Delta Police and Fire Increase Communications Power
For immediate release—December 14, 2003
Vancouver - E-Comm, Emergency Communications for Southwest British Columbia Incorporated, is pleased to announce that on Sunday, December 14th, E-Comm successfully transitioned the Corporation of Delta's Police and Fire Departments onto the E-Comm Wide-Area Radio Network. Delta now becomes the fourth municipality within the GVRD to connect all its emergency services to the E-Comm radio system.
Delta Police and Fire is "live" on the system with 296 (portable {hand-held} and mobile {vehicle}) radios. By joining E-Comm's digital radio network, Delta is now part of an expanding group of emergency service agencies that have the ability to communicate directly with each other.
Chief Constable Jim Cessford, of Delta comments: "The advent of E-Comm technology is an important day in the history of the Delta Police Department. The radio infrastructure will enhance officer safety and assist us in providing excellent policing services to the citizens of Delta. We also look forward to the interoperability the Wide Area Radio System provides to all the Emergency Services partners in the GVRD."
"The ability to share information when responding to daily emergencies and in the event of a major disaster, is critical to public safety," said Peter Gauthier, Director of Wireless at E-Comm. "The Wide-Area Radio Network allows police, fire and ambulance to communicate directly with each other within the communities they jointly serve and participate in cross border communications with other emergency agencies in neighbouring communities. Remarkably, before the E-Comm radio system, this was not possible," Gauthier added.
E-Comm, one of Canada's busiest emergency call centres, operates the 9-1-1 system for the Greater Vancouver Regional District, the Sunshine Coast Regional District and Whistler area, the Wide-Area Radio System, and dispatch operations for Vancouver Police, various RCMP detachments and eight fire departments, including Vancouver.
Agencies on the radio network include:
British Columbia Ambulance Service (throughout GVRD)
Burnaby RCMP
Coquitlam RCMP
Delta Fire & Emergency Services
Delta Police Service
Langley RCMP
New Westminster Polic Service
North Vancouver RCMP
Port Moody Fire-Rescue
Port Moody Police
Richmond Fire-Rescue Services
Richmond Police
Ridge-Meadows RCMP
Surrey RCMP
Vancouver Fire & Rescue
Vancouver Police Department
White Rock RCMP
The radio system also supports special operations at the Vancouver International Airport and support services for RCMP emergencies.
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For more information contact:
Clare Marwick, E-Comm Corporate Communications
604 215-4877 (direct line)
604 640-1342 (pager)