The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives

[DRAFT] 7/30/2021

Maggie Quirk Centre for Operations Excellence

Mike Webb Chief Innovation Officer

The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives

Table of Contents

Table of Contents ...... 2 Preface ...... 5 Acknowledgements ...... 7 Executive Summary ...... 8 1. Introduction ...... 12 1.1. Purpose of Research ...... 12 1.2. Approach Taken ...... 12 1.3. Participants Consulted ...... 13 1.4. Literature Reviewed ...... 13 2. Overview of Current 9-1-1 Services in BC ...... 14 2.1. What is 9-1-1? ...... 14 2.2. How Does 9-1-1 Work? ...... 15 2.2.1. Types of 9-1-1 Service ...... 17 2.2.2. Call Answer and Dispatch Standards ...... 18 2.2.3. Voice Over IP and Satellite Calls ...... 18 2.3. Regulatory and Legal Framework ...... 18 2.3.1. Regional Districts ...... 18 2.3.2. Canadian Radio-television and Communications Commission (CRTC) ...... 19 2.3.3. Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) [BC] ...... 19 2.3.4. Emergency Communications Corporations Act [BC] ...... 20 2.4. Components and Stakeholders ...... 20 2.4.1. Operational ...... 20 2.4.2. Technical ...... 21 2.4.3. Industry ...... 22 2.4.4. Administrative ...... 23 2.4.5. Other ...... 24 2.5. Key Statistics and Performance Metrics ...... 25 2.5.1. BC 2020 Aggregate 9-1-1 Call Volumes ...... 25 2.5.2. PSAP Key Performance Indicators ...... 30 2.6. Coverage Gaps ...... 31 2.6.1. B9-1-1 to NG9-1-1 Transition ...... 31 2.6.2. Remote and Rural Regional Districts ...... 32 2.6.3. First Nations ...... 33 3. Overview of Next Generation 9-1-1 ...... 34 3.1. General Overview & International Perspective ...... 34 3.1.1. International Perspective ...... 34 3.2. CRTC Decisions and National Rollout Plans ...... 35 3.2.1. Telecom Regulatory Policy and Decision ...... 35 3.2.2. COVID-19 and New Deadlines ...... 36 3.2.3. ESWG Task Identification Forms (TIFs) ...... 36

Page 2 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives 3.3. Telecommunications Service Provider Plans ...... 37 3.3.1. Originating Service Providers (OSPs) ...... 37 3.3.2. Next Generation Core Services (NGCS) Providers ...... 37 3.4. Public Safety Answer Point Transition Plans ...... 37 3.4.1. Public Safety Answer Points (PSAPs) ...... 37 3.5. New and Enhanced Services in NG9-1-1 ...... 38 3.5.1. Real Time Text ...... 38 3.5.2. Improved Location Accuracy ...... 38 3.5.3. Digital Still Images ...... 38 3.5.4. Video ...... 39 3.5.5. Additional Data/Information ...... 39 3.5.6. Automatic Crash Notification ...... 39 3.5.7. Social Media Integration ...... 40 3.5.8. Multichannel and Omnichannel Non-Emergency Contact ...... 40 4. Findings and Key Themes ...... 41 4.1. Risk to Reliability of Technology Platforms ...... 41 4.2. Inability to Evolve 9-1-1 Services ...... 41 4.3. Lack of Interoperability ...... 41 4.4. Limited Resilience Caused by Consolidation ...... 42 4.5. Limited Location Accuracy ...... 43 4.6. Lack of Z-Axis Location Information ...... 43 4.7. Inaccuracies and Delays in Updating GIS Mapping Information ...... 44 4.8. Lack of Simultaneous Dispatch ...... 44 4.9. Limited Information About a Caller ...... 45 4.10. Limited Information About an Event ...... 45 4.11. Limited Ability to Support Callers with Limited Ability to Speak ...... 46 4.12. Gaps in 9-1-1 Coverage in Remote and Rural Regions ...... 46 4.12.1. Limited Availability and Reliability of Telecom Services ...... 46 4.12.2. Lack of Location Information Provided with Basic 9-1-1 ...... 47 4.12.3. Limited 9-1-1 and Emergency Response ...... 47 5. 9-1-1 in First Nations Communities ...... 48 5.1. Current State ...... 48 5.2. Findings and Key Themes ...... 49 5.2.1. Limited Wireless Coverage ...... 49 5.2.2. Limited Emergency Communications and Response Resources ...... 50 5.2.3. Incomplete or Non-Standard Mapping, Addressing & Street Signage ...... 51 5.3. Administration and Coordination ...... 51 5.3.1. Limited 9-1-1 Information ...... 52 5.3.2. Need to Develop New Agreements for NG9-1-1 ...... 54 6. Conclusions and Next Steps ...... 55 6.1. Conclusions ...... 55

Page 3 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives 6.2. Next Steps ...... 55 APPENDICES...... 57 Appendix 1: PSAPs in British Columbia ...... 58 Appendix 2: British Columbia Aggregate 9-1-1 Call Volumes ...... 60 Appendix 3: Summary of Focus Groups and Interviews by Participant Group ...... 63 British Columbia Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) ...... 63 City of Nelson Police ...... 64 E-Comm 9-1-1 ...... 65 Emergency Services Working Group (ESWG) ...... 68 Fire Agencies ...... 69 First Nations ...... 71 Northwestel ...... 72 Police Agencies ...... 73 PRIMECorp ...... 75 Province of British Columbia...... 76 Rural and Remote Governments ...... 76 TELUS Corporation ...... 78 Union of British Columbia Municipalities ...... 78 Appendix 4: Northern Rockies Regional Municipality B9-1-1 Operational Considerations 80 Introduction ...... 81 Areas with Basic 9-1-1 or No 9-1-1 Service ...... 81 Considerations for Transition to NG9-1-1 in Northern BC ...... 86 Communities in British Columbia served by Northwestel ...... 89 Map of Regional Districts ...... 90 Appendix 5: First Nations Emergency Services Society Lightship Data ...... 91 Appendix 6: Map of Current State of 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia (2021) ...... 91 GLOSSARY OF TERMS ...... 93 REFERENCES ...... 96

Page 4 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives

Preface

This report represents the first stage of a multi-stage consulting project on the Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia. Emergency communication around the world is changing at an increasingly fast pace in terms of technology used and services provided, an evolution called Next Generation 9-1- 1 (NG9-1-1). The evolution is driven both by opportunities – provided largely by Internet and mobile device-based technologies – and by the needs of first responders, emergency communicators, governing authorities and the public for improved means of communication to enhance public and responder safety. Rapidly evolving technologies and availability of quality information have shifted public expectations regarding 9-1-1 capabilities and availability. Changing global practices and regulation are other drivers of this evolution. In light of this, Emergency Communications Centres (ECCs)1 and Local Government in BC face the issues of how and when to introduce NG9-1-1, in the context of the current governance and regulatory frameworks, emergency response structures and practices, current technologies and public expectations.

The Province of British Columbia (BC) has sponsored the development of a strategic plan and roadmap that describes when and how to best introduce NG9-1-1 services in BC. The Province provided funding, approved the specifications and oversaw the research as it was performed. Mitacs, the national research organization, has provided additional funding for researchers through the Mitacs Accelerate Fellowship program. The Province contracted E-Comm 9-1-1, a 9-1-1 service provider operating in BC, to administer the research which has been performed by researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) Sauder School of Business.

The focus of the Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia project is the development of a strategic plan and roadmap for evolution of British Columbia’s 9-1-1 services. The recommendations in the strategic plan and roadmap will present a phased approach to implementation to prepare key stakeholders for the transition to NG9-1-1. The recommendations will also highlight areas for further study and investment needed.

The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia project has been divided into the following parts:

(i) Part One: Current State and Objectives develops an understanding of the current state of the 9-1-1 system and services in BC. It includes limitations that might be addressed by the transition to NG9-1-1.

(ii) Part Two: Value and Hierarchy of New Multimedia and Data Sources prioritizes the value of new NG9-1-1 services and data sources for ECCs, first responders and other stakeholders. It compiles the research into a matrix that displays the

1 Emergency Communications Centers (ECCs) and Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) are similar but distinct terms that are commonly used in the 9-1-1 service context. PSAPs are defined as 9-1-1 emergency call-taking and dispatching call centres, while ECC has a broader definition that can include non-emergency call-taking and other related services.

Page 5 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives value of the new data types to assist with the prioritization of potential investments in NG9-1-1.

(iii) Part Three: Cognitive Processing examines the potential for AI and machine learning to enhance the cognitive processing of operators in ECCs. The focus is on AI or machine learning solutions for non-emergency events.

(iv) Part Four: Cognitive and Emotional Effects on ECC Staff identifies the potential cognitive and emotional effects on ECC staff from the adoption of NG9-1- 1 technology, and the impact of those effects on the efficiency and effectiveness of the staff.

(v) Part Five: Recruitment, Training and Retention determines the expected impacts of NG9-1-1 on staff recruitment, training and retention in ECCs, including what skills and programs will be needed. It involves developing a change management plan to be used by ECCs for the deployment of NG9-1-1.

(vi) Part Six: Legal and Policy Implications identifies the legal and/or regulatory implications of adding new types of data and media to emergency response systems for ECCs and first responders. The issues addressed relate to privacy, data retention, data sharing, disclosure, etc.

(vii) Part Seven: Strategic Plan and Roadmap develops an overall strategic plan and roadmap for NG9-1-1 in BC that maps current state to the ideal final state and incorporates key findings from research into ECC operations, human resources and legal issues.

The primary expected benefit of this project is to improve the effectiveness of ECCs and Emergency Responder Agencies (ERAs) as NG9-1-1 is introduced, ensuring opportunities for improvement to public safety and health outcomes are realized. Second, this research aims to identify transferable learnings from other jurisdictions and other considerations that will reduce the cost and risks associated with adoption within BC. Third, this project’s mandate is to define the strategic plan and roadmap for BC, but it is expected the work will apply to governments, 9-1-1 authorities, ECCs and first responder agencies across Canada and beyond.

Page 6 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives

Acknowledgements

This report has benefited from consultation with a wide variety of stakeholders whose input was used in the creation of the report. Focus groups and interviews were held with the following participant groups and individual members provided further advice and information: BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS), E-Comm 9-1-1, Emergency Services Working Group (ESWG), Fire Agencies, Regional District representatives, some First Nations Communities, Governments of Rural/Remote Regions, Northwestel, CityWest, Police Agencies, PRIMECorp, Province of British Columbia, Royal Canadian Mounted Police “E” Division (RCMP), TELUS and Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM).

The project received financial support and guidance from the Province of British Columbia through the department of the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General (PSSG). Mitacs, the national research organization, provided additional funding for researchers through the Mitacs Accelerate Fellowship program.

We acknowledge that the UBC Point Grey campus is situated on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people.

Page 7 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives

Executive Summary

This report is the primary deliverable from Part One: Current State and Objectives of the Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia project. Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) is an international initiative to update 9-1-1 technology, thereby improving emergency communications and emergency services. NG9-1-1 includes improved location accuracy, texting, photos, video streaming and integration of additional data from diverse sources.

Part One: Current State and Objectives develops an understanding of the current state of 9-1-1 services and identifies findings and key themes, based on interviews, focus groups, information requests and literature review. The transition to NG9-1-1 provides an opportunity to address many of these findings and key themes.

Findings and Key Themes

The findings on current state presented below will be mapped to the ideal final state and contribute to Part Seven: Strategic Plan and Roadmap.

Risk to Reliability of Technology Platforms

FINDING #1: The transition to NG9-1-1 requires implementation of updated technology platforms and will ensure greater reliability and sustainability of 9-1-1 services.

Inability to Evolve 9-1-1 Services

There is an inability to develop and enhance current 9-1-1 systems. Building modern IP- based capabilities on top of currently existing technology is not feasible.

FINDING #2: The NG9-1-1 transition is needed in order to ensure that 9-1-1 can evolve to meet the evolving needs of British Columbians.

Lack of Interoperability

There is limited information passed between PSAPs on an automated basis because communication between the dispatch systems is not standardized.

FINDING #3: The interoperability that is available with NG9-1-1 would increase public safety by allowing PSAPs and emergency response agencies to automatically share information among them.

Limited Resilience Caused by Consolidation

Page 8 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Stakeholders have raised concerns that there is a high level of dependency on E-Comm 9- 1-1’s Vancouver facility, systems and staff. E-Comm has put in place a wide variety of measures to mitigate this risk and ensure its business continuity.

FINDING #4: The consolidation of 9-1-1 services in the lower mainland should be further considered in light of future NG9-1-1 capabilities to improve resiliency.

Limited Location Accuracy

When 9-1-1 receives a cellular phone call today, PSAPs receive an estimated location with a radius that can be up to several hundred meters or more, with a limited level of confidence. If the location is not accurate, the response time can be longer than necessary or the call can be routed to the wrong agency.

FINDING #5: Improved location accuracy associated with NG9-1-1 would minimize the time first responders spend on route to an event, improving outcomes.

Lack of Z-Axis Information

If a caller is using a cell phone, it might pinpoint the building of an event, but not the vertical location, called the z-axis. This makes it particularly challenging to locate a caller within a building.

FINDING #6: There is a need for valuable z-axis information that will be available with NG9-1-1 to provide greater location accuracy for first responders.

Inaccuracies and Delays in Updating Geospatial Information System (GIS) Mapping Information

At times there is a misalignment between the local mapping data in the 9-1-1 call centre and what the telecommunication service provider (TSP) has. For example, re-zoning of jurisdiction boundaries may not be updated in the TSP database, which affects call routing. In NG9-1-1, matching information will become even more important to formulate a cross- jurisdiction response. Mismatched or inaccurate geospatial information system (GIS) mapping needs to be addressed.

FINDING #7: If policies, resources and funding were put in place to address GIS mapping, alongside the introduction of NG9-1-1, emergency response would be improved.

Lack of Simultaneous Dispatch

Currently, emergency call-taking and dispatching is primarily a linear or sequential process. Because of the telephony-based system, agency mandates and response protocols, multiple services and agencies cannot be dispatched concurrently, wasting valuable response time.

FINDING #8: The capability for simultaneous dispatch would improve emergency response times for certain types of calls (e.g. simultaneous dispatch of Fire and BCEHS for Motor Vehicle Incidents could reduce risk to first responders and the public).

Limited Information About a Caller

Page 9 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Subscriber information is the data that the TSP has in its databases about callers. Today the 9-1-1 call taker gets limited information about the caller – typically only location information (sometimes not very accurate) and/or the type of service or device being used.

FINDING #9: The transition to NG9-1-1 is needed to deliver an expanded set of information about a) the caller, b) the device/service and c) the location to the 9-1-1 system, enabling a more accurate response to emergencies with appropriate resources.

Limited Information About an Event

With interconnected devices, including vehicular telematics and security systems, diverse data sources can now stream data to 9-1-1 call centres. But because 9-1-1 is built on telephony-based systems, there is not currently the ability to bring those services to the industry.

FINDING #10: Integration of additional data sources with NG9-1-1 is needed to provide emergency communicators and responders with real-time information about an event that would contribute to improved dispatching, event outcomes and responder safety.

Limited Ability to Support Callers with Limited Ability to Speak

Today the public cannot text with 9-1-1 unless they are a registered user from the deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-impaired community.

FINDING #11: Introduction of the NG9-1-1 capability called Real-time text (RTT) is needed to give members of the public with limited ability to speak access to life and property- saving 9-1-1 services.

Gaps in 9-1-1 Coverage in Remote and Rural Regions

Remote and rural regions face unique challenges due to their location and gaps in 9-1-1 service. There are extensive areas unserved by 9-1-1 and where there is service, it is limited. Also, because of the vast distances across the regions, it can take hours for an emergency response vehicle to reach an event. Work is being done to better inventory 9- 1-1 and emergency response in remote and rural regions. See Appendix 4: Northern Rockies Regional Municipality B9-1-1 Operational Considerations.

FINDING #12: For gaps in 9-1-1 coverage in remote and rural regions, the transition to NG9-1-1 will provide valuable location information with a call, but the challenges of availability and reliability of telecommunication services, and limited emergency response resources will remain, unless these are also addressed.

9-1-1 in First Nations Communities

First Nations communities often have no 9-1-1 service and emergency response capabilities may be limited. 9-1-1 services are a system of emergency communications designed to provide a response to the public during times of distress. The lower quality of 9-1-1 services in most communities is primarily due to their frequently remote location and limited tax base.

Page 10 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives FINDING #13: In order for First Nations communities in BC to benefit from the transition to NG9-1-1, significant additional efforts are required to improve wireless connectivity, emergency communication and response capabilities, and GIS mapping.

An accurate inventory of the state of 9-1-1 for each First Nations community is needed in order to prioritize and target investments and actions towards improvements to emergency communications in communities. Similar to a US initiative, an ideal inventory could include: 9-1-1 capabilities, emergency management plans and activities, governance and decision- making process. This is particularly important to improve the quality of 9-1-1 services to current standards and to attain further improvements with the transition to NG9-1-1.

