Dear Editor,
(Re: “Emergencies can wait on Sasquatch Mountain,” AHO, May 16, 2019)
I write to clarify the role of E-Comm as the 911 Public Safety Answer Point (PSAP) for much of British Columbia. While E-Comm dispatches for many police and fire departments, we do not dispatch ambulances. That service is provided by BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS).
When someone dials 911 in E-Comm service area, our call taker asks, “do you need police, fire or ambulance?” The call taker will also confirm for which municipality/area. E-Comm’s job is to then connect the caller as quickly as possible to the agency the caller has requested. The E-Comm call taker disconnects from the call once the receiving agency answers.
In the scenario described by the writer, presuming the caller asked for an ambulance, the call would be transferred to BCEHS to manage the call as their protocols dictate. I would invite your readers to learn more about E-Comm, who we provide service to and other helpful 911 tips, including children’s education, at www.ecomm911.ca.
Kind regards,
Jody Robertson, Executive Director, Corporate Communications
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