by AllThingsECC.com | Sep 15, 2021 | Comm Center News
After months of negotiations and years of discussion, the Daviess County commissioners joined with the city of Washington to combine the county and city dispatch centers into a single operation. The final approval was given by the commissioners at their meeting Tuesday morning.
“This has been a long journey,” said Daviess County Commissioner Nathan Gabhart. “I started working on this in 2015. There are a lot of other people who have been involved in talks for even longer.”
Because the city represents two-thirds of the population involved in the dispatch, the county will carry two-thirds of the funding with the city paying for one-third…
by ECC Editor | Sep 15, 2021 | Comm Center News
TORONTO — It’s estimated that about 90 percent of Canadians now have a smartphone and if you have one, you know it’s easy to dial 9-1-1 — sometimes, even by accident.
“We get hundreds of these calls a day, which amounts to thousands of accidental calls a year,” inspector Paul Hallett with Durham Regional Police 9-1-1 Communications told CTV News Toronto Tuesday.
The police force is trying to better manage these accidental calls and has now decided to text someone first to let them know they made an accidental call to the 9-1-1 system.
Under previous protocols, to deal with an accidental 9-1-1 call, an operator would have to phone the person back to see if it was an accident or a real emergency… READ MORE
by ECC Editor | Sep 15, 2021 | Comm Center News
CUMBERLAND, R.I. (WPRI) — Three years ago, Rena Fleury went into cardiac arrest at a Cumberland High School football game and died after the 911 dispatcher failed to recognize the 45-year-old needed CPR.
A new law signed ceremonially on Tuesday by Gov. Dan McKee aims to ensure that never happens again by having everyone who answers emergency calls be prepared to give potentially live-saving instructions over the phone.
“This is crucial. It saves lives, and it can be the difference between life and death for one of us,” McKee said… READ MORE
by AllThingsECC.com | Sep 15, 2021 | Articles, Comm Center News
Imagine this: you’re outside hanging around with a friend or a loved one you know happens to struggle with mental illness or addiction. They’re having what appears to be a mental breakdown and have told you that they are hallucinating and that they’re thinking of killing themselves.
Your first thought is to call 911. You explain the situation to the dispatcher and ask if there’s any way they could send someone to help. The operator says they’ll see what they can do and stays on the phone with you.
So, who do you think shows up? …
by AllThingsECC.com | Sep 15, 2021 | Comm Center News
North Island ambulance stations will benefit from the province’s strengthening of its ambulance system with what it calls the largest hiring push in B.C.’s history in rural and remote locations.
“When we call 911 for help, British Columbians need to feel confident that help is on the way and that it will arrive quickly,” said Dix. “The significant progress made by BC Emergency Health Services over the summer will ensure a more effective ambulance service for patients and families who depend on it. Better support for paramedics and dispatchers will help them do the vital work we count on every day.”
These measures also include:
* hiring 85 new full-time paramedics in Vancouver, North Vancouver, Port Moody, Burnaby, Surrey, Langley, Richmond, Abbotsford, Kamloops and Prince George plus additional positions assigned to serve metro areas;
* hiring 30 new full-time dispatchers; …
by AllThingsECC.com | Sep 15, 2021 | Comm Center News
Pitt Meadows Fire and Rescue Services has made the switch to the largest multi-jurisdictional radio network in the province.
As of 8:15 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14, the local fire department officially changed over to the E-Comm Wide-Area Radio Network that will now allow firefighters to communicate more effortlessly with other emergency service agencies like the Ridge Meadows RCMP and BC Ambulance Service.
E-Comm is the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers…