FINDING #14: Concerted effort to gather 9-1-1 specific data on First Nations is needed on an ongoing basis.

NG9-1-1 will require execution of new agreements for NG9-1-1 services in First Nations communities that involve multiple stakeholders, including some or all of: First Nations bands, telecommunications providers (i.e. TELUS, Northwestel), regional districts, municipalities and senior levels of government. At this point, it is not clear who needs to sign which agreements.

FINDING #15: Systematic engagement and coordination will be required over the coming years to ensure NG9-1-1 is rolled out to First Nations communities efficiently and effectively. First Nations will lag far behind or not benefit from NG9-1-1 if this does not occur.

Page 11 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives

1. Introduction

1.1. Purpose of Research

This report develops an understanding of the current state of 9-1-1 services in British Columbia. The current state will be mapped to an ideal final state in the development of Part Seven: Strategic Plan and Roadmap that will describe the evolution of British Columbia’s 9-1-1 services to NG9-1-1. Subsequent reports will cover key operational, human resources, and business and policy issues. The overall research mandate is to develop the strategic plan and roadmap for BC, but inevitably, this work will be beneficial to governments, 9-1-1 authorities, ECCs and first responder agencies across Canada and beyond.

1.2. Approach Taken

This research was performed using a multimethod approach. The majority of primary data gathering was via literature review, semi-structured interviews and focus groups. A limited amount of quantitative data was identified to capture the province-wide call volumes, which was gathered via information requests. Interview and focus group participants were invited to join based on their role in the 9-1-1 system and were grouped with other participants with a similar agency profile. The interviews and focus groups focused primarily on the participant’s opinions on the current and future state of emergency communications. Participants were asked to speak on behalf of their organization, based on their function, position and experience.

Note that the issues of 9-1-1 governance and funding have been explored by the Province of BC in a previous outreach. This research was a parallel and separate activity focused on technical, operational and human factors, with consideration of legal and privacy implications.

The following questions were asked in the interviews and focus groups. They address both current state and some aspects of future state. This was to ensure the current state was captured in terms of the readiness and implications for the transition to NG9-1-1.

• What benefits in your area do you hope to obtain from the transition to NG9-1-1, both short and long term?

• What challenges and limitations are faced with current 9-1-1 services and how do you expect those to be addressed with NG9-1-1?

• What potential impediments exist to a transition to new and emerging services?

• How would you describe your state of readiness for the transition to NG9-1-1? What do you need to do to get ready?

• How has the transition to similar new services prior to this gone? What were the challenges and concerns you encountered? What were the capabilities leveraged? Please give examples.

Page 12 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives • What long-term challenges will impact the transition, both internal and external?

1.3. Participants Consulted

Participants were consulted from the organizations listed below. They were identified and selected if their expertise would lend an understanding of the current state of 9-1-1 emergency communications, as well as their ability to foresee an ideal final state. This was to ensure that the participant group would be able to contribute to the development of the strategic plan and roadmap defining the evolution of British Columbia’s 9-1-1 services to NG9-1-1 in a future phase. Participants were at a variety of expertise and experience levels within their organizations. They included leadership and practitioner roles, in administrative, technical and operational disciplines.

• BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS)

• E-Comm 9-1-1

• Emergency Services Working Group (ESWG)

• Fire Agencies

• First Nations Communities

• Governments of Rural/Remote Regions

• Northwestel

• Police Agencies

• PRIMECorp

• Province of BC

• Royal Canadian Mounted Police “E” Division (RCMP)

• TELUS

• Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM)

1.4. Literature Reviewed

The literature reviewed, provided in References, focused on the current state of 9-1-1 emergency communications. It included the current state of emergency communications and emergency response, as well as the current state of NG9-1-1. A wide variety of types of literature was reviewed. These included internal documents provided by E-Comm 9-1-1 and other agencies, documents from industry associations, and academic research from a variety of Canadian and United States universities. It also included documents from local, Provincial and Federal governing bodies from various countries.

Page 13 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives

2. Overview of Current 9-1-1 Services in BC

2.1. What is 9-1-1?

9-1-1 is the phone number that Canadians call to seek help from Police, Fire or Ambulance. 9-1-1 services are a system of emergency communications designed to provide a response to the public during times of distress. The primary goal of 9-1-1 is to gather accurate information about the emergency event and convey that to emergency response agencies, to enable a rapid and efficient response.

In the industry, 9-1-1 emergency communications is defined as:

(i) Receiving emergency requests from the public;

(ii) Collecting incident details;

(iii) Dispatching resources, and;

(iv) Providing information to the responders for the purpose of quick response.

Figure 1. 9-1-1 Call Flow from Public to Responding Agency

Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) are call centers that provide 9-1-1 emergency communications. There are three types of PSAPs, primary, secondary and backup.

Page 14 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives • Primary PSAPs receive an emergency call from the public and dispatch emergency responders, or they may transfer the call to a secondary PSAP specific to an emergency response agency and jurisdiction for dispatching. A standard call answering statement at a primary PSAP is, “9-1-1, do you need Police, Fire or Ambulance? For what city?” to gather information that assists in handling or transferring the call.1

• Secondary PSAPs receive calls transferred from a primary PSAP. Their functions are call taking and dispatching for specific emergency response agencies for a jurisdiction or region. Secondary PSAPs are typically established by the agencies they serve. For example, secondary PSAPs are often in the same building as the Fire hall or Police station that they serve.2

• Backup PSAPs serve as fallback call centres under special circumstances, such as planned outages, overflows and catastrophic events.3

Some PSAPs provide a wider variety of services beyond 9-1-1, such as handling non- emergency calls. These centres are sometimes called Emergency Communication Centres (ECCs)4. Non-emergency calls are not considered 9-1-1, but may still be performed by some PSAPs, especially secondary ones. Because secondary PSAPs are usually associated with a particular emergency response agency, they are well placed to answer a variety of non-emergency calls for that agency. Non-emergency calls may require dispatching a member of an emergency response agency or they may be handled directly by a call-taker, for example, taking Police reports about crimes occurring in past. Since non-emergency calls are independent of the 9-1-1 system, secondary PSAPs with non-emergency lines each have 10-digit numbers for the public to reach them.

2.2. How Does 9-1-1 Work?

There are two primary functions in processing an emergency call, call taking and dispatching. It is the operational role of the primary PSAP to take the call from the public and determine the proper agency and jurisdiction to respond. The call is then transferred, or “downstreamed”, to a call taker or dispatcher associated with that agency at a secondary PSAP.

Page 15 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Figure 2. Emergency and Non-Emergency Call Flow for Police

At a primary PSAP, the call taker typically performs the following tasks according to the National Emergency Number Association (NENA)5:

• Obtains basic information such as location, callback number, nature of the emergency and caller identity.

• Informs the caller that the call will be transferred to a specific agency and that the caller should stay on the line.

• Stays on the line until the appropriate downstream agency answers.

• Relays information about the call including location, callback number, nature of the call and safety information, such as life saving instructions.

The downstream agency at the secondary PSAP receives the call transferred from the primary PSAP. The secondary call taker and dispatcher:

• Collects detailed information as the event develops.

• Dispatches the appropriate emergency service resources.

• Provides updates to emergency responders over radio or other means.

• Stays on the line until the emergency responder resources are on site.

The role of the dispatcher is often particularly challenging. They manage and monitor radio channels, maintain a record of location and the status of people and equipment, manage the event by directing and assigning resources to the event, and they answer incoming requests for support from response agencies. For PSAPs that dispatch for multiple jurisdictions, the jurisdictions may have different standard operating procedures that impact what resources are dispatched. According to the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), “speed, accuracy, thoroughness and resilience” are the primary criteria for dispatcher success6.

Page 16 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives The exact call flow from the public to an emergency response agency varies by jurisdiction and event type. First, some PSAPs perform both primary and secondary operations, while other PSAPs perform one. Second, some PSAPs have operator roles that combine call taking and dispatching. Third, in the case of a “combined event” which requires multiple agencies at the same event, such as Fire and Ambulance, resources may be dispatched from multiple agencies and PSAPs.

2.2.1. Types of 9-1-1 Service Telecommunication Service Providers (TSPs) are subject to regulations that require them to provide 9-1-1 services, including routing 9-1-1 calls and delivering information to PSAPs. In BC, TELUS, Northwestel and CityWest are the TSPs that provide 9-1-1 network routing to the province. There are currently two different levels of 9-1-1 service provided by PSAPs and 9-1-1 network providers that are defined based on the amount of information available with a call. The amount of information provided depends both on the capabilities of telecommunication carriers in that region and the ability of the PSAP to receive the information.

• Basic 9-1-1 (B9-1-1) is the first level of 9-1-1 service, in which no location information is delivered to the PSAP7. According to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), “Basic 9-1-1 service connects a 9- 1-1 call to a call centre. The caller must identify his or her location to the 9-1-1 operator, who then connects the call to the emergency response centre serving that area.8”

• Enhanced 9-1-1 (E9-1-1) is an enhancement to B9-1-1 in which additional information is passed from the 9-1-1 network provider to the PSAP9. According to the CRTC, “Enhanced 9-1-1 service connects a 9-1-1 call to an emergency call centre and automatically provides the 9-1-1 operator with the phone number and address or location of the caller.10” The automatic number information (ANI) and automatic location information (ALI) allows the call taker and dispatcher to quickly identify the phone number and the location of the caller. In many PSAPs and dispatch centres, the ANI/ALI information is transferred automatically into Computer Aided Dispatch systems (CAD) which are shared with emergency responders assigned to the incident.11

The starkest difference between B9-1-1 and E9-1-1 is the automatic provision of valuable location information with E-9-1-1. Knowing the location assists the PSAP operators with identifying the correct jurisdiction to dispatch a response agency from. A street address is also normally needed in order for responders to know where to respond to.

However, even with E9-1-1, location information is not always accurate. The quality of location information provided to the PSAP depends on whether the caller used a landline or a wireless phone. For landline callers, the ALI automatically includes the street address of the phone. For wireless callers, the location provided with the ALI is that of the cell tower that is transmitting the wireless call. After a process of triangulation of signals between towers, an updated location – consisting of the latitude and longitude – is provided. The location accuracy is within 50 to 300 meters, and a confidence interval is provided12.

Page 17 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives In BC, only the City of Prince Rupert and the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality receive B9-1-1 service. Outside the two areas that have B9-1-1 service and areas of the province that receive E9-1-1 service, all other areas have no 9-1-1 service at all (see Appendix 4 for the TIF 94 contribution on the B9-1-1 to NG9-1-1 transition). Across the rest of Canada, “Most subscribers receive Enhanced 9-1-1 service, and Basic 9-1-1 is provided in Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, and Northwest Territories where the 9-1- 1 call centres have not yet been upgraded to receive Enhanced 9-1-1 information,” according to the CRTC13.

2.2.2. Call Answer and Dispatch Standards Each stage in the 9-1-1 process is guided by standards from national standards organizations. One notable standard is the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) Standard for 9-1-1 Call Processing14. NENA provides standards on call answering, for example, for the length of time of each stage of call taking and how to handle abandoned calls. National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) 1221 is another standard that is end-to-end, including dispatch15. For call answering, the NFPA has established the target that calls be answered within 15 seconds, 90% of the time. For dispatching Fire calls, dispatch should occur less than 1 minute and 45 seconds after the call is answered, for 90% of calls. The speed and accuracy of 9-1-1 services is paramount, and the non-binding standards assist with their regulation.

2.2.3. Voice Over IP and Satellite Calls Alternative means of making voice telephone calls are becoming increasingly popular. One example is voice over IP (VoIP) phones and voice calling services like Skype, Facebook messenger, WhatsApp, etc. These services use an Internet Protocol network to process calls, rather than the Public Switched Telephone Network. Some of these services are not subject to the 9-1-1 obligation16. But nomadic VoIP services, which can be moved from place to place anywhere that internet access is available, are “obligated to provide 9-1-1 services” by CRTC 2005-2117. CRTC 2005-21 describes an “interim” solution that obligates nomadic VoIP service providers route 9-1-1 calls to a third party PSAP. For most service providers the third party PSAP in Canada is Northern 9-1-118. The level of service with the interim solution is comparable to B9-1-1.

Another alternative means of calling is satellite phones, which are especially common in remote areas where wireless service may not be available. Depending on the location and the service provider, the call made by satellite phone may not connect to 9-1-1. The caller would need to dial the dispatch centre or closest emergency response agency directly using the 10-digit number.19

2.3. Regulatory and Legal Framework

2.3.1. Regional Districts Regional districts are governed by boards of directors whose votes are weighted based on the size of the municipalities and the areas they serve20. This allows services to reflect the diversity of the regions in BC. Before regional districts, there were significant problems with rural communities not having access to critical services. Regional districts now provide a system for residents of rural areas to contribute to funding of 9-1-1 services and

Page 18 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives to receive the same services and facilities that are available to municipal regions, by leveraging economies of scale.

In British Columbia, 9-1-1 services are established by regional districts, comprised of municipalities and unincorporated areas2. Regional districts manage governance and funding for services in the districts, including aspects of 9-1-1 and emergency response. However, in BC there is no overarching responsibility for 9-1-1 at the provincial or federal government levels21. “The provision of 9-1-1 services, like the provision of fire services, is an optional power. A local government is not obligated to provide such service and the province has not regulated any standards or requirements in relation to such 9-1-1 services if they are provided.22”

The role of regional districts in 9-1-1, for those that have established it, is limited to the initial call answer and certain supporting functions, like the mapping used in emergency communications and response. Secondary PSAP operations and services are outside the purview of regional districts as they are established by the emergency response agencies they serve.

2.3.2. Canadian Radio-television and Communications Commission (CRTC) The CRTC is the regulatory agency for telephone and mobile wireless companies. Telephone and mobile wireless companies supply the basic network that directs and connects calls to 9-1-1 to PSAPs. They are required to “ensure that Canadians can access services such as 9-1-1, and are warned through a public alerting system in the event of imminent perils23.” As the primary regulator for the industry, the CRTC is responsible for developing the framework for future 9-1-1 upgrades.

The Emergency Services Working Group (ESWG) is established by the CRTC to work on initiatives that influence 9-1-1 architecture, data, the evolution of 9-1-1 services and more. ESWG is “comprised of Telecommunication Service Providers, Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), and 9-1-1 Industry Specialists.” ESWG initiatives are called Task Identification Forms (TIFs). Each TIF represents a specific task that the ESWG members have been asked by the Commission to take on.24

2.3.3. Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) [BC] The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) mandates how public bodies manage the personal information of the public and obligates them to disclose certain information upon request by a member of the public25. This Act provides the public with the right to access records that pertain to the person requesting it. Additionally, public bodies must provide access to information about their business and operations to the public as requested.

Information about the calls received and the dispatches executed are considered the property of the emergency response agency to which they apply. In cases where the ECC

2 There are two exceptions to this principle. Northern Rockies Regional Municipality and the City of Prince Rupert have established 9-1-1 services.

Page 19 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives dispatches on behalf of other organizations, then the ECC must seek permission from the agency before disclosing information, unless it is purely ECC corporate information. In some cases, the ECC is indistinguishable from the emergency response agency for which they provide services (e.g. Royal Canadian Mounted Police [RCMP], BC Emergency Health Services [BCEHS], Fire departments) and can turn over information requested under FOIPPA directly.

2.3.4. Emergency Communications Corporations Act [BC] The Emergency Communications Corporations Act (ECCA) provides guidelines for establishing an emergency communications services providing corporation in British Columbia26. E-Comm 9-1-1 was created under this Act. The ECCA does not extend to providing oversight on how 9-1-1 services are defined and delivered in BC. Rather, it enables the creation of a corporation with certain powers and authorities appropriate to the provision of emergency communications services.

2.4. Components and Stakeholders Stakeholders in 9-1-1 are identified below. All of these stakeholder groups will be affected in some way by the transition to NG9-1-1. 2.4.1. Operational Primary PSAPs

There are five primary PSAPs in BC. These include E-Comm 9-1-1’s Lower Vancouver Mainland and Vancouver Island PSAPs, one on the CFB Esquimalt Naval base, and PSAPs in the City of Prince Rupert and the City of Nelson. Grand Prairie Fire in Alberta also provides primary PSAP services to the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality. See Figure 2 for primary PSAP activities, which include call taking and transferring the call to a secondary PSAP.

