Blog | 911 Emergency Dispatcher | 911 Emergency Dispatch

Vancouver, B.C.—E-Comm wishes to acknowledge how incredibly difficult it is for British Columbians, in a time of need, to be faced with call delays when requiring urgent assistance from emergency services.

The current issue regarding 9-1-1 call-taking delays is directly related to the staffing levels at BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS), the provincial organization responsible for ambulance call-taking and dispatch.

It is important to understand that when an individual calls 9-1-1, they are initially connected to an E-Comm call taker who immediately transfers the caller to the requested police agency, fire department or, when an ambulance is needed, to BCEHS. The E-Comm call taker must wait on the line with the caller until they have been connected with the requested emergency service agency. Unfortunately, over the past several months, E-Comm has experienced continued and consistent delays in attempting to transfer calls for ambulance to BCEHS. This has resulted in significant delays on the 9-1-1 lines as our staff are unavailable to answer other incoming calls, not only for ambulance, but also for urgent police and fire response.

Overall, E-Comm has enough staff to be able to handle current 9-1-1 call volumes and answer these calls quickly and efficiently, provided agencies are able to accept call transfers in a timely manner. The staffing challenges at BCEHS mean our call takers are having to spend a significant amount of time on the line with callers, waiting for them to be connected to BCEHS. When all 9-1-1 call takers are waiting to transfer calls, this means other incoming 9-1-1 calls (whether for ambulance, or police and fire) have to wait to be answered until our call takers have been freed up.

This is an incredibly serious issue that has been difficult not just for the public, but also for our staff who are forced to wait on the line with callers in medical distress, while seeing that other incoming 9-1-1 calls are on hold as a result. E-Comm staff do not have the training or the authority to provide medical guidance and therefore the stress of this situation – both for our staff and members of the public in critical need – is extremely difficult.

One of the challenges these delays are creating is that callers are hanging up and calling back on 9-1-1 after reaching a recorded announcement during transfers to the ambulance service. We urge the public to please stay on the line, as hanging up and redialing will further tie-up the system. You will get help faster by staying on the line.

The risk to public safety as a result of the BCEHS delays is of serious and growing concern to our organization. E-Comm will continue to offer what assistance we can as BCEHS works to find an immediate solution to this matter.

Vancouver— E-Comm’s Board of Directors has grown to 22 members with a new seat representing the central and southern Vancouver Island region.

Earlier this year, the E-Comm Board amended its Members Agreement to include a new Board member, now that E-Comm operates the 9-1-1 call-taking and police dispatch centre in Saanich. That facility, built by the Capital Regional District, opened in 2019.

Victoria Police Department Deputy Chief Constable Colin Watson will serve on the E-Comm Board as the Vancouver Island director, nominated by the Capital Regional District and E-Comm’s southern Vancouver Island police agency partners.

Overall, E-Comm shareholders have named four new Board members (a fifth new member will be named later). The remaining Board members are returning for another term. E-Comm confirmed the Directors today (Sept. 23) at its Annual General Meeting held online for the second year in a row because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Doug Campbell returns as Board Chair, a position he has held since 2016. During today’s meeting, Campbell acknowledged these are difficult times for emergency communications and first responders.

“To say this summer was extraordinary in terms of the demand and strain on emergency services in B.C. is an understatement,” said Campbell. “From record heatwaves and devastating forest fires to staff shortages, those who answer and dispatch emergency calls across all sectors have been stretched to the limit. And, the ongoing pandemic has not made things any easier.”

Campbell said the E-Comm Board fully supports efforts across all emergency services providers to work on solutions to improve emergency response times for the public.

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.

2021-2022 Board of Directors

A new representative for BC Emergency Health Services is to be named later.

Independent Directors nominated by the E-Comm Board

Pitt Meadows firefighters are now communicating on the E-Comm Wide-Area Radio Network, after joining the system on September 14, 2021. This transition will enhance the emergency response capabilities of the firefighters, elevating the safety of the entire Pitt Meadows community.

Since joining the network, Pitt Meadows Fire & Rescue Services are now able to seamlessly communicate over the radio with other emergency service agencies including Ridge Meadows RCMP and BC Ambulance Service. This interoperability is critical to public safety as it allows the firefighters to coordinate their response with fellow police, fire and ambulance partners across municipal boundaries who are also communicating on E-Comm’s shared radio network.

Pitt Meadows Fire & Rescue Services joined 16 other fire departments in Metro Vancouver, all police agencies in Metro Vancouver and Abbotsford and BC Emergency Health Services who use the E-Comm Wide-Area Radio Network. The network has about 13,000 activate or available radios. In 2020, firefighters, police officers and paramedics made 53.7 million transmissions on the network.

