Nanaimo, B.C.—Commencing November 17, 2015, emergency 9-1-1 calls from Central Vancouver Island will be answered by E-Comm, the emergency communications centre located in Vancouver. Details in this news release.
Vancouver, B.C.—E-Comm, Emergency Communications for British Columbia Incorporated, is pleased to announce its 2015-2016 board of directors. The announcement follows today’s Annual General Meeting, held at the emergency communications centre.
“2014 was a significant year for E-Comm, marking 15 years of supporting first responders and public safety in B.C.,” said David Guscott, E-Comm president and CEO. “Our services and scope have grown considerably over the years and we are confident that with the leadership of our Board of Directors, we will continue to support our mission to deliver exceptional emergency communication services that help save lives and protect property.”
E-Comm’s board is comprised of 18 directors and includes elected officials, representatives of emergency services and the provincial government, in addition to municipal staff and local community and business leaders.
2015-2016 Board of Directors:
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E-Comm is the largest 9-1-1 call centre in B.C., answering approximately 1.25 million 9-1-1 calls each year for Metro Vancouver, the Sunshine Coast and Squamish-Lillooet Regional Districts, the communities of Whistler and Squamish, and 18 regional districts within the northern, central and southern interiors and on northern Vancouver Island. E-Comm also provides dispatch services to 33 police and fire departments and operates the largest multi-jurisdictional, tri-service emergency radio system in the province.
Media contact:
Jody Robertson
E-Comm Corporate Communications
604-215-4956
604-512-3242
[email protected]
Vancouver, B.C.—Northern Vancouver Island has become the second region in B.C. to provide people who are Deaf, Deaf-Blind, Hard-of-Hearing or Speech Impaired (DHHSI) with the ability to contact 9-1-1 through a new specialized text service, called “T9-1-1.” The service is available to residents living within the North Island 9-1-1 Corporation’s service area and is provided by E-Comm—the 9-1-1 answer point serving the North Island, Metro Vancouver and the northern, central and southern interiors of B.C.
“This is a critical move forward for individuals and families who are Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing and those with Speech Impairments,” said Denise Robertson, Executive Director at Island Deaf + Hard of Hearing Centre. “Access to 9-1-1 services must be easily and readily available to everyone, and now we have the technology to make this happen – and here it is. Ensuring safety and access to critical emergency services is paramount and we applaud E-Comm 9-1-1 for providing this service in the North Island area. We know that this will have a very positive impact in our communities and we hope to see this service available for the rest of Vancouver Island in the near future.”
Text with 9-1-1 (T9-1-1) allows any DHHSI person who has pre-registered their cellphone with their wireless carrier to communicate with police, fire and ambulance call-takers via text during an emergency. Callers must first place a voice call to 9-1-1 in order to establish a voice network connection and initiate the special messaging technology.
“T9-1-1 provides our DHHSI community with a better way of communicating with police, fire and ambulance call-takers in an emergency,” said Larry Samson, president of the North Island 9-1-1 Corporation. “I encourage residents with hearing or speech impairments to register for T9-1-1 with their wireless providers and to learn how the service works and what to expect if they need to use it.”
When E-Comm receives a 9-1-1 call from a DHHSI person who has pre-registered for the service, an alert will trigger at the 9-1-1 centre to indicate there is a DHHSI caller on the line. The 9-1-1 call-taker will then launch the special messaging system, allowing them to communicate with the caller through a special text session. This will ensure they get the emergency service they need.
The specialized technology was developed by Canada’s telecommunications services providers and is available in select parts of the country.
“E-Comm was pleased to be the first 9-1-1 centre in Canada to launch T9-1-1 and we are ready to provide this important service to DHHSI residents in the North Island 9-1-1 Corporation’s service area,” added Doug Watson, E-Comm’s vice-president of Operations. “We are proud to have played a part in the development of this service which is a significant improvement over outdated TTY (telephone typewriter) technology.”
It is important to emphasize that this service is only available to the DHHSI community. Voice calling remains the only way to communicate with 9-1-1 services for a person who is not Deaf, Deaf-Blind, Hard-of-Hearing or Speech Impaired. Text messages sent directly to the digits “9-1-1” do not reach emergency services anywhere in Canada. Text with 9-1-1 for the public-at-large is anticipated in the future as the nationwide 9-1-1 infrastructure evolves.