E-Comm 9-1-1 provides 9-1-1 primary PSAP and secondary PSAP services to a number of Police and Fire agencies and jurisdictions. According to UBCM, “In both Prince Rupert and Nelson, 9-1-1 services are municipally provided. The Prince Rupert PSAP is a combined 9-1-1, fire dispatch and communication centre, which is operated by the Prince Rupert Fire Rescue Department…”. The City of Nelson, in the Regional District of Central Kootenay (“RDCK”), also provides 9-1-1 services within its municipal boundaries. In this case, the services are incorporated as part of the operation of the Nelson Police Department emergency communications centre.”27

Secondary PSAPs

There are approximately 29 secondary PSAPs in BC (see Appendix 1: PSAPs in British Columbia) across Police, Fire and Ambulance. See Figure 2 for secondary PSAP activities, including receiving the transferred call from a primary PSAP and dispatching resources. Secondary PSAPs tend to be funded and managed at the local level. For example, Fire PSAPs often operate out of one of the Fire halls they serve.

RCMP and BCEHS are exceptions because they also receive funding and oversight external to the municipalities and regions they serve. RCMP receives federal, provincial,

Page 20 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives and municipal funding, depending on the region it serves, and has eight secondary PSAPs known as Operational Communications Centres (OCCs). RCMP OCCs provide call taking and dispatching for specific geographic regions, and are concerned with both municipal and provincial RCMP resources operating in those areas. BCEHS is provincially funded and dispatches pre-hospital and inter-hospital services.

E-Comm 9-1-1

E-Comm 9-1-1 is a unique stakeholder and operational component because it is a primary and secondary PSAP. As a primary PSAP, E-Comm 9-1-1 answers 9-1-1 calls if the caller is in Metro Vancouver and other regional districts and communities spanning from Vancouver Island to the Alberta border and US border to north of Prince George. As a secondary PSAP, E-Comm provides emergency dispatch services for 33 Police agencies and 40 Fire departments in BC.

E-Comm is owned by its shareholders including municipalities, Police boards and BCEHS28. Primary 9-1-1 service is contracted to E-Comm by the regional districts who use E-Comm as their first point of contact for 9-1-1 calls. They fund the service through property taxes and other methods such as call answer levies on landline phones. E-Comm is responsible for answering 99 per cent of 9-1-1 calls made throughout the province of BC and provides this 9-1-1 call-answer service within 25 regional districts3.

As part of E-Comm 9-1-1’s mission to deliver exceptional emergency communication services that help save lives and protect property, its Corporate Communications department oversees a variety of education efforts to help ensure public understanding and appropriate use of the 9-1-1 system. These efforts include sharing important public safety messages through social and traditional media, connecting with the public through community events and presentations (currently done virtually as a result of COVID) and offering free, downloadable education materials on E-Comm’s website to name a few.

Emergency Response Agencies (Ambulance, Fire & Police)

Emergency response agencies obtain information from 9-1-1 dispatchers to aid in their response. Many emergency responders have workstations in their vehicles which display CAD information, with ANI/ALI and other event details provided by the dispatcher. Emergency response agencies must often communicate among one another in the case of events that require response from more than one agency.

2.4.2. Technical Telecommunication Service Providers (TSPs)

3 The 25 regional districts where E-Comm 9-1-1 provides service are Alberni-Clayoquot, Bulkley-Nechako, Capital, Cariboo, Central Kootenay (excludes Nelson), Central Okanagan, Columbia-Shuswap, Comox Valley, Cowichan Valley, East Kootenay, Fraser-Fort George, Fraser-Fort George, Fraser Valley, Kitimat- Stikine, Kootenay-Boundary, Metro Vancouver, Mount Waddington, Nanaimo, North Okanagan, Okanagan- Similkameen, Peace River, qathet (Powell River), Squamish-Lillooet, Strathcona, Sunshine Coast and Thompson-NicolaCoast.

Page 21 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Telecommunication service providers (TSPs) provide telecommunication services to the public. TSPs are subject to regulation by the CRTC. Some TSPs are required to be 9-1-1 network providers, while the others are only required to provide information about the caller to PSAPs through the 9-1-1 network.

In BC, TELUS, Northwestel and CityWest are the TSPs that provide 9-1-1 network routing services to the province. TELUS provides service to the PSAPs in most regional districts. Northwestel provides services to some regional districts in the north of BC. CityWest provides communications services to the City of Prince Rupert and Port Edward. In some remote regions, there are limitations on the 9-1-1 services available due to the lack of telecommunications infrastructure in the region. Northwestel and CityWest provide B9-1-1 only, while TELUS provides E9-1-1. The NG9-1-1 mandate does not currently apply to TSPs that provide B9-1-1. B9-1-1 areas will transition directly to NG9-1-1 (see the ESWG TIF 94 Contribution in Appendix 4).

E-Comm 9-1-1

E-Comm is a key technical stakeholder because it operates and maintains the call handling (telephony) systems that support the majority of 9-1-1 call processing in BC. It also owns and operates one of the largest multi-agency public safety radio networks in Canada, the Wide-Area Radio Network, used by Police, Fire and Ambulance personnel within Metro Vancouver and parts of the Fraser Valley29. This radio system provides coverage, clarity and reliability through an earthquake resistant infrastructure and enhanced security. In addition to the radio network, E-Comm also provides a variety of secure, mission-critical technology services that support its own operations and those of E- Comm’s public safety partners, including multi-jurisdictional CAD systems, records management systems (RMS) and electronic mapping services30.

PRIMECorp

PRIMECorp is a private corporation created under BC’s Police Act to provide an information management system to law enforcement31. PRIMECorp provides custodianship of Police data and information via its CAD and RMS system. The system facilitates information sharing between Police agencies, including frontline policing, criminal investigations and crime analysis. The data is accessed for legal cases. PRIMECorp’s systems are used by all law enforcement agencies across the province of BC32.

2.4.3. Industry Industry is responsible for developing products, services and solutions to provide 9-1-1 services. Today, software vendors provide computer aided dispatching, call handling, call processing, call recording and more. Alarm companies provide public alarm services which connect to 9-1-1 with manual calls.

Vendors have developed evolving product offerings as new technology has dictated, such as cloud computing. But the ability to for 9-1-1 to leverage technological developments is limited today due to the lack of IP-based technology in 9-1-1 systems. Products such as phones, wearable devices and vehicular telematics have developed capabilities to connect with 9-1-1 services. Vehicular telematics companies, like OnStar, already have automatic crash notifications. At this time, crash notifications do not connect automatically with 9-1-1.

Page 22 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Additionally, nomadic Voice over IP (VoIP) phones and voice calling services like Vonage and Primus provide a connection to 9-1-133.

2.4.4. Administrative Governments

Local

Local governments include municipalities and regional districts. Local governments have taxing authority and contribute to the funding of ECCs and first responders. With some exceptions, local governments have responsibility for many components of 9-1-1, including call taking and dispatching. In many cases, they chose to outsource these. For example, some Police services are funded by local governments but their oversight comes from separate Police boards. BCEHS is a provincial entity, but they are responsible for 9-1-1 secondary PSAPs for emergency medical services province-wide.

First Nations

In BC, there are numerous First Nations Governments in BC. First Nations are groups of indigenous peoples who function as an administrative unit. First Nations communities are not under the administration of regional districts. However, in some cases, regional districts have made agreements to enable 9-1-1 service in First Nations communities as part of the areas they serve. The research did not identify any First Nations Governments that provide 9-1-1 to their communities directly. However, some First Nations do provide emergency response services that are accessed (e.g. Stl’atl’imx Tribal Police).

Provincial

The Province has a mandate to protect the public. The Province funds provincial policing functions through the RCMP and a First Nations administered Police force, the Stl'atl'imx Tribal Police Service34. Each are the sole Police services in some communities. “Several other agencies and integrated teams provide supplemental or dedicated policing. They include the transit police for the Metro Vancouver area, an enhanced police force at the Vancouver International Airport, two federal railway police forces and integrated teams throughout the province.35” The Province provides oversight of all policing, extending to 9- 1-1 and Police call taking and dispatch, through the Police Act and the Director of Police Services powers through that Act. The Province also fully funds BCEHS, which also has secondary PSAPs and emergency health services operating province-wide.

Federal

The Federal government funds federal policing and a portion of provincial and municipal policing through its funding of the RCMP, which uses BC’s 9-1-1 system. The federal government has a role in promoting innovation and economic and social development and so may enact laws and regulations for ECCs and emergency response agencies. The CRTC is a federal regulatory agency for the telecommunications industry, including 9-1-1, that operates at arm’s length from the federal government36. Additional agencies may be brought on to BC’s 9-1-1 system in the future, such as the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Victoria (JRCC Victoria). JRRC Victoria is a rescue coordination centre for BC, the Yukon and the marine waters adjacent to BC.

Page 23 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Industry Associations

Best practices and standards are set by industry associations, at national and international levels. As discussed above, call standards, provided by several standards-setting organizations, guide the operations and performance of emergency call centers. Standards are established by call type: Fire, Police and Ambulance and evolve with changes to 9-1-1 emergency services.

Association of BC 9-1-1 Service Providers (ABC911)

The Association of BC 9-1-1 Service Providers (ABC911) is “devoted to the safe and effective operation of British Columbia’s 9-1-1 system as well as its continuous improvement. It does this by advocating for “changes and improvements in how the 9-1-1 system operates.” ABC911 also reviews performance data for PSAPs and conducts training for members.37

Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO)

The Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) is a “voluntary not-for- profit organization dedicated to the enhancement of public safety communication38.” APCO Canada is the Canadian chapter of APCO International, which is based in the US39. The organization has done research on emergency call centers, including mental health. APCO Canada is currently administering a National PSAP Census, to assist with transferring calls nationally and improve continuity of service for the public40. Another project is a survey of emergency communicators’ mental health, which will assist with developing programs to provide support and baseline current state pre-NG9-1-1 implementation41.

National Emergency Number Association (NENA)

The National Emergency Number Association (NENA) is focused on 9-1-1 policy, technology, operations and educational issues42. Operational standards are published for voluntary use to provide consistency in the call-taking function within PSAPs. Standards include: “operational level of service, order of answering priority, answering protocol, information gathering and call transfer.43”

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) is a non-profit organization that makes standards publicly available to “minimize the risk and effects of fire”44. For example, they publish and administer NFPA 1221: Standards for Emergency Services Communications45. This standard addresses many aspects of emergency response call taking and dispatch centers, with a particular focus on Fire and Emergency Medical Services.

2.4.5. Other Public

The health and safety of the public are clearly paramount to 9-1-1 services. PSAPs strive to meet the public’s expectations of service, which evolve with available technologies. It is essential that the public are well informed through education regarding what services are, or are not available.

Page 24 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Special Interest Groups

Deaf and Hard of Hearing

The deaf and hard of hearing make up approximately 4% of the population and are currently underserved by traditional emergency 9-1-1 call services46. Currently the Text 9- 1-1 (T911) services requires a Deaf/Deaf-Blind, Hard-of-Hearing or Speech Impaired (DHHSI) caller device to make cellphone calls to 9-1-1, and requires waiting for the call taker to text back.47,48

Others

There are additional segments of the population that have special needs for 9-1-1 services. Included are those with health conditions. An example is those with autism, who will be able to have medical information automatically provided to emergency call center dispatchers and first responders, with prior voluntary registration.

2.5. Key Statistics and Performance Metrics

2.5.1. BC 2020 Aggregate 9-1-1 Call Volumes4 Annual 9-1-1 call volumes for 2020 are provided below. Aggregate 9-1-1 call volumes are measured in terms of 1) calls presented, 2) calls answered and 3) calls downstreamed. Calls presented are the total number of calls, including the calls that were abandoned. According to E-Comm 9-1-1, 17% of 9-1-1 calls presented in 2020 were either abandoned, accidental dials (misdials and pocket dials) or no real emergency.

Table 1. BC 9-1-1 Primary PSAP Calls Answered (2020)5 BC Primary 9-1-1 Calls % of Total Answered by PSAP Calls City of Nelson 3,607 0.23% City of Prince Rupert 7,118 0.45% CFB Esquimalt 743 0.05% E-Comm 9-1-1 Lower 1,456,281 91.9% Mainland E-Comm 9-1-1 Vancouver 117,342 7.4% Island Total 1,585,091 100% E-Comm 9-1-1 is responsible for answering 99% of the province’s calls.

During the outreach undertake for this project, consolidation of 9-1-1 services in the lower mainland was raised as a concern that should be further considered in light of future NG9-

4 BC aggregate 9-1-1 call volumes were attained through TELUS’s 9-1-1 Services Web Site and through information requests from E-Comm 9-1-1, Nelson Police Department and Prince Rupert Fire Rescue. 5 Grand Prairie Fire has not been included in this table. However, it provides PSAP services to the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality in BC as of 2021 and is situated in Alberta.

Page 25 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives 1-1 capabilities to improve resiliency. See Appendix 1 for the agencies covered by each Primary PSAP.

Page 26 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Figure 3. BC 9-1-1 Downstreamed Calls by Agency Type (2020)

Calls downstreamed are the number of calls transferred to a secondary PSAP for Police, Fire or Ambulance. The province’s aggregate downstreamed 9-1-1 calls answered for 2020 were 1,639,055, which is higher than the volume of Primary PSAP calls answered. Downstream agencies occasionally receive calls that do not route through the 9-1-1 system, for example VoIP calls. Calls can also be downstreamed multiple times. In addition, some calls that are received at a Primary PSAP are not downstreamed.

E-Comm 9-1-1

Table 2. Calls Downstreamed by E-Comm 9-1-1 (2020)6 Vancouver Lower % Island Mainland Total Secondary Police (9-1- 85,434 908,012 993,446 64.4 1) Secondary Fire (9-1-1) 5,372 77,857 83,229 5.4 Secondary BCEHS (9- 44,494 420,785 465,279 30.2 1-1) Total 135,300 1,406,654 1,541,954 100%

In 2020, E-Comm’s 9-1-1 calls represented 99% of the province’s call volume. The presented volume was 1,848,141 calls, with 98% being answered in 5 seconds or less. 1,573,623 calls were answered and 1,541,954 calls were downstreamed. Other Primary PSAPs

6 E-Comm 9-1-1 operates two 9-1-1 call centres, one in the Vancouver lower mainland and the other on Vancouver Island. See Appendix 1 for the areas of service covered by the two centres.

Page 27 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives City of Nelson received 3,607 primary 9-1-1 calls and City of Prince Rupert received 7,118. CFB Esquimalt received 743. These primary PSAPs handle approximately 1% of the 9-1-1 call volume in the province.

Secondary PSAP 9-1-1 Call Volumes

Ambulance

30.2% of emergency calls are for Ambulance first responders. In BC, Ambulance is provided by BCEHS, which received 570,523 calls, divided between their Kamloops, Vancouver and Victoria secondary PSAPs.

Figure 4. BCEHS Calls Answered Volumes by Secondary PSAP (2020)

Fire

5.4% of emergency calls are for Fire first responders. See Appendix 2 for a list of the Fire agency PSAPs and their call volumes.

Police

64.4% of emergency calls are for Police first responders. “In 2018, there were 77 municipalities providing police services within their municipal boundaries. Twelve municipalities were policed by municipal police departments and 65 were policed by the RCMP.49” See Appendix 2 for a list of the Police agency PSAPs and their call volumes.

Page 28 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Figure 5. Downstreamed Police 9-1-1 Calls by Secondary PSAP (2020)7

Figure 6. RCMP Calls Answered Volumes by Secondary PSAP (2020)

7 The RCMP calls are a total across the eight sites shown in Figure 6. Note that the RCMP detachment serves the City of Prince Rupert as well as the surrounding area.

Page 29 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Figure 7. E-Comm Secondary Police 9-1-1 Calls Answered Volumes (2020)

2.5.2. PSAP Key Performance Indicators Key performance indicators (KPIs) measure the speed with which 9-1-1 calls are handled within the PSAPs.

Service Level

Service level is the percent of calls with an interval between call arrival and call answer. The applicable NENA50 and NFPA 1221 standards51 have been harmonized. Both give a target of 90% of all 9-1-1 calls answered within 15 seconds and 95% answered within 20 seconds. NFPA 1221, which applies to Fire and Ambulance, specifies a maximum 30 second transfer time 90% of the time, where calls are transferred52. Service level is to be measured over the course of one month. Some PSAPs have stricter service level targets than the NENA and NFPA standards8.

Average Speed to Answer (ASA)

Average speed to answer (ASA) is the length of time between call arrival and call answer. This metric informs the PSAP’s service level. ASA is determined by the staffing available at the PSAP and whether a queue of callers forms.

8 E-Comm 9-1-1 is subject to service levels specified in contracts with its clients that may differ from NENA and NFPA standards.

Page 30 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Average Handle Time (AHT)

Average Handle Time (AHT) measures call processing. For primary PSAPs, it is measured as the time from when the call is answered to when it is transferred to a downstream call taker or dispatcher. For secondary PSAPs, it measures the time when the call is received to when the emergency response agency is dispatched.

