Blog | 911 Emergency Dispatcher | 911 Emergency Dispatch

Vancouver, B.C. – Heading into the Canada Day long weekend, E-Comm expects it to be a busy few days for emergency services.

Based on the forecasts of our data and workforce management team, at this point, we want to reassure the public that we believe there are enough staff scheduled to meet anticipated emergency call volumes. However, because E-Comm call takers answer both emergency and non-emergency calls for police, extended wait times on the non-emergency lines are expected throughout the weekend as our staff prioritize incoming 9-1-1 calls.

E-Comm has been very transparent about the fact that our organization is understaffed and underfunded. Within that context, the weekend staffing numbers are 10% less than the number of call takers we are budgeted for and 22% less on the dispatch side. But even if E-Comm had zero vacancies and we were staffed to budget, we would still not have enough people to meet the increasing call volumes we’re seeing for emergency and non-emergency lines, which are some of the highest we’ve ever experienced in E-Comm’s 23-years of service.

The contribution of our staff to public safety in B.C. cannot be overstated – they are truly the first first responders and play a critical role in emergency services. We are continually impressed by the dedication of our employees and are committed to their well-being.

Many of our employees work overtime which is how we can ensure minimum staffing levels are being met. Like many other organizations and public safety agencies, there have been times where E-Comm has found itself in a position where we needed to bring people in on ‘forced overtime’ in order to ensure we have enough people answering the 9-1-1 lines and dispatching first responders. This is a mechanism provided for in our collective agreement with CUPE Local 8911 and is used in extreme cases only.

Over the past four weeks this has occurred eight times, including for this weekend where we have had to schedule one employee on ‘forced overtime’. When this does happen, staff are compensated in accordance with the collective agreement.

That said, we recognize the impacts of regular overtime on our staff and continue to focus on recruiting new employees and working with our emergency service partners to ensure the organization is resourced and funded to meet increasing demands.

Where we can use the public’s help, is in knowing when to call 9-1-1, and when not to do so. To this end, last week, we launched our Help Us Help Campaign, to raise the public’s awareness and knowledge of what constitutes an emergency call, and what is a non-emergency call, thereby encouraging the public to use 9-1-1 responsibly.

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Media Contact:

E-Comm
604-215-6248
[email protected]

Vancouver, B.C.—E-Comm, the emergency communications centre responsible for answering 99 percent of B.C.’s 9-1-1 calls, is appealing to British Columbians to Help Us Help, as part of a campaign to encourage the public to use 9-1-1 responsibly. E-Comm is anticipating one of the busiest summers on record for emergency services and first responders.

“Ahead of the traditionally busier summer months, E-Comm is concerned about the pattern of increasing call volumes and the demand and strain this will have on our staff and the first responders they support,” explains Jasmine Bradley, E-Comm executive director of Communications & Public Affairs. “We’re seeing some of the highest emergency call volumes we’ve experienced in our 23 years of service.”

In 2021, British Columbians dialed 9-1-1 more than 2 million times, with nine out of 10 of the busiest days for 9-1-1 emergency services being recorded in that year. In the last quarter of 2021, call volumes were up 22 per cent compared to the year prior.

2022 is shaping up to be even busier, with E-Comm predicting a further increase of 12 per cent in emergency calls this year.

Bradley attributes increased call volumes, in part, to this being the first summer without COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings, events and travel, increased cellphone use, a growing and aging population, the illicit drug toxicity crisis, mental health challenges, and weather events like floods, fires and heat.

And if 9-1-1 is busy, so too are police, fire and ambulance first responders.

“With the end of COVID restrictions and the start of summer, Vancouver Police expect to see a surge of people coming to the city to enjoy our beaches, parks, shopping, and entertainment,” shares Vancouver Police Department’s Sergeant Steve Addison.” More people always bring more calls for police service, and we’ll continue to make public safety our top priority.”

Vancouver Fire Rescue Services is also preparing to see an increased demand in services over the coming months.

“VFRS is expecting another busy summer with high call volumes and fires,” says Matthew Trudeau, Captain of Public Information. “We remind people to ensure their smoke alarms are working, they use and charge lithium ion battery operated devices safely, and ensure smoking material is discarded properly.”

E-Comm’s service target is to answer 95 per cent of 9-1-1 calls in five seconds or less. However, not all calls that come through the emergency lines are for emergencies.

“If there is a serious medical emergency, we absolutely want you to call 9-1-1,” says Brian Twaites, a paramedic specialist with BC Emergency Health Services. “But if you have a less-urgent health issue, you can call 8-1-1 and get connected with a nurse or other professional at HealthLinkBC. That way, our highly-trained emergency medical dispatch staff and paramedics will be available for people who need their services the most.”

The Help Us Help campaign offers five tips to help reduce misdialed and non-urgent calls to 9-1-1, so E-Comm and its public safety partners can best support people with real emergencies that require immediate assistance from first responders.

