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With children back to school, B.C.’s largest 9-1-1 centre wants to make sure they are properly prepared to call 9-1-1 in an emergency

Vancouver, B.C. – Children as young as four years old are being given personal mobile devices, potentially leaving many parents with a false sense of security in the capabilities of these phones in young hands. Because kids navigate apps and screens independently and with so much ease, it’s easy to overlook teaching 9-1-1 basics, which are essential to make cellphones an effective tool in an emergency situation.

E-Comm is urging parents to take some time during back-to-school preparations to also teach children about dialing 9-1-1 from their phones – it’s a lesson that could save lives.

“As a 9-1-1 call taker and a mom, it really scares me to think that parents might be relying on their kids’ cellphones to keep them safe instead of talking to them about how to dial for help in an emergency,” says E-Comm call taker and mother of two, Heather Andrews. “A couple of years ago, I spoke with my son’s grade one class and, honestly, a lot of them understood the basics better than most adults. It’s all about keeping things simple and relatable.”

Andrews adds that most parents assume that providing a cellphone to their child will pinpoint their location information but “unlike landlines, a cellphone won’t provide anyone’s exact location to 9-1-1 call takers and it can slow down the process of getting a caller help if they can’t tell where they are.”

To help parents and caretakers teach kids about 9-1-1, E-Comm has the following tips:

1. Explain to kids when to call 9-1-1 in simple words that are easy to understand.
   • If they or someone else are “really sick or hurt”
   • If they “smell / see smoke or fire”
   • If they feel in danger or “see someone doing something very bad like stealing or hurting someone”
2. Teach kids their address (including apartment numbers and building entry codes) and keep that information close to all phones. Practise looking for street signs and having them be able to identify their location when they aren’t at home.
3. Show kids how to dial 9-1-1 from all landlines and cellphones they might have access to as dialing can be different depending on the device.
4. Explain that the 9-1-1 call taker will ask questions about where they are located / what’s happening and they should listen carefully and answer as best as they can.
5. Try role-playing a mock emergency situation. This helps kids understand what to do and when to call when faced with a real life situation. It’s important to note that even cellphones with no service can still dial 9-1-1, so it’s best to role play without the use of a physical phone.

“Calling 9-1-1 can be stressful as an adult let alone as a child – and it’s even scarier if you don’t know what to expect. It is so important to regularly talk to your child about the process of dialing 9-1-1 so that if an emergency does happen we can get them the help they need quickly,” says Corporate Communications Manager Jasmine Bradley. “A strong understanding of emergency preparedness and the 9-1-1 system can be vitally important for life and death situations. That’s why we focus heavily on offering tools for parents and educators to help make that learning process easier.”

Over the month of September, E-Comm 9-1-1 call takers are sharing tips for speaking to kids about 9-1-1 in short videos across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Parents, caregivers, teachers and children of all ages can also visit ecomm911.ca to download free 9-1-1 education materials, available in nine languages.

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Photo/Interview Opportunity 
E-Comm invites the media to its Lower Mainland Emergency Communications Centre at 3301 East Pender Street on Monday, September 9 for interview opportunities with E-Comm call taker Heather Andrews and Jasmine Bradley, manager of Corporate Communications.

Please confirm your attendance in advance by emailing [email protected].  

Note: Photo identification is required to enter the E-Comm building. Photos and video in the Emergency Communications Centre is permitted under specific conditions.

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. 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. In 2018, E-Comm handled nearly 1.6 million 9-1-1 calls in B.C.

Media contact:
Kaila Butler
Communications Coordinator
[email protected]

We have published the summer 2019 edition of e-communiqué, E-Comm’s quarterly newsletter.

Visit the publications section of our website to read the newsletter.

In this edition, you’ll find stories about:

• E-Comm’s new strategic plan, focused on resiliency and innovation
• The 2019 Annual General Meeting and 2019-2020 board members announcement
• Changes to the B.C. Government’s Mental Disorder Presumption Regulation that grant easier access for E-Comm call takers and dispatchers to worker’s compensation for mental health reasons
• E-Comm’s 20th anniversary: celebrating 20 years of helping to save lives and protect property

Messages of accomplishment, appreciation for the dedication of E-Comm’s staff and partners and planning for the future were highlighted in E-Comm Board Chair Doug Campbell’s speech to the organization’s Annual General Meeting held June 20 in the lobby of the organizations emergency communications centre in Vancouver.

From readying the new 9-1-1/police dispatch centre in Saanich to completing all the agency transitions to the new next generation radio system, 2018 was a year of new beginnings for the company.

On the completion of the new South Island 9-1-1/Police Dispatch Centre, Campbell says “a project this multifaceted takes years of planning and work, and I’d like to thank our staff and our Vancouver Island partners for their extraordinary effort in conceiving, building and opening the centre.”  He also praised our Technology and Wireless teams and police, fire and ambulance partners for their efforts in wrapping up the Next Generation Radio Project in 2018 and shutting down the legacy network.

Find out more about E-Comm’s 2018 highlights in the company’s annual report.

Vancouver, B.C. — E-Comm, Emergency Communications for British Columbia Incorporated, is pleased to announce its 2019-2020 Board of Directors. The announcement follows its Annual General Meeting, held at the organization’s Lower Mainland emergency communications centre today.

“From readying a new consolidated 9-1-1/police dispatch centre on southern Vancouver Island to approving our new strategic plan, (a)SPIRE 2025, 2018 was a year of new beginnings for E-Comm,” said Oliver Grüter-Andrew, E-Comm President and CEO. “As we celebrate our 20^th year of operations, we look forward to continuing to enhance our efforts to deliver top-quality public safety communications services to first responders and the citizens of British Columbia.”

E-Comm’s Board of Directors includes elected officials, representatives of emergency services and the provincial government, in addition to municipal staff and local community and business leaders.

2019-2020 E-Comm Board of Directors

The Board provides governance to E-Comm and is responsible for overseeing the Corporation’s strategic direction, finances and operating results. Management is accountable to the Board of Directors for the day-to-day operations and administration of the Corporation.

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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. 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. In 2018, E-Comm handled nearly 1.6 million 9-1-1 calls in B.C.

Media contact:

Jasmine Bradley
E-Comm Corporate Communications Manager

E-Comm began its public safety journey when it started answering 9-1-1 calls and providing dispatch services for police and fire departments on June 7, 1999.  E-Comm now operates two 9-1-1 call centres and is the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in 25 regional districts across B.C.  We also own and operate the largest multi-jurisdictional radio network of its kind in the province. All police agencies, 15 fire departments and B.C. Emergency Health Services in Metro Vancouver and Abbotsford use the E-Comm Wide-Area Radio Network to communicate their essential messages.

Here’s a look at other numbers that show the growth of E-Comm’s services over the last two decades.

• In 1999 we started with 177 employees in one location. Today, we are a team of more than 650 in four locations.
• In 1999, we were the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in two regional districts in B.C. Today, we’re the Public Safety Answer Point for 25 regional districts.
• In 1999, we dispatched for eight agencies. Today, we are now providing dispatch services for 73 police and fire agencies.
• In 1999, the E-Comm radio system had 1,300 radios. Now, police officers, fire fighters and ambulance paramedics in the Lower Mainland are actively communicating on some 7,000 next-generation radios.

As E-Comm marks 20 years of service, we extend a big thank you to our past and current staff, partners, board members and stakeholders. We’re working together to help save lives and protect property in B.C.