2.6. Coverage Gaps

Gaps in 9-1-1 services coverage stem from both limited access to telecommunication infrastructure and a lack of provisioned 9-1-1 capabilities. Low population density contributes to both of these, as funding for infrastructure and emergency response capabilities tend to be focused in more populated areas with larger tax base. There are extensive areas unserved by 9-1-1 and where there is service, it is limited to B9-1-1. Numerous remote and rural regional districts face coverage gaps and many have reported that one or more First Nations communities within their jurisdictions have also reported having no access to 9-1-1 services. In areas unserved by 9-1-1, emergency response is often delayed, if it occurs at all.

Even though populations may be sparse in remote and rural regional districts, several of them have hundreds of thousands of visitors, comprising the region’s tourism industry. Also, workers in the mining, oil and gas industries are onsite and are likely to be as populous as the permanent population. Without access to 9-1-1, reaching emergency services requires dialing a separate 10-digit number for each of Police, Fire and Ambulance and location information is not delivered. This poses a risk to public safety, because members of the public may not know the proper number to call and the ability to locate a caller is fundamental to effective emergency response. Also, because of the vast distances across the regions, it may take an hour or more for an emergency response vehicle to reach an event.

TELUS’ Master Street Address Guide (MSAG) is a potential source of granular information about the gaps in 9-1-1 service coverage. The MSAG is tabular data in a TSP database, by which call routing and dispatching is performed. Communities which are unserved are identified. But so far, the data has not been reviewed for this purpose.

For an inventory of 9-1-1 and emergency response in remote and rural regions, see the contribution submitted to ESWG TIF 94 in April 2021. The contribution is provided in Appendix 4: Northern Rockies Regional Municipality B9-1-1 Operational Considerations.

2.6.1. B9-1-1 to NG9-1-1 Transition Many coverage gaps in more populous areas have been addressed with the introduction of B9-1-1. For example, NRRM introduced B9-1-1 to Fort Nelson and surrounding areas in January 2021. Areas that have B9-1-1 or have initiatives to implement it, are expected to skip E9-1-1 and progress straight to NG9-1-1. ESWG is leading an initiative, called TIF 94, to “deliver a plan for the introduction of select 9-1-1 features in Basic 9-1-1 (B9-1-1) served areas in preparation for the future implementation of Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1).” This TIF was initiated so that PSAPs in areas with only B9-1-1 can benefit from more 9-1-1 features, “e.g. Text with 9-1-1 and location for wireless calls, prior to the full

Page 31 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives implementation of NG9-1-1.” TIF 94 also defines the geospatial information system (GIS) mapping requirements in remote regions, where current GIS maps may be incomplete and civic addressing may be non-traditional.53

2.6.2. Remote and Rural Regional Districts There is currently one regional district that is entirely unserved by 9-1-1 services, the Central Coast Regional District. There is also one provincially governed region, the Stikine Region, which also lacks 9-1-1 services. The population of these regions combined is approximately 4,000. Eight regional districts report coverage gaps, including the North Coast Regional District in areas outside the District of Port Edward and City of Prince Rupert54. Progress has been made in the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality (NRRM) by providing B9-1-1 in Fort Nelson and surrounding areas as of January 2021.

Northern Rockies Regional Municipality

NRRM is the only regional municipality in BC at this time55. Prior to the introduction of B9- 1-1, NRRM was one of the largest geographic areas unserved by 9-1-1. NRRM comprises approximately 10% of the provincial landmass, or about 85,000 square km. The population of the NRRM is approximately 5,000 people and the population of the largest town, Fort Nelson, is approximately 3,000 people.

For NRRM, low population density poses a challenge with funding a comprehensive 9-1-1 system. Despite low population density, the Alaskan Highway (Highway 97) and Highway 77 both traverse the municipality, carrying an estimated 100x the population in traffic during tourism season. Additionally, the number of people working on oil & gas camps is also potentially much higher than the permanent population.

After receiving support and advocacy from the Province of BC, NRRM executed an agreement with Grande Prairie Fire in Alberta to be the primary PSAP. Grand Prairie had available capacity and experience dispatching to remote and rural regions. As of January 2021, the telecommunications company Northwestel has introduced B9-1-1 to Fort Nelson and surrounding areas. Northwestel is the primary 9-1-1 network provider in the northern region of the province. It is a monopoly in the region with prices that are closely regulated by the CRTC.

Several additional challenges remain to providing 9-1-1 in the region. Areas beyond a few kilometers from Fort Nelson have no wireless service coverage, including long stretches along the highways. However, within a few meters of the highway, there is high capacity fiber. There may be a potential to use inexpensively installed breakouts along the way that would make use of high-speed fiber internet technology to create a wireless signal. An additional challenge is with civic mapping; the data is not necessarily complete.

North Coast Regional District

Within the North Coast Regional District, City of Prince Rupert has one of five primary PSAPs in BC. The City of Prince Rupert dispatch centre currently provides B9-1-1 to the city and surrounding areas, comprising approximately 50 km. As greater connectivity is introduced throughout the region, the City of Prince Rupert expects to cover more area at the dispatch centre.

Page 32 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Work is being done to better inventory 9-1-1 and emergency response in remote and rural regions. NRRM has led data gathering, which has been developed into a contribution submitted to ESWG TIF 94 in April 2021. The contribution is provided in Appendix 4: Northern Rockies Regional Municipality B9-1-1 Operational Considerations.

2.6.3. First Nations There are significant 9-1-1 coverage gaps in First Nations communities which are discussed in Section 5: 9-1-1 in First Nations Communities.

Page 33 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives

3. Overview of Next Generation 9-1-1

3.1. General Overview & International Perspective

Emergency communication around the world is changing at an increasingly fast pace in terms of public expectations, technology used, policies and practices. The evolution is driven both by opportunities – provided largely by Internet and mobile device-based technologies – and by the needs of first responders, emergency communicators, governing authorities and the public for improved means of communication to enhance public and responder safety. Changing global practices and regulation are other drivers of this evolution.56

NG9-1-1 services will evolve as telephony-based systems are replaced with IP-based technology by TSPs, PSAPs and emergency responder agencies, far surpassing E9-1-1 services. NG9-1-1 improves the 9-1-1 services provided to users of wireless and other IP devices.57 Capabilities include:

• Improved location accuracy;

• Texting;

• Photos;

• Video streaming; and

• Integration of additional data from diverse sources.

High-level objectives for the transition include universal access to evolved 9-1-1 services and transferring of calls between PSAPs with a standardization of data and interfaces.

3.1.1. International Perspective The Canadian legislative landscape is unique compared to the United States (US) and European Union (EU), the two other regions with significant NG9-1-1 initiatives. Canada has federally regulated the 9-1-1 services of Telecommunications Service Providers (TSPs). In the US, while there is some national coordination underway58, there is not a federally regulated TSP transition mandate. Similarly, in the EU, member countries determine their own plans and roadmap, as opposed to the transition to Next Generation being a coordinated initiative59.

Canada

In Canada, the regulatory body that governs emergency communications is the Canadian Radio-television and Communications Commission (CRTC). The CRTC has authority to regulate the provision of 9-1-1 services by TSPs. This authority comes from the Telecommunications Act60. The CRTC provides regulations that enforce the transition to NG9-1-1 according to a set timeline61. The public benefits from having the whole country in a coordinated transition, in that services will be similar across the country limiting potentially life-threatening confusion. Additionally, calls and information will be able to be

Page 34 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives transferred across provinces, whereas currently this is typically done manually over the phone.

United States

In the US, the US Department of Commerce and the US Department of Transportation are jointly responsible for leading the implementation and coordination of NG9-1-162. The National 911 Program, housed by these two departments, provides federal leadership and coordination for 9-1-1 across the nation. Initiatives include a roadmap63 for a US nationwide integrated NG9-1-1 system and efforts to standardize data used to leverage a uniform data system, called 9-1-1 DataPath64. Several US states have implemented various NG9-1-1 services, but there has been no issuance of a mandate of a country-wide transition plan. In contrast to Canada, the US has initiated targeted activities to facilitate implementation of NG9-1-1 for US Tribes. These include creating a national inventory for the Tribes related to emergency communications. See Section 5: 9-1-1 in First Nations Communities for more information.

European Union

In the EU, 112 is the emergency number, and the evolving services are called NG112. The EU mandated member countries to have 112 as an emergency number to ensure commonality for all European countries. The initiative for EU’s transition to NG 112 was launched by the European Emergency Number Association (EENA)65. EENA ran a series of test projects in a number of countries to test NG 112 services. The tests included “routing based on location, video and real-time text communications, calls connected through objects and broadcast of public warning messages through home speakers”66. The results were used to develop an operational roadmap for the rest of the region. However, note that EENA is not a regulatory or binding standardization body.

The organization in charge of standardizing emergency communications in the EU is the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), an independent European Standards Organization, and is “the recognized regional standards body dealing with telecommunications, broadcasting and other electronic communications networks and services.67” ETSI published the NG 112 standard in December 2019, TS 103 479 that defines core elements of the architecture that allows 112 systems to communicate across the EU and beyond68. ETSI standards include defining the technology and services, such as the Advanced Mobile Location function in standard ETSI TS 103 62569. Some of ETSI’s funding comes from the EU, particularly related to requests for standards issuance. However, the EU has not mandated the transition for its member countries.

3.2. CRTC Decisions and National Rollout Plans

3.2.1. Telecom Regulatory Policy and Decision The CRTC, the Canadian regulatory agency for telephone and mobile wireless companies, began to establish a regulatory framework for Canadian NG9-1-1 services in 2016. Telecom Regulatory Policy (CRTC 2017-182) envisioned enabling Canadian access to “new, enhanced, and innovative 9-1-1 services with IP-based capabilities,” such as streaming live video from accidents and active crime scenes, the transmission of personal medical information, and the like70. In 2018, Telecom Decision (CRTC 2018-188)

Page 35 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives expanded the scope of the policy, mandating that secondary PSAPs, in addition to primary PSAPs, receive connections for NG9-1-1 network access from Telecom carriers71.

According to Telecom Regulatory Policy (CRTC 2017-182), “…telephone companies will be responsible for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the NG9-1-1 networks, with CRTC oversight. The networks must be ready to provide NG9-1-1 voice services by June 30, 2020 and NG9-1-1 text messaging services by December 31, 2020.” Telecom companies must “decommission their current 9-1-1 network components that will not form part of their NG9-1-1 networks by 30 June 2023.”72

3.2.2. COVID-19 and New Deadlines On April 8, 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CRTC announced to ECCs, Telecom companies and associated stakeholders an immediate suspension of NG9-1-1 milestone dates. The CRTC provided a preliminary view on NG9-1-1 delays, with an overall 9-month delay in previous deadlines and 15-month delay in Real Time Text (RTT) deadlines. The Commission letter stated that a public consultation process would be initiated to confirm the new dates once the full impact of COVID-19 is understood and assessed. The CRTC also introduced a new milestone of “in-service” for NG9-1-1 networks by 30 June 2021.73

As promised, on September 4, 2020, the CRTC issued the Telecom Notice of Consultation 2020-326. The notice initiates “a proceeding with a view to establishing new deadlines associated with NG9-1-1 milestones”. In the proceeding, NG9-1-1 stakeholders and other interested parties will provide their views on deadlines for the NG9-1-1 milestones. The deadline for filing replies was November 9, 2020.74

On June 14, 2021, the CRTC issued Telecom Decision CRTC 2021-199, which establishes new deadlines for Canada’s transition to NG9-1-1. NG9-1-1 networks are required to be in service, with the ability to provide NG9-1-1 Voice calls, by March 1, 2022. E9-1-1 networks are to be decommissioned upon the earlier of March 4, 2025 or when PSAPs have migrated to NG9-1-1. The Commission has not established new deadlines for RTT with this decision.75

3.2.3. ESWG Task Identification Forms (TIFs) ESWG, formed by the CRTC, works on initiatives called TIFs that define standards and operational best practices for 9-1-176. Each TIF represents a specific task that the ESWG members have been asked by the Commission to take on. This includes the “technical and operational implementation of 9-1-1 services as assigned by the CRTC or as requested by stakeholders.77”

For example, TIF 92 develops a plan for aggregating GIS mapping across the Canada. Currently, call routing and dispatching is performed by calling tabular data in a TSP database, referred to as a Master Street Address Guide (MSAG), which may not sync with PSAPs’ maps. ESWG proposes a single aggregator for each province to assemble and validate information for NG9-1-1. The exact location of the call will be identified and the closest PSAP or emergency response agency will be identified based on unified mapping data.78

Page 36 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives 3.3. Telecommunications Service Provider Plans

According to CRTC 2017-182, TSPs are required to update their networks to be ready to provide NG9-1-1 voice and text messaging services. The CRTC provides the timeline for new capabilities for the TSPs to follow.79

3.3.1. Originating Service Providers (OSPs) Originating Service Providers (OSPs) are TSPs that provide wireless or landline communications services to the public, who are called subscribers. OSPs, for example, Bell Mobility and Rogers Wireless, allow subscribers to “originate” 9-1-1 calls made to PSAPs. OSP information about subscribers is automatically provided to PSAPs by the 9-1- 1 network routing providers (TELUS, Northwestel and CityWest) during a call and the amount of information is likely to increase with NG9-1-1. OSPs are required to update their networks to be ready to provide NG9-1-1 voice and text messaging services80.

3.3.2. Next Generation Core Services (NGCS) Providers Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2017-182 states that the large Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILECs), for example, TELUS, Bell Canada and SaskTel, must provide Next Generation Core Services (NGCS), meaning they must construct, operate and maintain the NG9-1-1 networks that will enable NG9-1-1 network routing81. Note that Northwestel and CityWest are not NGCS providers; they are not subject to the CRTC 2017-182 transition mandate, because they provide B9-1-1. A future CRTC decision making process will apply to Northwestel and CityWest regarding obligations for NG9-1-1, likely based on ESWG TIF 94 (see Appendix 4: Northern Rockies Regional Municipality B9-1-1 Operational Considerations).

NGCS providers will upgrade their systems to send emergency communications over an Emergency Services IP Network (ESInet). ESInet provides the IP infrastructure on which applications can be built and services provided, making it possible to send photo, video, additional data and more accurate location information. Its architecture has already been standardized in Canada with the goal of providing nation-wide interoperability. ESInets may be interconnected locally, regionally, provincially, federally, and even internationally to form an IP-based system of networks.82

The introduction of the ESInet and the transition to NG9-1-1 throughout BC is extremely complex because it requires NGCS providers to coordinate individually with PSAPs across the province. It is infeasible to turn on the network across the entire province at once, rather it will be introduced to PSAPs over a period of time. The existing operational and technological capabilities vary from PSAP to PSAP, which makes coordination of the rollout challenging.

3.4. Public Safety Answer Point Transition Plans

3.4.1. Public Safety Answer Points (PSAPs) PSAPs are obligated to transition their systems to IP-based technology for the transition to Next Generation 9-1-1 under Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2017-18283. The transition will have technological, operational, human resources and policy impacts on PSAPs.

Page 37 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives 3.5. New and Enhanced Services in NG9-1-1

3.5.1. Real Time Text Real Time Text (RTT) is a superior alternative to the current Text with 9-1-1 (T9-1-1) service84, which was introduced in 2015. The primary difference between the current solution and RTT is that RTT is character-by-character transmission, occurring at the same time in both directions. This simulates a typical real-time conversation, with no delay while waiting for a text. It is useful when a voice-based call is not possible, for example if voice is unsafe for the caller. This service will be of particular interest to the deaf and hard of hearing community, but will be available to everyone.

Unlike T9-1-1, end-users will not have to pre-register for RTT. RTT will be available in all new wireless telephones once the capabilities are enabled at PSAPs. Phones will come with an RTT button, as an icon on their phone touchscreen or keypad. Using the button would establish both a voice and text connection via NG9-1-1 infrastructure. The voice connection is made in case it would be useful for the PSAP operator to hear what is occurring on the other side of the call, even if the caller cannot speak.

3.5.2. Improved Location Accuracy With NG9-1-1, the location of wireless callers can be identified more quickly and more accurately. Currently 70-80% of calls to 9-1-1 are made by cell phone. Consumers are replacing landline phones with wireless phones at an increasing rate, including while indoors85. Improved location accuracy could reduce the response time for emergency services by 30 seconds on average, saving thousands of lives per year86.

ESWG’s work with TIF 69 addresses wireless accuracy, called ‘Wireless Phase II Location Accuracy Requirements in Canada.’ Phase II Location applies to the delivery of x and y mapping coordinates. The TIF involves defining the most accurate solution for location to be provided by the wireless service providers using the existing wireless networks87. ESWG provided a report, ESRE0092 - Handset-based Location Implementation in Canada, that identifies the projected advancements in detail88.