5 Tips to Help Us Help

1. Think before you dial 9-1-1.
   To help determine if immediate action is required by police, fire or ambulance services, think of the following questions. If you answer yes to any, dial 9-1-1 immediately.

• Is someone’s health at risk?
• Is someone’s safety or property at risk right now?
• Is a crime in progress?

2. Know your location, especially if you’re calling from a cellphone, so 9-1-1 call takers can direct first responders to find you quickly and easily.
3. Lock and store your cellphone when out for a jog, carrying it in your pocket or purse. Never save 9-1-1 to your phone as a contact, and turn your device on airplane mode if children are playing with it. This can help reduce pocket-dialed and misdialed 9-1-1 calls.
4. Don’t hang up. If you call 9-1-1 in error, please don’t hang up. When the call taker answers, let them know you dialed in error. This way, they won’t need to call you back to ensure you’re safe.
5. Help us Help. Help 9-1-1 call takers and dispatchers, along with first responders, by providing the information they need. They face high-stress situations every day while helping people in need. Emergency services personnel are doing their best. Listen carefully, speak clearly and try to remain calm. Remember that call takers need to provide accurate and specific information to the attending emergency responders, and while they’re asking questions a response is already underway.

Additional Resources

• BC 211: For information and referrals to social, community and government services in British Columbia, call 2-1-1.
• City Services: Visit your local municipal website for all questions or concerns related to city bylaws including dumped garbage, parking-related complaints or concerns about traffic lights. In Vancouver, dial 3-1-1.
• HealthLink BC: For non-urgent health information and advice, and where to find health services in your community, call 8-1-1.
• BC Wildfire Service: To report wildfires that fall outside the jurisdiction of a local fire department, call 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 from a cellphone. Call 9-1-1 if you are unsure about who to call – the call taker will refer you to the BC Wildfire Service if required.
• DriveBC: For information about road conditions and closures, to help plan your driving route, or for other road infrastructure information, visit drivebc.ca or call 5-1-1.
• BC Crisis Centre: For mental health support where there is no immediate risk to someone’s safety, call 310-6789 (no area code needed). If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, but it is not an immediate risk call 1-800-784-2433 (1-800-SUICIDE), or call your local crisis centre. If there is an immediate risk, call 9-1-1.

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Media Contacts:

E-Comm
604-215-6248
[email protected]

BCEHS
604-660-6925
[email protected]

Vancouver Police Department
[email protected]

Vancouver Fire Rescue Services
[email protected]

Vancouver—E-Comm announced its 2022-2023 Board of Directors today at the organization’s Annual General Meeting. After two years of holding these meetings virtually, board members and shareholders gathered together in-person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Overall, E-Comm shareholders named five new board members. The remaining members, who are designated by shareholders, were reconfirmed for another term by their nominating entities. A moment of appreciation was also shared for departing board members: Joe Keithley, Jen McCutcheon, Paul Mochrie, Wilson Wan, and Mike Welte.

Doug Campbell returns as Board Chair, a position he has held since 2016. During today’s Annual General Meeting, Campbell acknowledged the tremendous efforts of E-Comm staff and the first responder community through extraordinary circumstances in 2021 including record emergency call volumes, extreme weather events, and multiple health crises.

“From extreme summer heat, scorching forest fires, and relentless fall flooding, through to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid crisis in British Columbia, people across the province needed emergency services last year more than ever,” said Campbell. “On behalf of the Board, I want to thank everyone at E-Comm for their ongoing dedication to public safety and to recognize the resilient people who—no matter the circumstance—continue to work tirelessly to keep our communities safe by providing critical emergency communications services.”

The Board of Directors is responsible for overseeing the company’s strategic planning and direction, finances and operating results. Management is accountable to the Board of Directors for day-to-day operations and administration.

E-Comm shareholders and other stakeholders nominate Board members who provide extensive knowledge and experience to the company through their work on the Board and as members of the Board’s standing committees.

2022-2023 E-Comm Board of Directors

Independent Directors nominated by the E-Comm Board

May 12, 12:00 p.m. – An investigation conducted into the 9-1-1 service disruption that impacted callers within the Central and Southern Interior for a number of hours on May 5 is now complete. This investigation has shown that the cause of the disruption was an equipment failure on a piece of core technology within the TELUS network that allows 9-1-1 callers to be routed to the E-Comm emergency communications centre for call-answer.

TELUS has confirmed that this issue has been resolved and all system redundancy has been fully restored and tested.

When E-Comm was first made aware of the issue at approximately 2:30 p.m. on May 5, the emergency communications centre immediately engaged TELUS – the 9-1-1 network infrastructure provider for British Columbia. TELUS technicians began troubleshooting the issue with E-Comm technology staff, and service was restored on a back-up system at approximately 6:00 p.m. that same day.

Impacted areas included the Regional Districts of the Central Okanagan, North Okanagan, Okanagan-Similkameen, Thompson-Nicola, Columbia-Shuswap, Squamish-Lillooet (North), Central Kootenay, East Kootenay and Kootenay-Boundary. During the outage, no other areas of the province were impacted.

