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Vancouver–ESRI Canada recognized Emergency Communications for Southwest British Columbia Incorporated (E-Comm 9-1-1) with an Award of Excellence at the Regional User Conference in Vancouver earlier today. Myron Doherty, BC Regional Manager for ESRI Canada, presented the award to recognize the development of a unique public safety and emergency response application – The Emergency Event Map Viewer (E2MV).

“E-Comm took the initiative to develop a web application that will significantly streamline emergency response across the lower mainland of BC,” explains Myron Doherty, BC Regional Manager. “This innovative application will likely serve as a model for other provincial and large municipal agencies.”

E-Comm manages more than one million 9-1-1 calls each year, dispatches for 23 police and fire departments and owns and operates the province’s only fully interoperable radio system. Two years ago, E-Comm’s GIS department initiated a brainstorming session to envision an application that would improve the efficiency of emergency services across BC’s Lower Mainland.  With the help of GeoConnections and BC Ambulance funding, E-Comm developed the multi-functional E2MV web application.

E2MV leverages ESRI’s latest server technology to provide a common operating picture (COP) so that current unit and incident data from a range of computer aided dispatch systems (CAD) can be viewed from a single interface. This facilitates information-sharing across multiple dispatch centres to more effectively manage and respond to incidents.  The multifunctional tool will also serve as an address verifier for 9-1-1 call takers. E-Comm is currently working with a number of external agencies to develop interfaces and web map service feeds to municipal and provincial command centres, including Emergency Management BC.

The application serves as an effective back-up tool that can be used to locate incidents and available units should a main CAD system not function. However, in case of a major incident, it can also operate as a stand-alone application in smaller emergency operation centres.  This impressive functionality has garnered interest from multiple public safety agencies including the RCMP, fire, BC Ambulance, TransLink transit authority, and others.

David Hamilton, E-Comm’s Manager of Public Safety and Geographic Information Systems, says E2MV will have a direct impact on public and first responder safety. “The ability to share accurate information in real time is critical to effective emergency response. Call-takers, dispatchers and responders will have more data at their fingertips and that will be of direct benefit in helping carry out response functions more collaboratively and in general, more effectively.”

E-Comm will leverage ESRI’s latest ArcGIS 9.3 technology which offers a new Javascript API to further develop the application.  Future development phases will introduce new layers of functionality and E2MV will be extended to a greater number of dispatch centres.

For more information on the Emergency Communications for Southwest British Columbia Incorporated, please visit: www.ecomm911.ca

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About ESRI Canada

Established in 1984, ESRI Canada is a Canadian owned company specializing in geographic information systems (GIS) solutions. ESRI Canada distributes the world’s leading GIS software including solutions from ESRI Inc., Miner and Miner, I.S.M. International Systemap Corp. and Azteca. In order to provide organizations with complete industry-specific solutions ESRI Canada has established an extensive business partner program that includes more than 130 Canadian organizations. ESRI Canada also provides professional services including consulting, training, technical support, and enterprise GIS implementation. ESRI Canada is a leader in providing world-class enterprise GIS solutions for many industries including public works, land management, utilities, defence, public safety, business demographics, education, natural resources and transportation. ESRI Canada has fifteen regional offices across the country, with headquarters in Toronto, Ontario. For more information, please visit http://www.esricanada.com/ or call 1-800-447-9778.

Media Contacts:

Amanda Graff
Marketing Communications Specialist
ESRI Canada
12 Concorde Place, Suite 900
Toronto ON M3C 3R8
T: 416-441-6035 ext 6308
E: [email protected]
W: www.esricanada.com

Jody Robertson
Director of Corporate Communications
E-Comm 9-1-1
604-215-4956

Today’s fire-hall alerting tests by E-Comm successfully concluded at 1530hrs.

Today, Wednesday, November 12, 2008 between the hours of 0830hrs and 1500hrs, E-Comm technical specialists will be conducting multiple TESTS of a new fire-hall alerting system in anticipation of a change-over later this month. Tests are scheduled to end at 1500hrs but may be shortened or extended. Newsrooms will be advised when the tests have concluded.

The easiest way to recognize a TEST call is it will be broadcast over the air in an automated, computerized voice. In addition, TEST calls are NOT broadcast on dispatch channels.

TESTS will be conducted for halls in New Westminster, Delta, Port Moody, Richmond, Vancouver and Squamish. Some paging tests will be conducted for the Sunshine Coast.

