E-Comm/9-1-1 Celebrates 5th Anniversary
For immediate release—June 8, 2004
Vancouver, B.C. - Ten years ago, Vancouver hockey fans were suffering the same heartbreak Calgary Flames fans are today. But in Vancouver when the Canucks lost the 1994 Stanley Cup final in game seven, a riot broke out across the city. The mayhem created significant communications issues for police, fire and ambulance responders as each agency was using a different radio system. Following that riot, the concept of consolidating emergency communications in the Lower Mainland was born.
Today, June 8, 2004, E-Comm/9-1-1 (the regional emergency communications centre for southwest British Columbia) celebrates its 5th anniversary.
9-1-1
E-Comm became the regional 9-1-1 service point on June 8, 1999, assuming call-answer for the GVRD, the Sunshine Coast (Langdale to Earl's Cove) and the Whistler area (previously handled by the Vancouver Police Department since 1990)
499, 749 calls have been placed to 9-1-1 in 2004 (between January-May)
1,252,903 calls were placed to 9-1-1 in 2003
1,064,827 calls were placed to 9-1-1 in 1999
801,494 calls were placed to 9-1-1 in 1990
Emergency Dispatch
E-Comm has assumed many additional dispatching duties since its June 1999 "GO LIVE." Customers now include the Vancouver Police (since 1999) and RCMP detachments on the Sunshine Coast, Whistler, Bowen Island, UBC, Freeway patrols (all 1999), Maple Ridge (2002), and Richmond (2003). E-Comm also provides dispatch for 10 fire departments including Vancouver, Port Moody, Whistler/Garibaldi, Gibsons, Roberts Creek, Sechelt, Halfmoon Bay, Pender Harbour (2002) and Richmond and Delta (2004).
Wide Area Radio System
Today, emergency response agencies throughout the GVRD are using the E-Comm Wide-Area Radio system, which allows for cross-communication between agencies (police, fire, ambulance) within the communities they jointly serve and with agencies in neighbouring jurisdictions. There are 5,369 radios in use right now, resulting in more than 7-million police/fire/ambulance transmissions per month.
On a day-to-day basis the shared system makes it easier for different police agencies to work together in handling cross-border crime, including major crime investigations, police pursuits and other events that cross municipal boundaries. For firefighters and paramedics, this system allows instant access to information pertinent to medical and rescue calls. In the event of a major disaster, such as an earthquake or building collapse, the radio system will prove invaluable in coordinating joint response.
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For more information contact:
Jasmine Lucky
E-Comm Corporate Communications
604- 215-4877
604- 640-1342 (pager)