Surrey Fire Services regional 911 dispatch centre is on a technological cutting edge, being the first in B.C. to launch Next Generation 911 – a milestone upgrade to the national emergency communications network.
The centre is hub for emergency calls serving more than 50 fire departments across B.C. and dispatching since 1975, now covering more than 25 per cent of the province's population. On top of emergency fire dispatch, the centre provides after-hours service for Surrey's bylaws enforcement and public works service, after hours, for 11 communities in the Lower Mainland.
Mayor Brenda Locke stated in a press release issued by the City of Surrey on Sept. 24 that this move reflects Surrey's commitment "to innovation, public safety and ensuring our residents and communities across B.C. receive the fastest, most reliable emergency response possible.”
Fire Chief Jason Cairney said it "begins a new era in emergency communications," ensuring firefighters "have the tools and information they need when responding to critical incidents.”
The transition was completed on Sept. 24, swapping out "legacy" systems with a "faster, more resilient IP-based network, paving the way for future capabilities like text, video and data sharing," the press release notes.
Last year the centre handled more than 125,000 calls for service, with dispatch processing emergency calls at the rate of 48.8 seconds. The City's website indicates the technological Innovations "provide automated down-streamed interfaces with the British Columbia Ambulance Services for CAD to CAD interoperability, providing the responding crews with quicker notification and overall faster response times."
Surrey Fire Services, according to surrey.ca, "operates on a two-platoon (or four-shift) system, with a group of full-time call-takers and dispatchers permanently assigned to each shift" and these staffers are "supplemented by a team of dedicated and fully trained part-time staff that assist in matching peak staffing and coverage as required in the centre."