The priority for E-Comm during this time was to ensure a workaround was available for people needing immediate assistance from police, fire and ambulance. E-Comm’s Operations team made arrangements with the RCMP to have calls answered via local police non-emergency lines, and the organization took steps via media and social media to direct people to call the ten-digit non-emergency lines if they had an emergency for which immediate action was required.

As of May 10, just before 12:30 p.m., TELUS switched the 9-1-1 service back to the primary system with no interruptions reported.

May 5, 7:45 p.m. – E-Comm is confirming that 9-1-1 calls for the Central and Southern Interior are once again coming through to the emergency communications centre.

At approximately 2:30 p.m. on May 5, E-Comm was made aware of a 9-1-1 system disruption that impacted callers in the Regional Districts of the Central Okanagan, North Okanagan, Okanagan-Similkameen, Thompson-Nicola, Columbia-Shuswap, Squamish-Lillooet (North), Central Kootenay, East Kootenay and Kootenay-Boundary. During this time, callers were directed to call the police non-emergency lines to receive help from police, fire or ambulance. No other regions were impacted by this service outage.

The cause of the outage is currently under investigation with TELUS technicians continuing to work through the night. Further details will be provided in the coming days.

May 5, 4:00 p.m. – A 9-1-1 service disruption is currently impacting callers within the Central and Southern Interior areas. At this time, 9-1-1 service is not functioning and the cause of the disruption is unknown. Technicians are working with TELUS to determine the root cause and restore service as soon as possible.

Until further notice, E-Comm is advising the public in the Central and Southern Interior to call their local 10-digit police non-emergency line if they have an emergency for which immediate action is required: someone’s health, safety or property is in jeopardy or a crime is in progress. Callers in need of urgent medical care or fire response should dial the police non-emergency number and relay this to the call taker.

All local non-emergency numbers can be found at: nonemergency.ca.

To keep non-emergency lines free for emergency callers, residents of the Central and Southern Interior are asked not to call with non-urgent matters at this time. Non-emergency reports can still be made through online reporting at nonemergency.ca.

9-1-1 service is functioning normally for all other areas of the province.

July 25 – E-Comm’s investigation into intermittent technical issues which appear to have impacted some callers’ ability to contact 9-1-1 on Sunday, April 24, has now been completed. The emergency communications centre is confirming all issues have been resolved, with system redundancy being fully restored and tested shortly after the incident.

The investigation found that the disruption was a result of a series of isolated technical malfunctions, related to important system changes/upgrades to the back-up network that had been put on hold or not fully tested due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Issues that were experienced on April 24 included temporarily not being able to transfer 9-1-1 calls within the back-up network (this was quickly identified and resolved), intermittent audio issues for some Vancouver Island callers, and in some regions in the central and southern interior there were issues with 9-1-1 calls failing over to back-up mode resulting in calls being triaged temporarily by the BC Ambulance Service.

These technological issues occurred during a planned E-Comm evacuation exercise, which was scheduled as part of the organization’s regular preventative maintenance work and routine redundancy planning. The intermittent issues experienced were unusual compared to previous evacuations, and during this time, E-Comm’s operational and technology leadership teams worked diligently to ensure there was as little impact to incoming calls as possible.

During planned evacuation exercises, E-Comm call takers and dispatchers operate from a back-up site allowing the team to stress-test evacuation procedures and systems, while simultaneously conducting critical technical maintenance and upgrades on primary systems and networks while these are not operational.

With the constantly-evolving nature of technology, each planned evacuation exercise – including the one on April 24 – provides E-Comm and its technology partners with key learnings and insights used to enhance the back-up network and improve the overall stability of the platform.

In response to what was learned from this investigation, E-Comm is enhancing communications between the organization and its technology partners, adding extra checks and balances to processes, and increasing the early monitoring of systems to help identify and address issues more quickly.

April 24 – On Sunday, April 24, E-Comm experienced intermittent technical issues which appear to have had an impact on some callers’ ability to contact 9-1-1.

These technological issues occurred during a planned evacuation exercise, which was scheduled as part of the organization’s preventative maintenance work and routine redundancy planning. During this time, E-Comm call-taking and dispatch operations moved to a back-up site to execute and stress-test evacuation procedures and systems, while allowing for critical technical maintenance and upgrades to take place at its emergency communications centres.

The intermittent technical issues experienced on April 24 were unusual compared to previous evacuations, and E-Comm worked diligently to ensure there was as little impact to incoming calls as possible. The organization’s top priority is to now identify the root cause(s) of these challenges, and E-Comm is working closely with its core technology partners to conduct a full investigation. Once the investigation is complete, the results and key findings will be made public.

All 9-1-1 services are currently functioning normally across the province. Any British Columbian experiencing an emergency situation should dial 9-1-1 as usual to get the urgent help they require.

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Media Contact

E-Comm
604-215-6248
[email protected]