Members of the DHHSI community should visit www.TextWith911.ca to register their cellphones with their wireless service provider and to learn more about how the system works.
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In support of Speech and Hearing Awareness month in May, E-Comm would like to encourage DHHSI persons to register for T9-1-1 and to learn how this service works and in the event of an emergency, how to use the service. A variety of public education materials are available online at ecomm911.ca. Materials include a special user guide, infographic with registration tips and step-by-step video in American Sign Language that shows you how to register, how to make a 9-1-1 call and what will happen when you dial 9-1-1 using the Text with 9-1-1 service.
E-Comm is the largest 9-1-1 call centre in B.C., serving Metro Vancouver, the Sunshine Coast and Squamish-Lillooet Regional Districts, the communities of Whistler and Squamish, and 18 regional districts within the northern, central and southern interiors and on northern Vancouver Island. E-Comm also provides dispatch services to 33 police and fire departments throughout the Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast and Squamish-Whistler areas, and operates the wide-area radio system used throughout Metro Vancouver by police, fire and ambulance personnel.
The North Island 9-1-1 Corporation service area covers the regional districts of Comox Valley, Strathcona, Mt. Waddington, Alberni-Clayoquot and Powell River (excluding Lasqueti Island), in addition to a portion of the Nanaimo Regional District (School District 69).
Media Contacts:
E-Comm 9-1-1
Jody Robertson
604-215-4956 or 604-512-3242
[email protected]
Island Deaf + Hard of Hearing Center
Denise Robertson
[email protected]
E-Comm call-takers and dispatchers urge parents to talk about 9-1-1
Vancouver, B.C.—During an emergency 9-1-1 is a critical lifeline that connects those in need with first responders, and children who know how and when to call 9-1-1 can save lives. This year, as part of Emergency Service Dispatchers’ and 9-1-1 Awareness Week (April 12 – 18), E-Comm call-takers and dispatchers are reaching out to parents and caregivers, urging them to take time to teach their children about 9-1-1. It could be one of the most important lessons they’ll ever learn.
“It’s heartbreaking when you get a 9-1-1 call from a young child who is scared, hurt or needs help for a loved one,” says Jennifer, one of E-Comm’s 9-1-1 call-takers. “You never know when they might need to reach out for help; that’s why it’s so important for kids to learn at an early age what to do in an emergency.”
As a parent of three young children, Jennifer says role-playing really helps to teach her kids about when to call 9-1-1. “I want to make sure they know how to get help if they ever find themselves in a situation where they need to call 9-1-1,” she adds.
E-Comm 9-1-1 call-takers’ top tips for parents/caregivers:
“Knowing how to dial 9-1-1 is important for children of all ages, and we have lots of information, tips, and free learning materials available in a variety of languages on our website,” says Jody Robertson, E-Comm’s Director of Corporate Communications.
Robertson encourages parents to practise dialing 9-1-1 with their children, but asks that 9-1-1 not be programmed into any phone or given phones to play with to avoid accidental calls. “Accidental calls from children playing with phones do happen and that’s something we’d like to avoid to keep emergency lines free.”
Parents, caregivers, teachers and children of all ages can visit ecomm911.ca to download/order free materials.
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E-Comm is the largest 9-1-1 call centre in B.C., serving Metro Vancouver, the Sunshine Coast and Squamish-Lillooet Regional Districts, the communities of Whistler and Squamish, and 18 regional districts within the Northern, Central and Southern Interiors and on Northern Vancouver Island. E-Comm also provides dispatch services to 33 police and fire departments throughout the Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast and Squamish-Whistler areas, and operates the wide-area radio system used throughout Metro Vancouver by police, fire and ambulance personnel.
For tips on using 9-1-1 and more information about E-Comm visit www.ecomm911.ca or follow @EComm911_info.
Media Contact
Jody Robertson
E-Comm Corporate Communications
604-215-4956
604-512-3242
[email protected]
Resources
Vancouver, B.C.—E-Comm—Emergency Communications for British Columbia Incorporated—and its partners within the police, fire and ambulance services, have selected Motorola Solutions Canada to supply radio infrastructure equipment and related services for the planned replacement of the regional emergency communications radio system.
The new radio system will be based on digital radio technology known as Project 25 (P25) in the 700 MHz band, an open standard that public-safety agencies across North America have widely adopted. This technology was endorsed by the Lower Mainland emergency services community following more than a year of consultation, analysis and testing.
