'Against every single fibre of our being,' B.C.'s 911 operators union says of new system
B.C.'s emergency call takers union says a decision that says operators don't have to stay on the line with patients until they are transferred to the ambulance service is a stop-gap measure for a system that is on the brink of collapse.
It's supposed to take 911 operators 10 seconds to answer police emergency lines, but in June during B.C.'s heat dome, that wait was more than 47 minutes.
The delay was due to the amount of time it took to hand off calls to the BC Ambulance Service. Operators on hold with 911 callers couldn't hang up. Until now.
A new policy at E-Comm, the non-profit that runs the 911 call centres in the province, means call takers don't have to stay on the line until that call is transferred.
Oliver Grüter-Andrew, president and CEO of E-Comm said the decision means lower risk callers might have to wait on the line alone.
"We're allowing our call taker to judge the situation and to say this call waiting for ambulance to pick up is not a life or death situation for the call," he told CTV News, adding that if they see calls waiting for 911 at the same time, they may choose to hang up.
CUPE Local 8911 President Donald Grant said this is a Band-Aid solution, when what's really needed is a major injection of staff. He pointed to a recent Price Waterhouse Coopers report, which recommended an 84 per cent increase in staffing.
"There's nothing worse than wondering what is going to happen to someone," Grant told CTV News. The president of the local representing emergency communications professionals added, "Not knowing that that person is getting the help that they need goes against every single fibre of our being."
Ecomm says 30 per cent of calls to 911 are for ambulance service, and 70 per cent are for police or fire. Grüter-Andrew said while staffing would help, it wasn't practical partly due to a lack of funding and because of the time it takes to hire and train staff.
Grant sees it differently, saying if the report had been acted on "when it came out in march, we would be in an entirely different situation now."
The union is calling on local governments and municipalities to increase funding, which the non-profit admits would help, but without more money, says is simply not practical.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.