One particularly important advancement in location accuracy is that it adopts a vertical axis to the dimensions of the locations provided to PSAPs and then first responders, called the “z-axis”. Current regulations require that TSPs provide only longitudinal and latitudinal location data. The new NG9-1-1 capabilities include the provision of height related data, identifying the caller’s vertical axis. Z-axis information is invaluable in some emergency response circumstances, especially when locating someone in case of fire. However, one limitation of z-axis information is that it does not convey the floor number of the caller, which might make it difficult to determine the caller’s location based on their height from sea level89. In the US, z-axis location information is currently required to be delivered with 9-1-1 calls90. In Canada, according to the ESWG report ESRE0092, “the Z-Axis developments are still in progress and will be part of a future report when a Canadian solution is available.91”

3.5.3. Digital Still Images Once this 9-1-1 service is available, the caller will be able to send an image from their device to the PSAP. PSAP operators will be able to able choose whether and how to use

Page 38 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives the image to formulate the response. For some calls, it will provide additional context, for example, the appearance of a suspect. In other calls, it will not impact the dispatch, however it will be sent along to the emergency responder so they may choose whether to open it. This will require the dispatcher and emergency responders to have the training and ability to quickly assess the value of the photo and leverage it effectively. One concern with digital still images is that the images may be traumatizing, potentially increasing rates of stress on PSAP operators and first responders above current levels. The benefit to digital still images is that the increased situational awareness may result in increased safety of the responder.

3.5.4. Video Pre-recorded and live streaming video, broadcasted over the internet in real time, will eventually be possible with NG9-1-1. Pre-recorded video may not be as used, as typically during an emergency call, capturing the events as they unfold is key. Recording a video for a later time would also be useful in non-emergency situations92. Live streaming may give PSAPs the ability to provide improved services. For example, in remote regions where it takes longer for an ambulance to reach the site, the PSAP operator or someone in the ambulance may be able to give improved assistance to the caller.

Live video also contributes to situational awareness, in which the 9-1-1 call taker can convey information to the emergency responder in real time, typically while the responder is enroute, providing information about the development of the incident to the emergency response team. One concern with livestreaming is that the video may be traumatizing, potentially increasing rates of stress on PSAP operators and first responders above current levels. The benefit to livestreaming is that the increased situational awareness may result in increased safety of the responder.

3.5.5. Additional Data/Information Additional data may be leveraged during a NG9-1-1 call that would improve the quality of the emergency response. Some examples include telematics (vehicle data), building plans, medical information, alarm company data and device data. The development and implementation of additional data will be a challenge because of privacy issues and the coordination across agencies / stakeholder groups that would be required. Work by ESWG, under TIF 91, is developing the plan to aggregate data at different levels of government that could be “fetched” for the purpose of emergency communications and providing a response.93

Many sources of data will be capable of being leveraged with the introduction of the ESInet, but implementation will require coordination across stakeholder groups. Many smart devices already have the technology to notify PSAPs automatically. For example, data collected by wearable devices that may already have the ability to make an automated alert in case someone’s heart rate drops below safe levels.

3.5.6. Automatic Crash Notification In the EU, cars have sensors that gather information automatically sent to ECCs. This is mandatory in new cars; a service known as E-Call. Information sent includes the number of passengers in the car, the number of airbags deployed and the location of the car. This information assists in making emergency service delivery as efficient and effective as

Page 39 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives possible. The implementation in North America may be different than the EU because of distinct regulatory differences and commercial interests. Telematics providers, such as OnStar, will continue to play a significant role.

3.5.7. Social Media Integration With the transition to NG9-1-1, there is a potential for integration of information from a variety of sources that may be beneficial in the context of delivering 9-1-1 services, including aggregating social media feeds. Using the Internet of Things (IoT) and automated notifications, developing social media monitoring as a tool is a possibility. One example is if there is a large volume of tweets within a small radius area, the call center would be made aware. The incorporation of social media would increase situational awareness and may also reduce emergency response times.

3.5.8. Multichannel and Omnichannel9 Non-Emergency Contact As PSAPs introduce NG9-1-1, many will also introduce multi channel capabilities for their non-emergency calls. Examples of multichannel capabilities include webchat, online reporting, email, etc. The use of a chatbot to handle non-emergency calls is explored in Part 3: Cognitive Processing.

9 Integration of communication channels allowing engagement with callers across channels. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omnichannel for background information.

Page 40 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives

4. Findings and Key Themes

Findings and key themes on the limitations of the current state of 9-1-1 have been summarized below. They were derived from focus groups and interview feedback from key 9-1-1 stakeholder groups, and were supported with literature review. The limitations that impact multiple groups are more likely to have been selected as a finding and key theme. The transition to NG9-1-1 provides an opportunity to address many of the findings and key themes.

4.1. Risk to Reliability of Technology Platforms

Based on focus group input from 9-1-1 systems experts, the age of the current 9-1-1 systems across British Columbia generally pose a risk to the reliability and sustainability of 9-1-1 services, relative to updated IP-based systems. Getting replacement hardware to maintain systems from the 1980s or 1990s is a challenge, so parts may be recycled. As those with the technical knowledge of the systems retire, there is also limited expertise among staff that are responsible for maintaining the systems.

FINDING #1: The transition to NG9-1-1 requires implementation of updated technology platforms and will ensure greater reliability and sustainability of 9-1-1 services.

4.2. Inability to Evolve 9-1-1 Services

There is an inability to develop and enhance current 9-1-1 systems. Building modern IP- based capabilities on top of legacy systems is not feasible. According to NENA, “While the existing 9-1-1 system has been a success story for many years, it has been stretched to its limit as technology advances... Unfortunately, the current 9-1-1 system was never intended to receive calls and data from these new and emerging technologies. As a result, through cumbersome adaptations, E9-1-1 is being asked to perform functions it was not designed to handle. In short, the nation’s 9-1-1 systems are in need of a significant overhaul.94”

FINDING #2: The NG9-1-1 transition is urgently needed in order to ensure that 9-1-1 can evolve to meet the evolving needs of British Columbians.

4.3. Lack of Interoperability

The ability to pass information between PSAPs on an automated basis, referred to as interoperability, is limited in the current 9-1-1 system. Interoperability is “the ability of emergency personnel to communicate between jurisdictions, disciplines, and levels of government, using a variety of systems, as needed and as authorized”95. The limited interoperability causes a lack of uniformity of service for the public and a siloed information sharing environment96.

The lack of uniformity of service is due to limited ability to transfer calls. Service for the public is not continuous if the call must be transferred between PSAPs manually. Service might be provided through multiple calls, with the member of the public conveying information multiple times.

Page 41 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Due to the siloed information sharing environment, if one call centre were overloaded from a mass-calling event, it may hypothetically impact service. Currently, PSAPs can utilize their own backup centers, but it would be ideal to be able to utilize other PSAPs and for other organizations to be each other’s backups. Right now, that is not a capability.

Additionally, information sharing between agencies is limited because communications between the dispatch systems are not standardized. Police, Fire and Ambulance work on disparate CAD systems. Except in the case of BCEHS to Fire, which has a proprietary connection, there is no ability to copy 9-1-1 call information between CAD systems in BC. To date, there is also very limited or non-existent policy or guidelines for interagency sharing of information related to emergency events. In addition to the need for interoperability of systems among agencies, there is a need for formalized agreement processes regarding ownership of the data, and whether and how it is shared.

When downstreaming calls out of province, the ability for PSAPs to pass the ANI/ALI information that comes with the 9-1-1 calls is lost. 9-1-1 networks are not interconnected across provinces. There is also no national directory of PSAPs. Currently, the process to connect with an out-of-province PSAP is to call a TELUS operator to make the connection. Once a connection is made, key information must be conveyed over the phone and manually entered into the system on the receiving end.

According to Public Safety Canada:

In the event of a large-scale complex emergency in Canada, no single agency at any level of government would have the required capacity and expertise to act unilaterally. Responding to such incidents would require cross-jurisdictional and potentially cross-border coordination among emergency responders which would require a level of emergency communications interoperability, that currently does not exist.97

In NG9-1-1, there is a standardized incident data exchange mechanism called Emergency Incident Data Object (EIDO)98 that enables sharing information between PSAPs and first responders so that interoperability is possible.

FINDING #3: The interoperability that is available with NG9-1-1 would increase public safety by allowing PSAPs and emergency response agencies to automatically share information and more easily work together.

4.4. Limited Resilience Caused by Consolidation

Stakeholders have raised concerns that there is a high level of dependency on E-Comm 9- 1-1’s Vancouver facility, systems and staff. E-Comm has put in place a wide variety of measures to mitigate this risk and ensure its business continuity. However, if capability in the lower mainland was impacted by a mass-calling or seismic event it would not be possible to easily relocate operations to another part of the province, due to the lack of inoperability of the systems. Also, high call volume events in one area of the province could affect the ability for public in other parts of the province to connect to 9-1-1. Ideally, there would be capabilities to transfer call-handling and dispatch, so that during any type of major event that might impact 9-1-1, work would be transitioned to a backup location.

Page 42 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives FINDING #4: The consolidation of 9-1-1 services in the lower mainland should be further considered in light of future NG9-1-1 capabilities to improve resiliency.

4.5. Limited Location Accuracy There is an important difference between the accuracy of location information provided with landline and wireless calls. For wired calls, those originating from a landline, TSPs provide the exact address with the call, based on their database. But, in regions where wireless calls are possible, location accuracy poses a particular challenge99.

When a member of the public makes a 9-1-1 call with a wireless phone call today, the PSAP receives an estimated location with a radius that can be up to several hundred meters or more, with a limited level of confidence. The call taker may request the system provide an updated estimate, which may or may not be more accurate, depending of the location of the caller. Triangulation, in which the estimated location is determined by bouncing a signal between cellphone towers, takes time, which impacts response time. If the location is not accurate, the call can be routed to the wrong agency. This leads to the need to further transfer the call to the correct dispatch center and introduces further delays in dispatch. It may also take added time for the responders to arrive, as they may spend time searching for an event.

The estimated locations, determined by triangulation, are called cell site sectors. Cell site sectors can be quite small in some areas, but larger in others. They may be as small as a block or two in a sizeable downtown. But on a highway in a remote area in northern BC, the zone could be kilometers long and run the length of a highway. It is possible the only information PSAPs get is an indication of the cell tower, which would represent a wide potential radius.

Additionally, if the caller is miles offshore in the ocean, the call pings a tower and the address that is provided is on land. Limited location information offshore is problematic for the coastguard. A similar situation arises when calling from near the Canadian and United States border, in which case the cell tower location reached may be in the US. If the cell tower is associated with a US network, the call may be misrouted by the TSPs to a US PSAP and need to be transferred to the correct PSAP manually. FINDING #5: Improved location accuracy associated with NG9-1-1 would minimize the time first responders spend on route to an event, improving outcomes.

4.6. Lack of Z-Axis Location Information

One significant challenge with the location information currently available with a call is that floor levels are not provided. If a caller is using a cell phone, it might pinpoint the building, but not the vertical axis, called the z-axis100. To locate a caller, the height above ground is required to compare to the building height. Height above ground is necessary because buildings start at different floor numbers or may not have a floor 13.

FINDING #6: There is a need for valuable z-axis information that will be available with NG9-1-1 to provide greater location accuracy for first responders.

Page 43 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives 4.7. Inaccuracies and Delays in Updating GIS Mapping Information

At times there is a misalignment between the local mapping data in the PSAP and the maps the TSPs have. Today, TSPs are required to identify the proper jurisdictions for downstreaming calls to an agency. There have been instances where emergency response zone boundaries have changed that have not been updated in the TSP database, which affects call routing. For example, a Fire department might start covering an area that previously had not been covered. In this case, PSAPs dispatch an agency based on inaccurate maps. An additional issue is street network changes, for example, when streets are added. It can take a month or even several months, if a new address or a new subdivision is added, before that data gets fully populated both by the TSP and at the dispatch center.101

FINDING #7: If policies, resources and funding were put in place to address GIS mapping, alongside the introduction of NG9-1-1, emergency response would be improved.

4.8. Lack of Simultaneous Dispatch

Simultaneous dispatch is the ability to dispatch multiple agencies to an emergency event at the same time (see Figure 1 for the process for primary 9-1-1 triage). Currently, emergency call taking and dispatching is primarily a linear or sequential process. Because of the telephony-based system, agency mandates and response protocols, multiple services and agencies are not dispatched concurrently, which can delay response time.

Figure 3. Information Flow for Events Requiring Multiple Agencies for BCEHS and Fire

For example, BCEHS and Fire responders may both be required at a Motor Vehicle Incident (MVI) with injuries requiring extraction. Rather than a single PSAP dispatching both, there are specific operational rules that apply to BCEHS notifying Fire for some events. BC has a facility whereby the BCEHS CAD system is electronically connected to Fire department dispatch systems, and will initiate alerts to Fire in some cases with specific criteria. Police are not connected to this system, so BCEHS always informs Police of the event over the phone.

Today, the operator and the caller determine the ideal responder agency to dispatch. When the first responder gets to the emergency site, they will typically use their radio system to bring in second and third responders, if required. Alternatively, an additional dispatch may be performed via telephone communication between dispatchers. There is an opportunity to significantly improve response times when data is shared simultaneously among various emergency services.

Page 44 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives FINDING #8: The capability for simultaneous dispatch could improve emergency response times for certain types of calls.

4.9. Limited Information About a Caller TSPs’ databases contain information about callers and/or subscribers to telecom services (wireless or landline). Today, a very limited amount of this information is provided to a PSAP during a 9-1-1 call, inhibiting the ability to formulate a response. While the subscriber’s name and address of the telephone is provided with landline calls, wireless calls will only provide the number of the caller/device and current location but no subscriber and/or address information.

With NG9-1-1, a capability is being planned whereby a person may create and maintain a profile for themselves that could be used for 9-1-1 purposes. It would be delivered as part of subscriber information by the TSP. According to ESWG Contribution ESCO0631, information made available about a subscriber could include:

• Addresses for home, work, cottage, ski cabin, hunt camp, etc.

• One or more phone numbers for the person

o E.g. landline, wireless for home, work, cottage, ski cabin, hunt camp, etc.

• Emergency Contacts

• Accessibility information

• Language preference

• Personal/medical info

• Dependents and any accessibility and/or relevant medical information

• Emergency Profile

4.10. Limited Information About an Event

Limited real-time information about an event contributes to a struggle for dispatchers who must determine what resources to send. This leads to greater and inappropriate resources being dispatched than is ideal, which impacts the speed of the response and responder safety. There is a limited ability to leverage real-time data about an event because of the technology on which the current 9-1-1 system is built. With interconnected devices, including vehicular telematics and security systems, diverse data sources can now stream

Page 45 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives data to PSAPs. But because E9-1-1 is built on telephony-based systems, there is not currently the ability to bring those data sources to the PSAP.

Alarm system calls currently do not always provide sufficient information needed to formulate an effective response102. Today, calls from the alarm company are conveyed manually, over the phone. Access to additional data sources would be useful for formulating a response, particularly from a firefighting perspective. Additional information may be provided by a smart home system in the future, for example the heat signature of how many people are in the house. Knowing what is happening on the scene with a connected alarm system would assist with first responders’ situational awareness, contributing to the safety of the public and the responding members.

Having the ability to take photo and video and share the media easily would greatly benefit the response103. In situations where someone goes missing, Police have to rely on a description provided by the caller. Without photo and video, suspect identification relies on a verbal description that might be non-specific. When on the scene, Police may inefficiently take a photo and manually send it to all the members assigned to the event using text messaging on their cell phones.

4.11. Limited Ability to Support Callers with Limited Ability to Speak

Today the public cannot text 9-1-1 unless they are a registered user from the deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-impaired community. Currently the Text with 9-1-1 (T9-1-1) services requires a Deaf/Deaf-Blind, Hard-of-Hearing or Speech Impaired (DHHSI) caller device to make cellphone call to 9-1-1, and requires waiting for the call taker to text back. Today, if a member of the public uses their phone to text 9-1-1, they will receive a bounce-back message that says to call 9-1-1104.

4.12. Gaps in 9-1-1 Coverage in Remote and Rural Regions

4.12.1. Limited Availability and Reliability of Telecom Services Many remote and rural regions face issues with availability and reliability of telecom services. This impacts all aspects of emergency communications, from the public’s ability to reach 9-1-1 to emergency service’s ability to respond properly. Within communities, cellular connectivity is usually available, but as soon as one leaves the community, cell coverage is minimal or non-existent. Internet access tends to be quite slow; often just above dial up speeds. Outside of communities, broadband is either minimal or non- existent. There are also many communities with no cellular or broadband connectivity.

In remote and rural regions, there is limited redundancy of connectivity. The TSP systems are susceptible to power outages and lines down from severe weather. For example, a

Page 46 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives fiber cut in Dawson Creek slowly shuts down services in the region one by one. Resources and geography also cause delays in bringing these systems back online.

Limited connectivity impacts emergency services’ ability to respond. Once an ambulance leaves the station, in some areas, it loses connectivity with dispatch. If the event is three hours up a highway and the call is canceled shortly after deployment, the ambulance may lose at minimum 6 hours due to travel time, not to mention that the resource was tied up and would be unavailable if another call came in for response. Unless another agency is able to relay a message on the highway, the ambulance cannot be notified.

