Port Coquitlam, B.C.— Port Coquitlam Fire & Emergency Services is now communicating on the E-Comm Wide-Area Radio Network. The move means all three fire departments in the Tri-Cities are operating on the same radio system for the first time, allowing them to communicate more effectively.
“There are 61,000 residents of Port Coquitlam who rely on firefighters to keep them safe and to protect their property,” said Mayor Greg Moore. “Our residents can take comfort in knowing that their firefighters have the right technology at their sides.”
“From battling blazes to responding to hazardous goods incidents or motor vehicle crashes, firefighters work in all sorts of dangerous and complex conditions in which communication is paramount,” said Oliver Grüter-Andrew, E-Comm President and CEO. “We are committed to providing firefighters in Port Coquitlam with the clear, reliable and broad radio coverage they need to do their jobs in challenging situations and environments.”
In addition to improving communication amongst Tri-Cities fire departments, this transition means Port Coquitlam Fire & Emergency Services can also communicate seamlessly with local police and the ambulance service, which are also using the
E-Comm system.
“Efficient radio communication is a lifeline, and joining with other local first responders under the E-Comm system enhances our emergency response capabilities for the safety of our residents and firefighters,” said Councillor Mike Forrest, Chair of the City’s Community Safety Committee.
Last year, agencies using E-Comm’s radio system began moving to a new state-of-the-art network in a planned upgrade to next generation technology. Port Coquitlam Fire & Emergency Services is now one of more than 30 agencies operating on this new network that provides first responders with enhanced audio clarity, increased coverage and better security.
“By joining the wide-area radio network, we are increasing interoperability between all emergency-service agencies which ultimately means a safer working environment for first responders,” added Port Coquitlam Fire Chief Nick Delmonico.
The E-Comm Wide-Area Radio Network is the largest multi-jurisdictional, tri-service emergency radio system in British Columbia and is used by police, fire and ambulance personnel within Metro Vancouver and parts of the Fraser Valley. Currently,
BC Emergency Health Services within Metro Vancouver and Abbotsford, all police agencies in Metro Vancouver and Abbotsford and 13 fire departments in Metro Vancouver – including Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam and Port Moody – use the radio network to communicate with each other. In 2017, firefighters, police officers and paramedics broadcasted approximately 130 million times.
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About E-Comm
E-Comm is the largest 9-1-1 call centre in B.C. In 2017, it handled approximately 1.45 million emergency calls for 26 regional districts and communities spanning from Vancouver Island to Alberta and from the U.S. border, to north of Prince George.
E-Comm also provides call-taking and dispatch services to 36 police agencies and fire departments in southwest B.C. and operates the largest multi-jurisdictional, tri-service emergency radio system in the province.
Contacts:
Chief Nick Delmonico
Port Coquitlam Fire & Emergency Services
604-927-5466
[email protected]
Sam Corea
E-Comm 9-1-1
604-215-4877
[email protected]