E-Comm is well-positioned for this major technological undertaking, known as the Next Generation Radio Program (NGRP), having commenced planning several years ago. It is anticipated the new radio system will be fully rolled out across Metro Vancouver and Abbotsford by the end of 2017.
Motorola Solutions was selected following a three-stage competitive procurement process for the supply of radio infrastructure equipment and related services. Selection occurred following evaluation and due-diligence assessment of proposals from multiple qualified vendors using a rigorous methodology incorporating independent external oversight.
Motorola Solutions’ proposal was determined by the evaluation team to deliver the best value for E-Comm’s partner agencies from both technical and financial perspectives. Proposals were evaluated based on pre-determined criteria including more than 550 mandatory technical requirements and a lifecycle cost model. The contract covers the P25 radio infrastructure equipment and related services components of the NGRP and has a fixed-price value of $23.5 million, excluding taxes.
“The objective is to implement a new radio system that maintains both public and responder safety, and serves our region as long and as well as the first system that was established almost 16 years ago,” said Richmond Fire Chief John McGowan, chair of the radio user working group (comprised of senior representatives from police, fire and ambulance services), that worked closely with E-Comm to oversee the new network design and technology selection.
“All technology has a finite operational life and must be replaced at some point,” Chief McGowan added. “We are preparing to implement a best-in-class digital system that will be even more resilient and reliable in the field, provide higher performance, high security and provide greater audio clarity for first responders, particularly in noisy and hazardous environments.”
The new network design, incorporating enhanced service level and coverage requirements, has been developed by E-Comm, reviewed by Motorola Solutions and endorsed by police, fire and ambulance user representatives. Overall, the initiative is on track including the launching of a pilot in mid-2015.
The entire cost of replacing the radio system infrastructure is estimated at approximately $60 million (excluding agency-funded user equipment), with the supply of infrastructure equipment being the single largest procurement within the NGRP. However, because this is a planned transition, the annualized cost of the new radio network will be about the same as the annual cost of the current network, even with its enhanced features. The new radio system will be funded throughout its lifecycle by a continuation of the annual levies that user agencies pay for the current radio system.
“We are extremely eager to move forward on this significant public-safety infrastructure enhancement and are determined to continue to manage this major undertaking in a cost-effective, responsible and strategic manner on behalf of our Members, and the men and women of emergency services,” said David Guscott, E-Comm president & CEO. “The program’s top priority is the protection of public and responder safety.”
George Krausz, president of Motorola Solutions Canada, said “We understand the importance of providing E-Comm’s Member agencies with a state-of-the-art, robust, reliable solution designed to deliver superior field performance to maintain public and responder safety for many years to come. We are very pleased with the opportunity to work with the talented teams at E-Comm and its partner agencies to implement Motorola Solutions’ ASTRO® Project 25 radio infrastructure for high-performance, secure and interoperable P25 communications for current and next generation police, fire and ambulance services.”
With a planned service life of approximately 15 years, the current E-Comm wide-area radio system is used by all police departments and BC Emergency Health Services (BC Ambulance Service) in Metro Vancouver and Abbotsford, in addition to 12 fire departments in Metro Vancouver. More than 8,500 radios are in use generating more than ten-million transmissions each month.
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Media Contacts:
Jody Robertson
E-Comm 9-1-1
604-215-4956
604-512-3242
Chantal Montsion
Motorola Solutions
847-538-5161
847-668-3050
About E-Comm
E-Comm is the largest 9-1-1 call centre in British Columbia and is located in Vancouver. E-Comm is the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in Metro Vancouver, the Sunshine Coast and Squamish-Lillooet Regional Districts, the communities of Whistler and Squamish, and 18 regional districts within the Northern, Central and Southern Interiors and on Northern Vancouver Island. E-Comm also provides dispatch services for 33 police and fire departments throughout British Columbia and owns and operates the wide-area radio network used throughout Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley by police, fire and ambulance personnel. For additional information about E-Comm visit: ecomm911.ca
About Motorola Solutions
Motorola Solutions (NYSE: MSI) creates innovative, mission-critical communication solutions and services that help public safety and commercial customers build safer cities and thriving communities. For ongoing news, visit www.motorolasolutions.com/newsroom or subscribe to a news feed.
