Nanaimo 911 Service Goes To E-Comm This Fall

NEWS RELEASE

Council approves transfer of 911 service to E-Comm
Move anticipated to save money and adopt better technology

On Monday, June 22, Council voted unanimously to support the transfer of the 911 Primary Safety Answering Point (PSAP) to E-Comm Emergency Communications for British Columbia Incorporated, based in Vancouver, BC.  The move to E-Comm provides a number of benefits to the City of Nanaimo including:

• Cost savings - EComm is the lowest cost of all options.
• Economy of scale - E-Comm is a large organization with the ability to respond quickly to changing situations.
• Technology upgrades - EComm will shoulder the purchase of "next generation" technology, a requirement the City would otherwise have to carry itself.
• Established connections - EComm has considerable experience in managing emergency communications.

The change to E-Comm will have no impact on the public's experience when dialling 911.

Dispatching emergency services will continue to be handled from the respective agency’s own dispatch centres (for example, Nanaimo FireComm will continue to dispatch for central island fire services).

The RCMP determined that managing PSAPs was not a core policing function, but they would continue to do so provided municipalities and regional districts completed an MOU with them that would see the service continue on a fee basis.

"Transferring the E911 operation to EComm will result in cost savings and will enable the participating jurisdictions to take full advantage of technological advances expected to occur in the near future." - Mike Dietrich Manager Police Support Services City of Nanaimo

Currently the City of Nanaimo is partnered with the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) and the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) in the ownership of the Central Island 911 system.

The Central Island 911 partnership covers an area that includes all of the CVRD, the City of Nanaimo, the District of Lantzville and RDN Electoral Areas A, B and C.

The Central Island 911 partnership engaged POMAX Consulting to identify options and make recommendations regarding the future of the 911 PSAP in the central island area. The report can be found on the City's website.