E-Comm is proud to welcome Pitt Meadows Fire & Rescue Services as a radio partner.

Read more about Pitt Meadows Fire & Rescue joining the network.

Find out more about the network and E-Comm’s technology services.

Vancouver, B.C.–At 0815hrs today, Pitt Meadows Fire & Rescue Services officially cutover to the E-Comm Wide-Area Radio Network, the largest multi‐jurisdictional, tri‐service, wide‐area radio network in the province. With this transition, firefighters are now able to seamlessly communicate over the radio with other emergency service agencies – including Ridge Meadows RCMP and BC Ambulance Service. This increased interoperability between first responders ultimately enhances the emergency response capabilities for the safety of both the public and Pitt Meadows firefighters.

“Joining the E-Comm radio system is a critical part of keeping our first responders and the public safe in an emergency,” said Bill Dingwall, Pitt Meadows Mayor. “Being able to have our first responders access and share information with each other, as quickly and efficiently as possible, will allow for better response that meets the safety needs of our community.”

“This much-needed new and improved communications system will allow us to talk directly and seamlessly with other first responders, which will be particularly beneficial when responding to multi-agency calls like motor vehicle crashes and large-scale incidents in difficult to access areas such as Pitt Lake,” said Mike Larsson, Pitt Meadows Fire Chief. “Not only will our firefighters have state-of-the-art radio communications, but it will help facilitate faster emergency response for the residents of Pitt Meadows.”

E-Comm’s radio network provides Pitt Meadows firefighters with stronger and wider radio coverage, greater clarity, improved reliability and enhanced security features through an earthquake-resistant infrastructure. The fully encrypted P25 network also better protects the privacy of the public, as first responders often need to communicate necessary personal and private information over the radio.

“In addition to 9-1-1 call answer and police dispatch services, we’re very pleased to expand our public safety relationship with the City of Pitt Meadows as Pitt Meadows Fire and Rescue Services joins our radio system,” said Oliver Grüter-Andrew, E-Comm President and CEO. “From battling fires to responding to complex rescues, firefighters work in the utmost challenging environments in which communication is paramount. Being able to provide enhanced, crystal-clear and secure radio communications is critical in keeping first responders and the residents of Pitt Meadows safe.”

BC Emergency Health Services within Metro Vancouver and Abbotsford, all police agencies in Metro Vancouver and Abbotsford and 17 fire departments in Metro Vancouver use the E-Comm Wide-Area Radio Network to communicate with one another. The network has about 10,000 active or available radios. In 2020, firefighters, police officers, paramedics and municipal users made approximately 53.7 million transmissions on the network.

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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.

Media Contacts:

E-Comm

Dolly Loi
Communications Specialist
[email protected]
604-215-6248

City of Pitt Meadows

Carolyn Baldridge
Manager of Communications and Community Engagement
[email protected]

Answering police non-emergency calls is an important part of the work we do on behalf of our 33 police agency partners, but not every non-urgent matter requires a call to your police non-emergency line. Approximately 36% of calls E-Comm receives on police non-emergency lines need to be redirected to a more appropriate resource for help. Knowing who to call when you have a problem will help ensure you get the assistance you need as quickly as possible, while keeping critical lines free for genuine police matters.

Although E-Comm’s goal is to answer all non-emergency calls as quickly and efficiently as possible, there are times where non-emergency callers must wait to reach a call taker, as our call takers answer both 9-1-1 and non-emergency calls and must prioritize 9-1-1 lines first. Receiving calls on police non-emergency lines that are better suited elsewhere only adds to these extended wait times.

The public can help us help, by making the right calls and sharing the following non-emergency tips:

• Knowing when to call 9-1-1, when to call the non-emergency line with a non-urgent police matter or when an alternative resource is better suited for your concerns means you can get the help you need faster.
• If you are experiencing a lengthy delay on the non-emergency line, do not call 9-1-1 – unless your matter has escalated to a life-threatening situation and immediate action is now required by first responders.
• If you need to call the police non-emergency line, try to make your report before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on a weekday to help minimize your wait time.
• Many non-urgent crimes can be reported through online crime reporting on local police websites – visit nonemergency.ca to see if this service is available in your area.
• Are you unsure where to call for help?
  • If you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, please dial 9-1-1.
  • For concerns of a non-urgent nature, check online to see if you should call the police non-emergency line, report your concerns through online crime-reporting or reach out to an alternate resource.

We want to thank the public for your patience and understanding as our hardworking call takers prioritize answering calls from those who are experiencing life or death emergencies first.