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For more information contact:

Jody Robertson
Corporate Communications
604-640-1342

Between the hours of 0830hrs and 1500hrs, E-Comm technical specialists will be conducting multiple TESTS of a new fire-hall alerting system in anticipation of a change-over later this month. Tests are scheduled to end at 1500hrs but may be shortened or extended. Newsrooms will be advised when the tests have concluded.

The easiest way to recognize a TEST call is it will be broadcast over the air in an automated, computerized voice. In addition, TEST calls are NOT broadcast on dispatch channels.

TESTS will be conducted for halls in New Westminster, Delta, Port Moody, Richmond, Vancouver and Squamish. Some paging tests will be conducted for the Sunshine Coast.

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For more information contact:

Jody Robertson
Corporate Communications
604-640-1342

Today’s fire-hall alerting tests by E-Comm successfully concluded at 1450hrs.

Today, Monday, November 3, 2008 between the hours of 0830hrs and 1200hrs, E-Comm technical specialists will be conducting multiple TESTS of a new fire-hall alerting system. Tests are scheduled to end at 1200hrs but may be extended into the afternoon. Newsrooms will be advised when the tests have concluded.

The easiest way to recognize a TEST call is it will be broadcast over the air in an automated, computerized voice. In addition, TEST calls are NOT broadcast on dispatch channels.

TESTS will be conducted for halls in New Westminster, Delta, Port Moody, Richmond, Vancouver and Squamish. Some paging tests will be conducted for the Sunshine Coast.

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For more information contact:

Jody Robertson
Corporate Communications
604-640-1342

E-Comm, the 9-1-1 answer point for Metro Vancouver, Whistler, Squamish and the Sunshine Coast,  receives hundreds of accidental or “phantom” calls each day, prompting the service to reach out to the community through an education campaign.

“Our call-takers receive many, many calls where there is no one speaking on the line, but they can hear background noise. Until they can establish that the call is indeed an unintended call  – for example, a cell phone activated in someone’s purse or backpack, or a child who is playing with a cordless phone at home – they have to stay on the line or call back until they are satisfied no one needs assistance.  This takes valuable resources away from real emergencies,”   says Jody Robertson, E-Comm’s director of corporate communications.

E-Comm recommends never pre-programming 9-1-1 on any telephone. “It takes a split second to dial 9-1-1 and pre-programming is the cause of many accidental calls, advises Robertson.  “Many users are not even aware they have called us.”

Cell phone users are also asked to take care on how they carry and stow their phones, as most models will allow a call to 9-1-1 to override the keypad lock function.

Landline telephones are also a source of accidental calls, many of them coming pre-programming 9-1-1 or through children playing with telephones.

The campaign, which is running currently on radio and in local newspapers in Metro Vancouver, Howe Sound and the Sunshine Coast, is part of E-Comm’s ongoing safety awareness efforts.

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For more information contact:

Jody Robertson
604-215-4956 (direct)

Tips for Consumers

• Do not pre-program 9-1-1 into any telephone, as this may lead to accidental calls.
• If you do call 9-1-1 by mistake, please stay on the line and tell the call-taker.
• Carry and stow cell phones carefully in purses, backpacks, in a pocket or in the car. Even a user-locked keypad can dial 9-1-1 on many phones.
• Teach children why and how to call 9-1-1.  All phones are different, so be sure to give specific instructions that include how to activate the phone and how to send a call.
• Never give children old cell phones to play with.  Many deactivated phones can still dial through to 9-1-1.
• Consider your circumstances carefully when looking at giving up your landline telephone for alternate technology.  This may not be the best option, particularly if there are young children or elderly family members in the home. Be aware that cell phones do not provide location, nor do many VoiP services.  Check with the VoiP service provider before you subscribe.

Tips for Using 9-1-1

• Dial 9-1-1 in emergency situations that require police, fire department or ambulance when immediate action is required: a life or property is in jeopardy/danger or a crime is in progress.
• Listen carefully, speak clearly and try to remain calm. While call-takers are asking you questions, they are relaying vital information electronically to the dispatchers and the emergency personnel on their way to help you.
• Non-emergency numbers for all emergency services are listed in the front of the telephone directory.

About E-Comm

• E-Comm is the regional 9-1-1 answer point for southwest British Columbia, managing more than one million calls each year.
• E-Comm provides dispatch service for 23 police and fire departments throughout the Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast and Whistler/Howe Sound.
• E-Comm also manages the region’s interoperable radio system used by police, fire and ambulance.