4.12.2. Lack of Location Information Provided with Basic 9-1-1 If 9-1-1 is available, the level of services provided is B9-1-1, so location is not delivered with a call. The lack of location information puts additional stress on the PSAP operators, especially when the caller is not coherent or well understood, and leads to an inability to effectively deploy resources. Many of the callers driving through the arterial highways are not familiar with the area and in some cases are not fluent in English. The caller will often provide the location based on historic mileposts, actual mileposts or landmarks. There are many areas with no road names. For these reasons, having PSAP operators that are familiar with the region is essential.

4.12.3. Limited 9-1-1 and Emergency Response In areas without 9-1-1, emergency responders have their own emergency line or phone number. On off-hours the calls are forwarded to one of the chief officer's cell numbers. Emergency response resources, such as ambulances, are often limited in remote and rural regions. Multi-casualty incidences in some remote areas will quickly drain whatever resources are available. For example, there may be only one ambulance that is available for a certain type of event. So, if there is an incident with a bus or a family van, the resources will be drained immediately. In this case, it is necessary to rely on mutual aid agreements with sister communities to provide a response. Mutual aid agreements optimize the use of resources in remote and rural regions, and the interoperability that comes with NG9-1-1 would further improve response in these areas. Note that in some areas of the province, mutual aid is not available due to the distance between neighboring communities.

FINDING #12: For remote and rural areas that have 9-1-1 coverage gaps, the transition to NG9-1-1 will provide valuable location information with a call, but the challenges of availability and reliability of telecommunication services, and limited emergency response resources will remain, unless these are also addressed.

Page 47 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives

5. 9-1-1 in First Nations Communities

There are 202 First Nations bands in British Columbia (BC) and 145 (71.8%) of the bands have access to 24-hour emergency telephone service, some of which could be considered formal 9-1-1 service10. This section aims to review the current state of 9-1-1 services for First Nations in BC and identify key considerations for the transition to Next Generation 9- 1-1 (NG9-1-1) services. Part Seven: Strategic Plan and Roadmap of this project will propose a systemic roadmap for the evolution of NG9-1-1 in BC.

5.1. Current State

The availability of 9-1-1 services varies dramatically between regions in BC, but the variations are even more dramatic when considering First Nations communities. Many First Nations communities are outside the areas where 9-1-1 service is available, yet have significant populations to support with a limited tax base. In general, First Nations bands are not members of regional districts in their own right and so are not included in regional 9-1-1 service authorities11.

Some regional districts have made agreements to include First Nations communities in the regional 9-1-1 service. For these communities, the services are the same or similar to other areas in the region. Other bands frequently provide 24-hour emergency telephone and emergency response services to their communities independently. For example, a dedicated emergency coordinator will provide a cell phone number for community members to call during an event. Due to remote locations and limited emergency resources, the quality of 9-1-1 and emergency response is frequently less than industry standards.

In communities that have agreements with regional districts, the quality of 9-1-1 depends on the networks provided by the dedicated telecommunications service providers in that region. In most urban areas the service level is considered Enhanced (E9-1-1). These areas will be the first to benefit from NG9-1-1, as the CRTC mandates currently address the E9-1-1 networks. In Northern BC, rural and urban areas are likely to have Basic 9-1-1 (B9-1-1) or no 9-1-1 available. There is no transition plan from B9-1-1 to NG9-1-1 at this time, but the work provided in Appendix 4 is a contribution to TIF 94, an ESWG initiative to develop one. Communities with no agreements with regional districts are likely to have no 9-1-1 and have the potential to lag the furthest behind as standards for 9-1-1 continue to evolve. See Appendix 6 for a map of 9-1-1 service quality by regional district across BC.

The availability and performance 9-1-1 services and emergency response in First Nations communities generally depend on the following circumstances:

10 This data was provided by Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), a Government of Canada organization that collaboratively improves access to services for First Nations, with a focus on infrastructure. 11 There are some instances where bands are members of regional districts, for example, the Maanulth Nations (Alberni-Clayoquot RD) and the Sechelt Band.

Page 48 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives • Agreements with regional districts – Ability to dial 9-1-1 from a First Nations community and have the call route to a Public Safety Answer Point, from where access to emergency response agencies is provided

• Remote/rural location – Proximity to Police, Fire and Ambulance responders

• Availability of telecommunications services and connectivity – Quantity and distance to cell towers; access to and quality of wireless coverage, landlines high- speed internet and other services that enable access to a PSAP

• Other emergency resources – Emergency dispatch capabilities, accurate maps of roads and buildings to enable response, street signage and public education

5.2. Findings and Key Themes

Findings and key themes on the most significant limitations of the current state of 9-1-1 for First Nations have been summarized below. They were derived from one focus group with members of some First Nations communities and from direct feedback from several First Nations participants.

In order for the transition to NG9-1-1 to be successful for First Nations it is essential that these limitations be addressed.

5.2.1. Limited Wireless Coverage Many First Nations communities face the challenge of not having 9-1-1 emergency communications services at the level of other BC communities. One primary contributing factor is that there is a limited connectivity of telecommunication services in remote locations. The distance between the wireless towers are more significant in rural areas than urban areas. Even if there is wireless coverage, the distance between wireless towers is often so great that the location provided can be inaccurate.

In many instances, cell service is only available up to a few kilometers outside First Nations communities, if it is available at all. The areas between communities are frequently gaps in wireless coverage. Yet traveling between communities and activities like mushroom gathering, in areas outside of service, are common. For emergencies in areas with limited wireless coverage, a radio is more effective for communicating than a cellphone. Within communities where wireless coverage is limited, but broadband is available, Wi-Fi is currently used to connect with VoIP services like Apple’s FaceTime for emergency communication. In Northwestern BC, some communities are modern Treaty First Nations (e.g. Nisga’a). Through negotiations, for example with BC Hydro, they have achieved the establishment of fiber optic lines directly. With that, cell service and high-speed internet is enabled. But the cell service may be with only one wireless service provider or affiliated companies. So, if a caller has service from another wireless service provider, the wireless or internet service is not enabled.

For First Nations to access NG9-1-1 services, wireless coverage must be extended to areas near communities.

Page 49 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives 5.2.2. Limited Emergency Communications and Response Resources The second factor contributing to availability of 9-1-1 for First Nations is access to emergency communications and response resources. Key emergency communications resources required for high quality 9-1-1 services include emergency dispatch capabilities, accurate maps of roads and buildings, street signage and public education. Only a few First Nations communities have agreements with regional districts to access 9-1-1 capabilities. Many others have established alternative means of providing emergency communications and response. But call taking and dispatching capabilities in most First Nations communities do not meet established industry standards (e.g. NFPA and NENA). Even if alternative means of emergency communication are effective, the emergency response resources may be limited, so the resources most suitable for the event can be many hours away.

In some communities, an Emergency Response Coordinator (ERC) has been established12. The ERC provides occupational safety and health services. The ERC may also coordinate with BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS), Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and GeoBC, or alternatively they coordinate community resources. To reach the ERC, the community members often call the coordinator directly on their cell phone. If they are unable to reach the ERC, the community members sometimes attempt to communicate by posting on social media or using a very high frequency (VHF) radio.

If there is no ERC assigned in a community, the community members can sometimes reach an emergency response agency directly using a 10-digit number. In some communities, there are up to six or seven different important phone numbers to remember in the case of an emergency. This poses a risk to members of the community if they are not aware of the numbers or cannot remember the correct number during an emergency.

Some communities have an Emergency Plan with an Emergency Contacts section. The list of internal and external contacts and contact info may be two to three pages long. If the Emergency Plan has hazard specific response plans, the plans may also outline key contact numbers, such as BC Wildfire Service, Emergency Management BC, etc. The vast majority of First Nations communities do not have a coordinated emergency plan. Some may have a plan that is outdated and not exercised. There often is not training, policies or a plan for workforce turnover. In the case of emergencies, people in communities with these limitations help each other directly.

In addition to limitation in emergency communications, there are also limited emergency response resources. While there is limited data, it may be likely that First Nations either do not have all-hazard emergency plans in place (or outdated plans). It can take up to three hours, or even more, for an ambulance to arrive and there may be little to no availability of transport or emergency medical response (i.e. paramedic or other medical responder, or first aid provider) within the community. Additionally, training and certification of coordinators and responders may be limited. Funding for training may be available but operational program costs and guides for program implementation are not available. For these reasons, communities often rely heavily on volunteers, which creates issues

12 Note that most communities have not established the ERC position, even the mid- to large-sized ones. The position has become more common as a response to COVID-19, but many ERC positions created recently will likely disappear now that operational funding related to COVID-19 is no longer in effect.

Page 50 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives regarding sustainability of the workforce and quality of 9-1-1 services. These circumstances lead to severe implications for the health and safety of community members and their property, especially in the most remote regions.

To leverage NG9-1-1, First Nations Governments need 9-1-1 agreements with regional districts or to develop formal 9-1-1 capabilities of their own, including call taking and dispatching.

5.2.3. Incomplete or Non-Standard Mapping, Addressing & Street Signage Many First Nations communities have non-standard or incomplete Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) mapping, community addressing and street signage that increases the amount of time it takes an emergency responder to respond. GIS maps are used by emergency dispatchers and first responders. In some cases, even when a caller is able to reach an emergency response agency dispatch centre, the incorrect addresses in the communities may prevent a rapid response. These limitations are further exacerbated by staffing turnover in the personnel of supporting organizations.

It is possible for various maps of the same communities to exist in different systems and for there to be different names for roads. The road networks and addresses are also often incomplete. Within some communities, streets may have similar names. Maps may also be hand-drawn.

It is not uncommon for community members to have aliases or identifiers for landmarks, such as lakes, trees or others, that are not captured in the maps. There can sometimes be four or five colloquial aliases per community. This adds to the difficulty of providing a response, unless the aliases have been incorporated into the maps.

Some communities are compiling mapping information, including aliases, to create geospatial data that can be shared amongst other agencies. Creating geospatial data is a lengthy process that faces resource constraints.

If policies, resources and funding were put in place to address GIS mapping, alongside the introduction of NG9-1-1 in First Nations communities, emergency response would be improved.

FINDING #13: In order for First Nations communities in BC to benefit from the transition to NG9-1-1, significant additional efforts are required to improve wireless connectivity, emergency communication and response capabilities, and GIS mapping.

5.3. Administration and Coordination

Due to information gaps and lack of clarity around contracting, there is not yet a Canadian national rollout plan for NG9-1-1 that includes First Nations. During the course of the project it was discovered that detailed information on availability of 9-1-1 in First Nations communities has not been gathered. Additionally, the responsibility for implementation of NG9-1-1 and development of the required agreements involving First Nations is not clearly defined (e.g. TELUS service agreement for NG9-1-1 and amendments to regional district and First Nations 9-1-1 agreements).

Page 51 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives No systematic plan has yet been initiated nor has there been any substantive engagement with First Nations to address the variety of unique considerations facing First Nations communities.

5.3.1. Limited 9-1-1 Information At this time, there is no consolidated or definitive source of data on the availability or performance of 9-1-1 and emergency response services in First Nations communities. The following organizations are endeavoring to gather key information related to indigenous 9- 1-1 concerns and may be part of the solution to resolving the information gaps required to implement NG9-1-1.

Indigenous Services Canada (ISC)

Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), a Federal Ministry, collects information about critical infrastructure and related assets and services in First Nations communities. ISC has provided the following information:

• There are 202 First Nations bands in British Columbia (BC) and 145 (71.8%) of the bands have access to 24-hour emergency systems.

• Not all 24-hour emergency systems are considered 9-1-1. “24-hour emergency systems” are defined generally and are related specifically to fire prevention/preparedness practices in all communities. The role of collecting this information is mostly for awareness, to start the conversation within a Nation if there is nothing organized, and to maintain and improve the system if any is in place.

• Currently the systems and services are not classified and assessed, and no recommended improvements or alternatives are provided.

• Systematic data on current capabilities, activities, challenges, and opportunities for improvement for First Nations emergency communications are not collected at this time.

ISC’s stated purpose is to work “collaboratively with partners to improve access to high quality services for First Nations, Inuit and Metis”, with a focus on infrastructure105. ISC funds Municipal Type Services Agreements (MTSA). MTSA funding provides contributions to support First Nations in acquiring municipal services from a neighboring local government, private contractor, individual or organization involved in the provision of municipal services. These services include Fire suppression services and 9-1-1 emergency telephone dispatch services.

ISC collects information through the Asset Condition Reporting System (ACRS) program. ACRS is a program to inspect the condition of on-reserve community assets that receive operations and maintenance (O&M) funding from ISC. Community assets are inspected every three years by experienced and qualified contractors. Inspections usually begin in April and end in September. Roughly one-third of First Nations in BC are inspected annually.

Page 52 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives However, note that no substantial engagement has been undertaken by the federal government with First Nations in BC for the purpose of developing a coordinated transition plan.

First Nations Emergency Services Society (FNESS)

First Nations Emergency Services Society (FNESS) has developed a decision support tool called Lightship with information on critical infrastructure assets in First Nations13. Lightship assembles various sources of data into a single data set for easier reporting. Collection of 9-1-1 specific information is still a work in progress and data is limited. FNESS is willing to expand the work on Lightship to collect and store 9-1-1 related information.

The Lightship data project can be used to portray the degree and nature of service gaps in First Nations communities. This information may be used to plan initiatives and investment into response services. The current status of this work as of July 2021 can be reviewed in Appendix 5: First Nations Emergency Services Society Lightship Data.

Similar US Initiative

A similar initiative has been undertaken at the national level in the US. The US has an inventory of US Tribes run by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Emergency Communications (OEC). Information is gathered to create an Emergency Communications Tribal Governance Profile, which covers a breadth and depth of key 9-1- 1 capabilities. The OEC will meet with Tribal Nations representatives to collect systematic, detailed data to create a “comprehensive profile of current capabilities, activities, relationships, challenges, and opportunities for improvement...106

The following information will be collected by OEC during conversations with Tribal representatives:

• Background information (history, land/terrain, population, language(s), economics/business systems)

• Governance landscape and requirements to establish/implement/improve tribal governance structure;

• Tribal agencies;

• Response capabilities;

• Partnership information (F/S/L/T/T);

• Technical capabilities (equipment, standard operating procedures, memorandums of agreement/memorandums of understanding, training, communications governance, and infrastructure);

• Key milestones/activities;

13 See https://fness.lightship.works/#/map

Page 53 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives • Funding sources and previous state and federal assistance;

• Methods for adopting new technology;

• Emergency management activities and gaps/opportunities;

• OEC Technical Assistance requirements; and

• Best practices for tribal emergency communications”

An accurate body of information is needed in order to prioritize and target investments and actions towards improvements to emergency communications in First Nation communities. This is particularly important and timely given the upcoming transition to NG9-1-1.

FINDING #14: Concerted effort to gather 9-1-1 specific data on First Nations is needed on an ongoing basis.

5.3.2. Need to Develop New Agreements for NG9-1-1 NG9-1-1 will require execution of new agreements for NG 9-1-1 services in First Nations communities. These agreements will involve multiple stakeholders, including some or all of: First Nations Governments, telecommunications providers (i.e. TELUS, Northwestel), regional districts, municipalities and senior levels of government. At this point, it is not clear who to involve in signing a variety of agreements (e.g. TELUS service agreement for NG9-1-1 and amendments to regional district and First Nations 9-1-1 agreements).

Similar US Initiative

In the US, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) runs the Tribal Emergency Communications Program, which facilitates collaboration with tribes “through multiple partnerships and working groups comprised of participants from all levels of government… This process has provided tribes access to CISA’s tailored solutions and resources and opened the door to relationships with other federal agencies and state, regional, and local public safety entities.”107

Page 54 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives

6. Conclusions and Next Steps

6.1. Conclusions

There are significant limitations with current 9-1-1 emergency communications in BC. There are some limitations that NG9-1-1 will address, and others that NG9-1-1 may address, depending on the decisions made regarding implementation. There are also limitations that will require significant parallel efforts to address, in tandem with the NG9-1- 1 transition.

• Limitations that will be addressed by NG9-1-1: The implementation of the updated NG9-1-1 technology will increase the reliability and sustainability of the systems. NG9-1-1 will also improve location accuracy, including the provision of z- axis information. Additionally, simultaneous dispatch and interoperability will allow for improved information exchange between PSAPs from different services, and will enable a faster and more coordinated response. Finally, limited information about a caller will be addressed with the availability of subscriber information, provided by the 9-1-1 network provider (telecommunications service provider).

• Limitations that may be addressed by NG9-1-1, depending on the decisions made regarding implementation: Inaccuracies and delays in updating GIS mapping information may be addressed, depending on whether the resources to perform the task of proper mapping are available. A data aggregator would consolidate the task of updating the GIS data, eliminating discrepancies. Additionally, limited information about an event would be addressed depending on the types of additional information that is integrated into the 9-1-1 system, such as sensors in cars, wearable devices and alarm systems.

