Victoria and Saanich are joining forces to create a new regional fire dispatch centre.
The Vancouver Island Emergency Dispatch Corporation will provide fire dispatch to Victoria and Saanich, along with the municipalities already dispatched by Saanich, including Oak Bay, Esquimalt, View Royal, Colwood, North and Central Saanich and Sidney.
The dispatch technology will be provided by E-Comm, the largest emergency communications centre in B.C., according to the City of Victoria.
E-Comm utilizes a computer-aided dispatch system that allows for “swift and easy access to a wide range of information critical to emergency response.”
“This dispatch centre will use state-of-the-art dispatch and communication technology that complies with National Fire Protection Association standards – a first for the region,” said Saanich fire chief Mike Burgess. “Moving to one integrated dispatch centre means that callers will receive a higher level of service.”
The new dispatch centre will be located in Saanich and should be up and running by January 2019.
