Port Moody Police first to use new Computer-Aided Dispatch System
For immediate release—October 8, 2002
Vancouver-The Port Moody police department has become the first police agency in British Columbia to begin dispatching with a Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system that will be used by police, fire and the BC Ambulance Service throughout the Lower Mainland. The first incident logged under the new CAD was on August 6th at 0942hrs. It was a complaint of vehicles racing.
"The Port Moody Police has been looking forward to the benefits of this new system," said Deputy Chief Pat Fitzgerald. "We believe the new CAD will be an important tool for our dispatch staff and police officers and will greatly assist them as they respond to emergencies in Port Moody."
The PRC Altaris® CAD is designed to provide swift and easy access to a wide range of information critical to emergency response and includes a phone and location identifier that displays residential and business phone numbers and addresses, along with a tactical map display system that verifies that information. Dispatchers can also identify the location of callers who are unsure of their whereabouts by inputting references to cross streets and landmarks that the caller provides. The CAD also contains images of business floor plans that can be linked to locations displayed on the map as well as a hazardous goods database.
The CAD will also display other emergency events underway for police, fire and ambulance so dispatchers can keep a close watch on all events in the area and transmit information directly to responders on the road. Prior to the transition to the CAD, information pertinent to emergency response in Port Moody was in paper form.
"Having police, fire and ambulance agencies share vital response information is the cornerstone of E-Comm and its approach to implementing a state-of the art multi-agency communications system," said Glen Miller, E-Comm’s Director of Information Technology. "Port Moody is a leader in this regard."
The system has been equipped with all of Port Moody’s local information, including street maps, building location and hazardous materials information. Port Moody Fire-Rescue Services, which is dispatched out of the E-Comm facility, is also utilizing this CAD system.
Future CAD transitions also include the Vancouver Police and the BC Ambulance Service. This will make it easier to share call information between the agencies, as Police, Fire and Ambulance frequently respond to the same incident. Having all emergency response teams on the same platform will prove invaluable in the event of a major disaster.
For more information, contact:
Jody Robertson
Corporate Communications
604-215-4956 (direct)
604-640-1342(pager)
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