• Limitations that require significant parallel efforts to address, in tandem with the NG9-1-1 transition: These include concerns about resiliency of the 9-1-1 system due to consolidation of the operations in the lower mainland. Limited resilience may be addressed by the opening of satellite PSAPs, particularly in other areas of the province. Unserved areas in remote and rural regions will require significant investment in infrastructure and other response capabilities. First Nations communities will require investment in infrastructure and response capabilities, but also an inventory of 9-1-1 resources and clarity around contracts.

6.2. Next Steps

The project team will undertake further research to complete the Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia project. The project team will incorporate findings from all areas of research into Part Seven: Strategic Plan and Roadmap.

Page 55 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Completed as of May 2021

• Part One: Current State and Objectives research has been completed in summer 2021 and will be mapped to the ideal final state in the development of Part Seven: Strategic Plan and Roadmap by the end of 2021.

• Part Two: Value and Hierarchy of New Multimedia and Data Sources was undertaken in 2020. This part prioritizes the value of new NG9-1-1 services and data sources for PSAPs, first responders and other stakeholders. This subproject report compiles the research into a matrix that displays the value of the new data types to assist with the prioritization of potential investments in NG9-1-1.

• Part Three: Cognitive Processing was undertaken in 2020. It is an examination of the potential for AI or machine learning to enhance the cognitive processing of operators in emergency communication centers. The focus is on AI or machine learning solutions for non-emergency events. One outcome of this report is a proof of concept chatbot built on Amazon Lex that simulated how AI can be implemented to improve non-emergency call handling.

Fall 2021 • Part Four: Cognitive and Emotional Effects on ECC Staff is to completed in Summer 2021. This part identifies the potential cognitive and emotional effects on ECC staff from the adoption of multi/omnichannel NG9-1-1 technology, and the impact of those effects on efficiency and effectiveness of the staff.

• Part Five: Recruitment, Training and Retention is to be completed in Fall 2021. The objective is to determine the expected impacts of NG9-1-1 on staff recruitment, training and retention, including what skills and programs will be needed. It involves developing a change management plan for the deployment of NG9-1-1.

• Part Six: Legal and Policy Implications will be completed in Fall 2021 and will determine the legal and/or regulatory implications of adding new types of data and media to emergency response systems for ECCs and first responders. Winter 2021 • Part Seven: Strategic Plan and Roadmap will be completed in 2021 and will map the current state findings to the ideal final state. It will also compile key conclusions from six other areas of research and factor in broader trends, risks and considerations. Additionally, this part assesses the public’s preferences regarding potential NG9-1-1 services. Outreach to the general public of BC is planned.

Page 56 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives

APPENDICES

Page 57 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives

Appendix 1: PSAPs in British Columbia Table 1 - Primary PSAPs in BC Primary PSAPs Jurisdiction Canadian Forces Base (CFB) CFB Esquimalt Base Esquimalt City of Nelson Police City of Nelson City of Prince Rupert Fire City of Prince Rupert E-Comm 9-1-1 – Lower Mainland Elsewhere with E9-1-1 provided by TELUS E-Comm 9-1-1 – Vancouver Island Capital Regional District Grand Prairie Fire, Alberta Northern Rockies Regional Municipality

Table 2 - Secondary PSAPs in BC Agency Primary Type PSAP Secondary PSAP Jurisdiction Ambulance All Primary BCEHS Kamloops Rest of Province PSAPs BCEHS Vancouver Lower Mainland BCEHS Vancouver Island Victoria/Langford Fire CFB Esquimalt CFB Esquimalt Fire CFB Esquimalt Fire E-Comm Burnaby Fire Burnaby Lower Campbell River Fire North Island 9-1-1 Mainland E-Comm 9-1-1 Lower Vancouver, FVRD, RDNO, Mainland SCRD, SLRD and others in Metro Vancouver Kamloops Fire City and TNRD Kelowna Fire RDFFG and others Nanaimo Fire To be closed late 2021 Prince George Fire RDFFG and others Saanich Fire Saanich, Oak Bay, Central Saanich Surrey Fire Surrey and many others E-Comm Langford Fire Vancouver Victoria Fire Island Nelson Police Nelson Fire City of Nelson Prince Rupert Prince Rupert Fire Fire Rescue Police CFB Esquimalt CFB Esquimalt Police CFB Esquimalt City of Nelson Nelson Police Department E-Comm 9-1-1 E-Comm 9-1-1 LMD Abbotsford Police LMD Burnaby RCMP (municipal) Delta Police

Page 58 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives New Westminster Police Port Moody Police RCMP 4-3 (provincial) (LMD) Sea to Sky/Whistler/Pemberton Stl’atl’imx Tribal Police Sunshine Coast UBC Richmond RCMP (municipal) Ridge Meadows RCMP (municipal) Vancouver Police Department West Vancouver Police E-Comm 9-1-1 E-Comm 9-1-1 Central Saanich Police Vancouver Vancouver Island Oak Bay Police Island Comm Comm VI West Shore RCMP VI (provincial)14,108 Saanich Police Victoria Police Metro Vancouver Transit Police15 Various Coquitlam RCMP Primary (municipal) PSAPs Courtenay/North Island RCMP (provincial) EDIV HQ RCMP (provincial)16 Langley RCMP (municipal) North District RCMP (provincial) North Vancouver RCMP (municipal) Southeast District RCMP (provincial) Surrey RCMP (municipal)

14 This includes a number of distinct jurisdictions outlined in Police Resources in British Columbia, 2019. 15 Metro Vancouver Transit Police operate a secondary PSAP, but are not part of 9-1-1 system. 16 EDIV HQ RCMP not served by E-Comm 9-1-1 or other municipal RCMP.

Page 59 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Appendix 2: British Columbia Aggregate 9-1-1 Call Volumes Call volumes were attained through TELUS’s 9-1-1 Services Web Site and information requests from E-Comm 9-1-1, Nelson Police Department and Prince Rupert Fire Rescue. Table 1 - BC 9-1-1 Primary PSAP Calls Answered17 BC Primary 9-1-1 Calls by % of Total PSAP Calls City of Nelson 3,607 0.23% City of Prince Rupert 7,118 0.45% CFB Esquimalt 743 0.05% E-Comm 9-1-1 Lower 1,456,281 91.9% Mainland E-Comm 9-1-1 Vancouver 117,342 7.4% Island Total 1,585,091 100%

Table 2 - BC 9-1-1 Downstreamed Calls by Agency Type BC 9-1-1 Calls by Agency % of Total Type Calls Ambulance 570,523 34.8% Fire 85,145 5.2% Police 983,387 60.0% Total 1,639,055 100%

Table 3 - Calls Downstreamed by E-Comm 9-1-1 PSAP18 Vancouver Lower % Island Mainland Total Secondary Police (9-1-1) 85,434 908,012 993,446 64.4 Secondary Fire (9-1-1) 5,372 77,857 83,229 5.4 Secondary BCEHS (9-1- 44,494 420,785 465,279 30.2 1) Total 135,300 1,406,654 1,541,954 100%

Table 4 - BC 9-1-1 Secondary PSAP Calls Answered AMBULANCE BC Emergency Health Services BCEHS Kamloops 123,854 BCEHS Vancouver 328,835 BCEHS Victoria 117,834 Total 570,523 Total 570,523

17 Grand Prairie Fire has not been included in this table. However, it provides PSAP services to the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality in BC as of 2021 and is situated in Alberta. 18 Call volumes for this table are calls presented (calls answered plus calls abandoned). They are estimates based on percentage splits of calls by call types for 2020 provided by E-Comm 9-1-1.

Page 60 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives FIRE CFB Esquimalt CFB Esquimalt Fire 8419 Total 84 Lower Mainland Burnaby Fire 2,864 E-Comm Fire 31,885 Surrey Fire 18,754 Total 53,503 Interior BC Kamloops Fire 3,585 Kelowna Fire 8,960 Nelson Fire 208 Prince George Fire 3,456 Total 16,209 Vancouver Island Campbell River Fire 4,495 Langford Fire 1,736 Nanaimo Fire 5,118 Saanich Fire 1,787 Victoria Fire 2,012 Total 15,148 Prince Rupert Prince Rupert Fire Rescue 201 Total 201 Total 85,145

POLICE CFB Esquimalt CFB Esquimalt Police 435 Total 435 City of Nelson Police Department City of Nelson 2,743 Total 2,743 E-Comm 9-1-1 LMD Police Abbotsford Police 36,717 Burnaby RCMP 43,528 Delta Police 20,516 New Westminster Police 16,743 Port Moody Police 3,619 RCMP (LMD) 23,625 Sea to Sky/Whistler/Pemberton

19 The CFB Esquimalt Fire call volume was determined combining available data and estimates. First, the CFB Esquimalt Police volumes were subtracted from the CFB Esquimalt Primary PSAP call volumes. Then CFB Esquimalt Ambulance call volumes were estimated as 30.2% of Primary PSAP call volumes and subtracted.

Page 61 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Stl’atl’imx Tribal Police Sunshine Coast UBC Richmond 28,660 Ridge Meadows 19,681 West Vancouver Police 8,547 Vancouver Police Department 176,983 Total 378,619 E-Comm 9-1-1 Vancouver Island Police Central Saanich Oak Bay RCMP West Shore Saanich Victoria Total 79,905 RCMP OCC Coquitlam Municipality 26,297 Courtenay/North Island (Prov) 73,676 EDIV HQ 35,746 Langley Municipality 24,913 North District (Prov) 68,915 North Vancouver Municipality 18,938 Southeast District 163,066 Surrey Municipality 110,134 Total 521,685 Total 983,387

Page 62 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives

Appendix 3: Summary of Focus Groups and Interviews by Participant Group Focus groups and interview feedback have been summarized below by participant group. Many participant groups reported similar limitations with the current state of 9-1-1. The limitations that impact multiple participant groups are more likely to have been selected as findings and key themes.

It should be noted that the information provided below has come directly from transcripts of the focus group meetings, and has not been modified for accuracy. In some cases, information or comments provided by participants does not accurately reflect the current state of the 9-1-1 system or operations, but rather is the opinion of the participant.

British Columbia Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) Limited Location Accuracy in Remote Regions

Limitations in location accuracy are especially apparent in remote regions. Location accuracy is more difficult in rural than urban areas; confidence in the location provided by the TSPs may be very uncertain. It is possible that the PSAP operator might be unfamiliar with the area as well, so the operator might not be able to assist if only a visual landmark of the caller’s location is provided. There may be people on vacation and travelers who would not be able to identify their location. Callers and call takers often need to define a landmark to provide a reference point to assist with location. It also is helpful to clearly define weather and terrain, especially in the case of sending a helicopter. The challenges are not only in locating patients, but also with taking their physical and environmental surroundings into consideration when formulating a response.

Limited Information About a Caller

One challenge is the lack of triaging before Ambulance dispatch picks up the phone; it would be useful to have the ability to provide information to the call takers to determine the severity and acuity of the call. Sometimes a patient with a serious condition might be waiting in a call queue much longer than someone with a less-serious condition. If more information were available at call presentation, which could be processed automatically, it may help prioritize calls to be answered based on urgency. Lack of information upfront also contributes to a struggle with determining what resources to send to an event. This leads to more resources being dispatched than might be ideal.

Lack of Simultaneous Dispatch

Much of the communication between dispatch centers is done by phone. It is often manual and time consuming, with limitations in terms of how much information can quickly be conveyed. Because of the telephony-based system, agency mandates and response protocols, multiple services and agencies cannot be dispatched concurrently, wasting valuable response time.

Note that BC has a facility whereby the BCEHS CAD system is electronically connected to Fire department dispatch systems, and will initiate alerts to Fire in specific cases that

Page 63 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives BCEHS determines. Police are not connected to this system, so BCEHS always informs Police of the event over the phone.

For example, Ambulance might be dispatched to a location, but there may be an issue at that location which also requires Police presence. Today there is a manual call from Ambulance dispatch to Police dispatch to say a Police unit is needed to secure the scene before BCEHS members can enter. If there were an electronic exchange of information about the event and the scene, the dispatching can occur much more quickly. Currently, the primary challenge with Ambulance and Police dispatching are the restrictions and limitations on sharing between CAD systems.

Aging Equipment

The equipment that the dispatchers and call takers use is aging. Implementing new capabilities and new equipment with the existing telephony solution is a challenge. Some of the solutions are no longer supported by vendors. It is not possible to build on top of the existing solution to the degree that may be ideal. The next step is to upgrade all of the equipment at once. With improved systems there is likely an opportunity to improve the performance in terms of the handling time and the time in which resources are deployed.

City of Nelson Police Limitations in Organizational Capacity Staffing in the City of Nelson is a challenge because there are significant influxes of tourism from outside areas. There are three 9-1-1 lines per desk at Nelson Police Department, meaning three calls may be in a queue at once for each call taker. There is a minimum of one person staffing at a time. So, there are multiple times every year where the lines get overwhelmed by a mass call-in situation. Limitations of Location Accuracy The current location services are limited. The location provided is often a range within hundreds of meters, which is not specific enough provide an ideal response. It can also take time to be processed through the system. Location with VoIP calls are even more of an issue. VoIP call centres call the Nelson PD directly, and there is no way for them to confirm the location of the caller. The location is based on the IP address, which may be different than the actual location of the caller. Limitations in Interoperability Limitations in interoperability also lead to a delayed response. The sharing of the information from the dispatcher to the dispatched members is not in real time. There is a lag as the information is being entered. Ideally, the members would be getting updates about the event as they proceed to it, without a significant lag. Limited interoperability is particularly an issue in the boundary between jurisdictional areas between the City of Nelson and the RCMP. It is common for calls to involve both the City of Nelson Police and the RCMP. There is a delay with the information being transferred between the RCMP OCC to the person from City of Nelson on the road, if information is to be transferred. The current solution is that the City of Nelson monitors the 9-1-1 traffic on the radio of the

Page 64 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives OCC, in case it overlaps with the City of Nelson jurisdiction. If information were available to multiple dispatch centres, as rapidly as possible, it would facilitate a more rapid response.

If a call comes in with a request to be transferred out of province, it must be done manually. For example, a caller may dial 9-1-1 because of a particular Facebook message they received. In order to transfer the call today, the PSAP operator would look up the 10- digit number of that particular centre and manually relay all the information about the call.

E-Comm 9-1-1 Limited Sustainability and Resilience of 9-1-1 Infrastructure

The current TELUS 9-1-1 network infrastructure is approximately 30 years old, so there is a concern about their inability to sustain it and an inability to further develop the systems. Today, maintaining and refreshing technology may require scavenging from failed equipment to replace equipment. Also, many staff who know how to repair the current systems are retiring.

Within PSAPs, the 9-1-1 telephony platforms are approaching the end of their operational lifecycles and are becoming more difficult to maintain and sustain. There is a higher potential of failure but also limitations of capability that cannot be overcome with the current technology platform.

Limitations of Telephony-Based System

Due to the current telephony-based system, basic call-handling has limitations. One limitation of basic call-handling is that linking phone call audio to CAD, the computer aided dispatch, is a manual process. The audio is not automatically connected to (transcribed or linked) a CAD event; it needs to be located and edited, a process that takes research and time.

Another limitation of current call-handling is that there are varying standard operating procedures for different jurisdictions. A call might be handled quite differently if it came in from Vancouver versus West Vancouver versus New Westminster. Understanding the differences between the individual areas adds complications to a dispatcher's job and distracts focus from the caller. There are opportunities to streamline basic call-handling using automation and to lead dispatchers through a well-defined and optimized procedure. Additionally, there is a limited ability to open up the line to listen in situations where a caller is not able to communicate. Some callers may not be able to communicate that they are in danger. If it were possible to listen, the call taker would be able to assess the situation and provide more support or a different kind of support.

Limitations of Location Accuracy

An accurate location is required for PSAPs to send help where it is needed in a rapid manner. Today, there is a difference in the accuracy of location between wired and wireless calls. For wired calls, those originating from a landline, TELUS provides the exact address information with the call, based on their database. That information is overlaid with the secondary PSAP, for the Police, Fire, and Ambulance dispatch centers.

Page 65 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives

Cellular calls are a particular challenge, because today when the PSAP receives a cellular phone call to 911 today, it initially gets the address of the cell tower and information about the secondary PSAP or response agency. The primary PSAP eventually then receives the updated, estimated coordinates of the caller. PSAPs receive an estimated location with a radius and a level of confidence. Additionally, the initial Police, Fire, and Ambulance downstream or the dispatch agency that was identified is not updated based on the cell tower location. This leads to issues related to potentially transferring the call to an incorrect dispatch center and again possible delays.

