency partners mean the public can report less urgent crimes such as frauds faster, with the addition of a dedicated non-emergency team and technology enhancements that give callers estimated wait times, call-back options and SMS texting of their police file number. Curious about the best time to call? It’s during the hours of 7 am to 9 pm, when our dedicated non-emergency team are on shift.

With these enhancements, the average call answer time has decreased to less than 2 minutes on average (year to date 2024) compared to over 4 minutes the previous year, for those Lower Mainland police agencies that use E-Comm to answer non-emergency calls on their behalf. This means more callers can get through to report their non-urgent crime in a timely way. These improvements are part of a multi-year Transformation Plan to modernize E-Comm’s service delivery.

Learn more about non-emergency services and how to “Make the Right Call” for fraud, scams and all other crimes that don’t require immediate help at nonemergency.ca.

-30-

About E-Comm

E-Comm is the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in 25 regional districts in British Columbia and provides dispatch services for more than 70 police agencies and fire departments across the province. E‐Comm also owns and operates the largest multi‐jurisdictional, tri‐service, wide‐area radio network in the province used by police, fire and ambulance personnel throughout Metro Vancouver and parts of the Fraser Valley.

Media contact
E-Comm
604-215-6248
[email protected]

E-Comm shares safety tips for Halloween

Halloween night can bring increased demand for emergency services and E-Comm 9-1-1 is reminding the public to help us help by making the right call – whether that be to calling 9-1-1 in an emergency, a local police non-emergency line, or alternate resources such as city services.

Situations that require immediate response such as a crime in progress, fire, medical emergency, or where there’s an imminent threat to safety should be directed to 9-1-1. Crime reports with a time delay, property crime with no suspect on sight or ongoing threat to safety should be reported through your local police non-emergency line.

How to make the right call this Halloween: 

  • Halloween decorations: If you notice that your inflatable pumpkin or life-size skeleton have gone missing from your front porch, but there’s no culprit in sight, file a police report online or call the non-emergency line.
  • Know your location: The fastest way for our call takers to connect you with help in an emergency is to provide your location. While “the haunted house down the road” won’t help – an exact address will. Landmarks and cross streets can also help us find you quicker.
  • Noisy parties: Direct noise complaints to your local city bylaw services during their business hours, or police non-emergency line after hours.
  • Fireworks: We receive many reports from callers confusing fireworks for gun shots each year. If you are ever unsure, do not hesitate to call 9-1-1. To file a fireworks related complaint, first check the fireworks regulations in your area, and reach out to your area bylaw services or the police non-emergency line. Reports of fires, serious injuries, or an imminent public safety risk due to fireworks would be a 9-1-1 call.
  • Suspicious activity: Help deter break-ins and vandalism by locking your vehicles and keeping valuables out of sight. To report crime or suspicious activity in progress (ie. a stranger trying to open car doors) call 9-1-1. Property crime reports with time delays can be reported through the non-emergency line.
  • Road safety: Drivers are reminded to practice extra caution on the road, especially throughout the evening on October 31. Minor car accidents with no injuries can be reported to ICBC directly. To report dangerous driving behaviour such as suspected impaired driving or a collision that requires immediate attention from police, fire or ambulance, call 9-1-1.
  • File reports online: Our call takers are here to help 24/7, but online crime reporting is the fastest way to report a non-urgent police matter. Visit nonemergency.ca to see if this is an option for you.
  • Prevent pocket dials: Lock and store your devices carefully. E-Comm receives hundreds of accidental calls every day. If you do call 9-1-1 by mistake, stay on the line and let us know you are safe.

“While first responders are busy on the ground this Halloween, our dedicated call takers and dispatchers will be working hard to connect people with the help that they need,” says Carly Paice, E-Comm Communications Manager. “Given the heightened demand for emergency services around Halloween, we are asking everyone to help us keep 9-1-1 lines open for emergencies only. For non-urgent concerns, please call your local 10-digit nonemergency line, or file a report online.”

Stay safe and have a happy Halloween.

-30-

About E-Comm

E-Comm is the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in 25 regional districts in British Columbia and provides dispatch services for more than 70 police agencies and fire departments across the province. E‐Comm also owns and operates the largest multi‐jurisdictional, tri‐service, wide‐area radio network in the province used by police, fire and ambulance personnel throughout Metro Vancouver and parts of the Fraser Valley.

Media contact
E-Comm
604-215-6248
[email protected]

Experience of a lifetime for E-Comm Call Taker at 9-1-1 Conference

A woman stands on a stage holding a microphone in front of a large sign with the letters N-E-N-A and projection screens with images of the Canadian flag.

E-Comm Police Call Taker Laura Rincon sings the Canadian anthem on stage at the NENA conference.

In her role as an E-Comm call taker, Laura Rincon regularly uses her voice to help people when they call the police. After winning a scholarship to attend the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) conference in Florida this summer, she was offered an opportunity to use her voice in another way: representing Canada by singing the national anthem on stage!

“I have to say it was a fantastic experience singing O Canada in front of 2000 people at the opening ceremony,” Rincon said of the unexpected invitation to perform. “It will be forever ingrained in my memory.”

Rincon successfully applied for a Gold Line Telecommunicator Continuing Education Scholarship through NENA and received complimentary registration for the conference as well as travel funds.  The scholarships are open to any telecommunicator, call taker, or dispatcher with at least one year of experience who is in good standing with their current employer. Rincon said when she found out she had won, she was “ecstatic”.

A woman points at a name on a large poster featuring photos and names underneath the words "Congratulations to our Gold Line Scholarship Recipients!"

Rincon was one of the Gold Line scholarship recipients at the NENA conference in Florida.

“To receive the scholarship, I had to write essay questions about how I got into the field, why I wanted to attend the conference, and how I would bring back what I learned to my call center,” she said. “I had not let myself get too excited, but when the email popped up on my screen, I had to call my parents right away to tell them the fantastic news!”.

The conference was held in Kissimmee, Florida (just south of Orlando) from June 28th to July 3rd. Rincon said there were many highlights, including networking with people from other regions and countries, and learning more about advancements in 9-1-1 technology.

 

A woman stands smiling below a sign reading "NENA 2024 Orlando".

Rincon fully enjoyed her conference experience, and is encouraging others to apply for similar opportunities.

“I learned so much valuable information about handling callers, different call types, peer support, technological changes, and center management,” she said. “Being able to experience all of the new Next Generation 9-1-1 available technology opened my eyes to the endless possibilities of the future.”

Rincon started her career at E-Comm in our student program and has been working as a call taker for two and a half years.  She will graduate from Simon Fraser University this summer with a double major in Criminology and Political Science and hopes to work as a police dispatcher in the future. She is encouraging others in her field to consider applying for available scholarships to attend conferences like the NENA event.

“I recommend that everyone take a leap to learn new things and not be afraid to leave their comfort zone! I flew to Florida alone and made connections that would last me a lifetime, and I got a better sense of community and support for emergency telecommunicators worldwide,” Rincon said. “I had one of the most amazing experiences of my life.”

Interested in a career at E-Comm? Click here to learn more!

Next Page »