E-Comm Media Advisory: TELUS phone service outage in White Rock
For immediate release—August 11, 2005
A telephone outage in White Rock has affected telephone service for approximately 750 residential and business lines. As a result, some residents may not be able to dial 9-1-1.
- Residents in the affected area (Semiahmoo) should use their cellular phones for emergency 9-1-1 calls until landline service is restored.(NOTE: some cellular service may also be affected by this outage)
- In the event you are unable to reach 9-1-1 through your telephone or cellular phone and you or someone you know is able to make your way to a Surrey or White Rock Fire Hall, you are encouraged to do so. A call to 9-1-1 can be placed on your behalf by the emergency personnel on site
- In the event the hall is affected by the telephone outage, the emergency personnel can contact their dispatch centre via their radios
- It is important to remind cellular phone users that cell phones do NOT provide name or location information to 9-1-1 centres. Callers are reminded they should pay particular attention to the location of their emergency and communicate the information to the 9-1-1 call-taker as soon as they are asked for it
E-Comm's emergency radio system that is utilized by the BC Ambulance Service and the Surrey and White Rock Fire and RCMP Departments, operates on its own network and continues to provide communication capabilities among emergency responders. For more tips on dialing 9-1-1 visit www.ecomm.bc.ca
For more information contact:
Jody Robertson
E-Comm Corporate Communications
604-640-1342 (pager)
778-222-1006 (cell)
For information on the TELUS outage contact:
Shawn Hall
TELUS Media Relations
604-619-7913 (cell)
604-697-8176 (office)