Many 911 calls in Prince Rupert are redirected to other centres

The Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) is calling on the provincial government to take more leadership over 911 call operations, which they feel will improve services in communities across B.C., including Prince Rupert.

Jen Ford, president of UBCM, sent a letter to Mike Farnworth, minister of public safety and solicitor general, on Oct. 6 with recommendations to develop an emergency call system governed by the province. She notes that local governments should also have representation and that a provincial governance model would ensure the services and policies reach certain standards.

In Prince Rupert, all 911 calls go to dispatchers at the Prince Rupert Fire Rescue who ask, “Police, Fire or Ambulance?” said Const. Brody Hemrich, media relations officer for the city RCMP detachment.

If the caller needs police, they are transferred to an operation centre in Prince George, which is responsible for dispatching all RCMP calls across the northern region.

If an ambulance is required, the fire department dispatchers transfer the caller to an Emergency Health Services centre in Kamloops.

Hemrich said there has been a shortage of 911 call dispatchers at their Operation Control Centre and he has read that the lower mainland is also experiencing shortages.

“So if you have less people taking calls, you’re unfortunately going to experience delays. They do prioritize calls in terms of a one through five system, based on their needs. Obviously, safety is number one, so anything that has to do with life or limb is number one and then it goes from there,” Hemrich said.

This past summer, the president of the emergency communications professionals of B.C. union wrote an open letter to British Columbians stating that a five-minute hold for emergency calls and hour-long waits for non-emergency calls is the “new normal.”

“The increasing frequency and severity of disasters, 911 service disruptions earlier this year and growing annual call volume have all highlighted system vulnerabilities and emphasized the importance of a resilient and reliable emergency communications system,” Ford’s stated in her letter.

She also called for upgrades to the current 911 technology to make it more modern and ensure consistency in emergency call service without increasing costs for local governments.

To accomplish this, UBCM is calling for a 911 call levy for cell phones.

Landline subscriptions across the province are decreasing, and local governments do not currently have the ability to collect a 911 call answer levy from mobile phones.

“UBCM has repeatedly sought for the implementation of a call answer levy on cellular devices, including a request that all associated revenue be administered by an independent body,” Ford stated.

READ MORE: BC Ambulance needs to step up so Prince Rupert firefighters can step back – City Council