The regions provided as locations by cell site sectors can be quite small in some areas; they may be a block or two in a sizeable downtown. But on a highway in a remote area in northern BC, the emergency service zone could be 100 kilometers long and run up the length of a highway. It is possible the only information PSAPs get is that the caller is somewhere within that 100 kilometers. Another scenario is when a caller is two miles offshore in the ocean. If the caller makes a call and it hits a tower, the address that is provided is going to be on land. Knowing that the location is coming from a tower on land when the caller may be two miles out from shore is problematic for the Coast Guard. A similar situation arises when calling from near the Canadian and the United States border, in which case the cell tower location given may be in the US.

Limitations with Geographic Information System (GIS) Data

Different organizations may have different GIS data. E-Comm provides service to the majority of the province, but there are dispatch centres that use different GIS datasets. Consequently, there are issues sharing information. Additionally, it takes a significantly long time to add new addresses to the system or to make street name changes. It can take a month or even several months if a new address or a new subdivision is added before that data gets fully populated, both by the telephone provider and at the dispatch center. At times there may be a misalignment between the local data in the PSAP and what TELUS has. For example, a volunteer Fire department might start covering an area that they previously did not, and today that requires TELUS to modify that information for downstream calls to an agency.

Lack of Simultaneous Dispatch

Simultaneous dispatch occurs when more than one emergency response agency is required at the scene of the event. For example, Fire and Ambulance may both be required at the scene of a fire which has caused an injury. Emergency call taking and dispatching is currently a linear process. This is because the systems they use are different. More than one agency cannot be dispatched at the same time; they must be dispatched sequentially, wasting valuable response time. Currently, in most circumstances, an ambulance is dispatched first and the ambulance dispatches the second agency as soon as possible afterwards.

Manual Handling of Abandoned Calls

Page 66 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Right now, managing abandoned calls is a manual process with significant time spent on follow up. Abandoned calls are almost exclusively from mobile phones. According to UBCM’s report, 9-1-1 Services in BC, in some jurisdictions almost 25% of Police calls involve follow up on abandoned 9-1-1 calls. Additional subscriber information would be particularly useful when handling abandoned calls, both pre-switch or in-switch. Pre-switch abandoned calls are defined as calls which have been dialed, but never got as far as the PSAP because of how long it takes for the call to be set up. Whereas in-switch abandon calls ring at the PSAP.

Need for Photos and Video

Having real-time video and photos would be ideal for providing accurate information to the first responder. In many circumstances, with photos and video streaming, information can be conveyed more quickly and accurately. When witnesses provide information over a call, they do not always recall the exact information about an event. Having a video or photo would contribute to the resolution of this issue and reduce the time the caller often spends trying to recall correct information. Also, if an officer is on scene and they are actively looking for somebody, it is optimal to have a visual rather than written descriptor of height, hair color and what the person's wearing.

PSAPs would also benefit from callers’ photos and video streams if somebody is pulled over on a bridge or divided highway. Today it is very common that the PSAP employee does not know which way the caller is headed. If there is a car accident or car fire, the emergency response can be sent in the wrong direction. This would save sending the emergency response in the wrong direction as they try and attend to the scene.

Limitations in Interoperability between PSAPs

When the call is downstreamed out of province, the PSAP loses the ability to pass the ANI/ALI information that comes with the 9-1-1 calls. If there were an ability to transfer the call, it would provide a continuous service. In the lower mainland, currently E-Comm can utilize its own backup centers. It would be ideal to be able to utilize other OCCs and for other organizations to be each other’s backups. Right now, that is not a capability. There is a limitation today in terms of transferring calls, that limits how the PSAP interacts with callers or bringing other people on the line.

Limited Collection and Analysis of PSAP Data

Currently there is limited collection of data to drive business intelligence. Improved business intelligence would lead to 9-1-1 services being delivered more effectively and efficiently. There are opportunities in the future for using the collection of data to be able to streamline and improve the effectiveness of 911 life-critical services. PSAPs do not currently use a lot of the computing technologies that are available today.

E-Comm 9-1-1 has multiple years of recorded conversations for every call that comes in to the dispatch centre. By running the voice data in that database through a voice-to-text transcription capability, it could create a database of established procedures based off of

Page 67 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives real-world calls and would create a knowledge base for training new users more quickly. This would allow E-Comm 9-1-1 to be more efficient and effective in handling calls.

Amount of Change Impacting Staff

PSAPs face near constant change, in terms of new policies, technologies, facilities and changes to whom staff report to and work with. There are limits to organizational capacity in terms of highly-trained staff with the resources to provide the ideal management and training of call takers and dispatchers through these changes. Also, because of organizational capacity constraints, it can be difficult to create a culture that is ideal for retaining staff. One impact of the amount of change is in relatively high turnover rates for new staff compared to longer-term staff. Even though there is a high pass rate of technical skills in onboarding, there is relatively high turnover related to current limitations in organizational capacity.

Other aspects of PSAP operations pose additional challenges to managing high amounts of change. PSAPs have diverse demographics on the operations floor. There is a population that may not be comfortable with constant technology change. Not all staff members are going to be successful if changes evolve rapidly much beyond their current capabilities. Scheduling and executing training may be challenging due to the need to maintain optimal service-levels and the 24-7 nature of PSAP operations. Often the people with the most expertise need both training and to be attendant on the floor executing. When an employee is pulled off the floor for training, there are operational impacts and service level impacts.

Mental Health Impacts of Call Taking and Dispatching

Call taking and dispatching can put stress of staff that results in wellness issues. In some case, staff may have impacts related to PTSD. One contributing factor is that the types of people attracted to jobs in public safety want to serve and may do it at the exclusion of their own wellbeing. There are also current limitations in resources to provide ideal treatment to staff.

Emergency Services Working Group (ESWG) Disparity Between Primary and Secondary PSAP Capabilities

There is a disparity between technological capabilities of primary and secondary PSAPs. Some have very high-level technology and operational setups. Others may have a small department where they receive only a feed of data that says the location, the phone number and some indication of what the emergency is. In a small department, it is possible that the operator may not be well trained for dispatch. Ideally, secondary PSAPs would also have new call-handling systems and would be equipped with the same tools as the primary.

Limitations in Interoperability

Page 68 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Another challenge that exists today is that emergency calls cannot be transferred out of province. For example, if someone is on a call with a friend in Edmonton and the friend become unresponsive, the caller will dial 9-1-1 and reach a PSAP in BC. Today, the BC PSAP would receive that call and have to figure out which primary PSAP is in Edmonton. Then they would transfer the information over the phone and the caller may have to convey information multiple times.

Limitations in Location Accuracy

Location accuracy is limited for wireless calls. TELUS has a database of landline addresses that it uses to provide the exact address and with a call. However, only 20 to 25 percent of the calls come in through a landline; 75 to 80 percent of the calls now are wireless. When they come in wirelessly, the PSAP is provided with an emergency service zone is for that area, rather than an exact address.

An emergency service zone is a pre-defined geographical area and it is provided from a cell site sector off a wireless tower. In a downtown area, those areas can be quite small, a block or two in terms of size. But out on a highway in a remote area in northern BC, that same emergency service zone could be 100 kilometers long and run along the highway. If somebody is calling from a phone that does not have GPS capability, then the only information provided to the PSAP is somewhere within 100 kilometers. GPS works well outdoors or in a relatively low-density area where many GPS satellites can see, but in a downtown corridor like downtown Vancouver, then the ability for GPS to help is limited. The system is rudimentary in terms of location, relative to current technologies. It tends to provide fairly large areas, for example, multiple blocks in a city.

Fire Agencies Limitations with Alarm Systems

For alarm calls related to fire, it is not uncommon to formulate the wrong type of response due to having limited information provided by the alarm company. Monitored alarms for apartments, factories, warehouses or retail could provide detail that would be very helpful to the Fire department. Currently there is no mechanism to provide key information related to fire, like building height, number of fire detectors and other significant details. Today alarm calls must be transferred verbally which slows the call-taking process. The alarm company calls the PSAP manually and the information goes through a call taker, then on to a dispatcher who sends the dispatch.

Lack of Simultaneous Dispatch

Depending on the nature of the emergency, it might be beneficial to dispatch multiple agencies simultaneously. However, the three types of agencies work on disparate CAD systems and there is no ability to copy 9-1-1 call information across CAD systems. Currently, the operator and the caller determine the ideal responder agency to dispatch first. As a result, Fire response is sometimes delayed.

When the first responder gets to the emergency site, they will typically use the radio system to bring in second and third responders if required. Alternatively, the second

Page 69 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives dispatch will be performed via telephone communication between dispatchers. The quality of service would be improved if location information automatically dispatches to Police or Fire. Quality of service would also be improved if there were inter-agency information sharing at the onset of the call, as well as throughout the call. If it were possible to include multiple agencies on these calls it would aid simultaneous dispatch.

Limitations of Location Accuracy

It is common for somebody to call shouting "fire" before they hang up and no location information is provided. Calling the TSPs to obtain location information ties up resources.

Another challenge with current location information in urban centers is that floor levels are not provided. If someone is calling from a cell phone, it might pinpoint the building, but not the vertical axis, called the z-axis. This makes it particularly challenging to locate a caller within a building in the case of fire. Currently, if a call comes from a multi-story building, at best the information will include the location of the main address, but it will not provide information about location within that building. What is required is the call’s height above ground to compare to the actual building height. This is because many buildings start at different floors or may not have a floor 13.

When dispatching along the border, a cell tower that is used in triangulation might be in the States. It does not necessarily hit the closest tower, rather the signal may pick a tower that is not busy. For example, for wildfires in Osoyoos, cell towers tend to be in the States.

Duplicate Events Overwhelm PSAPs

In any major event it is very common to overload downstream PSAPs because of current technology limitations, as well as current policy and procedural limitations. What is titled a “duplicate event” occurs when a PSAP gets multiple calls for one event, caused by multiple people witnessing and reporting that event. In these circumstances, primary PSAPs receive multiple calls and have to downstream all calls to an agency. The primary PSAP provides no filtering at the front end to determine if this is a duplicate report of the same event, unless it is a very extreme mass calling event. The secondary PSAP, which tends to have fewer resources on standby, has to manage each call.

Photos and Video Needed to Formulate Proper Response

Some callers find it difficult to describe a fire-related situation quickly, succinctly and eloquently under pressure. If there were a still picture or a streaming video from the scene, the call taker and the responders would have a better sense of the fire, including where it is and how big the building was. Callers may not understand what information is important to provide. For example, on a freeway interchange there may be different kinds of vehicles involved, such as a transport bus, truck, a tanker of fuel, or multiple cars. It would add to the quality of the call taking and the speed of dispatch to have a picture or video to ensure that the optimum number of apparatuses and Fire crews are sent to the scene.

Fire cause determination is a process by which any fire over $100 has to be reported to the Office of the Fire Commissioner. It happens after the building fire has stopped and the

Page 70 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives evidence may be gone. If there were video or pictures from the scene at the initial stage, Fire investigators could more easily identify where the fire originated. But later, when fire damage is significant or the whole building is burned down, that is difficult to accomplish. If photos or video were gathered at the time that the fire is being reported, and even ideally in various stages as it progresses, it would greatly add to the accuracy and the quality of fire cause determination.

Limitations Collecting and Leveraging Data

There are limitations with the traceability of the event data. Right now, itis very difficult for analysts to track calls to 9-1-1 all the way through the event that is connected with it. With more traceability it would be possible to understand the true timeline – how long from the time that the call was created, to the time that the appropriate Police dispatch or Fire dispatch or Ambulance dispatch actually occurred – and what is the eventual outcome. Connecting all of those various pieces of data would allow analysts to determine if there is a delay and the sources of the delay, as well as the impacts on outcomes.

Non-Standard or Incomplete Addressing

Only some communities in remote regions have had addressing work done, to provide property boundaries and road names, which makes it difficult when a call comes for Ambulance and Police services to get to those addresses. If house numbers and road names were available it would be easier to provide service.

First Nations Limitations in Connectivity The distance between the wireless towers are more significant in rural areas than urban areas. Because of tower distances, there are areas with no service whatsoever. Cell service may be lost outside of First Nations communities. If there is service, the location that is picked up can be misleading. In rural and remote locations, internet may not be available.

Within some First Nations communities, cell service is only available within approximately five kilometers outside of the communities, and communities are about 30 to 40 kilometers apart. There are situations where members of the communities would be traveling between communities and would be out of contact because there is no cell service outside of those core community areas. In this case, when incidents occur, usually the caller waits until they can get ahold of a radio to seek help.

In Northwestern BC, some communities are treatied. Through negotiations, especially with BC Hydro, they may have been able to achieve fiber optic lines directly. With that comes cell service and high-speed internet. But the caveat is that the cell service may only be with one particular wireless service provider or affiliated companies. So, if a caller has service from another wireless service provider, the wireless or internet service will not work. Some communities may also do VoIP calling over Wi-Fi connections if there is no wireless internet. In marine environments, even if there is a cell phone tower, people may use their marine radios, because that is what they are used to.

Page 71 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Limitations in Emergency Response Capabilities There are no dispatch capabilities in the majority of First Nations communities. In some cases, the caller would call the nearest local provider and the provider may be over an hour away. In remote regions, it can take up to three hours or more for an ambulance to arrive and there may be little to no local transport available for Ambulance within the community. Additionally, 9-1-1 and emergency personnel in First Nations communities often have basic training.

If there are not 9-1-1 capabilities, there may be an Emergency Response and Health & Safety Coordinator or a similar role. They may coordinate with BCEHS, ISC, GeoBC, with resources in the community and/or provide a response themselves. Compared to urban centers, many emergency services workers wear many hats. Not all communities have ERCs. This is especially the case if the community is small. Some have developed this role out of a response to COVID-19 and funding is only short-term so the sustainability of these positions may be limited. But, there is no funding program provided for ERCs and they are no longer supported by COVID-19 funding.

Community members who are lost outside of the community typically do not call 9-1-1. They will call the coordinator from that village, who will coordinate a response. The coordinator may be relied upon 24/7, without having a backup.

Sometimes, each agency has a separate number to call. Notices have been sent with information about the numbers, but not everyone is aware or remembers. In an emergency, there may be up to seven different phone numbers to remember for each community. Further, there may not be visibility as to who the responding agencies are and how to contact them in many remote and rural areas. Non-Standard or Incomplete Addressing Some First Nations communities may have non-standard or incomplete addressing. There may be inaccuracies and many different maps in use. It is possible for various maps of the same communities to have different names for roads. It is possible that houses may not be labelled and maps may be hand-drawn. Within some communities, streets may have similar names. Houses may not be numbered. In some cases, even when a caller gets hold of the emergency response team, the incorrect addresses in the communities may prevent a rapid response. This challenge with non-standard and incomplete mapping is further exacerbated by staffing turnover in emergency dispatching and responder agencies.

Some community members may also refer to landmarks by their colloquial names, which may not be on the maps. Some elders, for example, may have names for a lake or certain tree. There may be landmarks that they have referenced their entire lives that are not on the map. There may be three, four or five of them per community, which adds difficulty to providing a response.

Northwestel Gaps in Connectivity

Page 72 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives There are many communities not universally covered by wireless. There are also large areas in rural and remote regions not covered by wireless connectivity, particularly between communities. In a couple of key places in BC, such as the Alaska highway, the Cassiar Highway, and sub highways in between, there are pockets of cellular service in communities, but not on the travel routes.

Land line is the most available service. There are a few places where there is no land line internet service and multiple locations that do not have what would qualify as high-speed internet. There may be areas where the only internet service available is satellite, and delays in voice calling over satellite makes the service almost unusable.

In some communities, there is no redundancy of network. So, if there is a network failure, there are instances where there is no backup network to pivot to. There may be periods of outage.

Limited Location Information

In communities that Northwestel serves, where there is a pocket of wireless coverage in communities, basic 9-1-1 service is available from a wireless device. But the call does not deliver any location information to the PSAP, and consequently, call handle times are likely to be longer. The lack of location information puts additional stress on the caller, especially when the caller is not coherent or well understood, and this leads to an inability to effectively deploy from the PSAP. There are instances where if the PSAP operator has no number information, they feel that they cannot provide the service.

Limited 9-1-1 Capabilities

There are also limitations with the capabilities of 9-1-1 services. There are small, remote communities that have no ability to answer the call. Additionally, if a call were to get answered, there are not appropriate first responders to transfer the call to. In some scenarios, the first responders have a 10-digit number for the caller to contact directly. In some scenarios, this may be the volunteer Fire department, or the on-call nurse in the nursing station.

Non-Standard or Incomplete Addressing

There are limitations in remote and rural communities around mapping, street addressing, and street signage, all of which are needed for adequate response. As an example, First Nations communities within BC are generally not part of the regional 9-1-1 service that has been enacted in any given regional district. In some cases, there are agreements, outside of the 9-1-1 authority, so that 9-1-1 service is available. But even if there where someone to answer the call or if that arrangement is in place, for the service to be fully capable, it is reliant on the addressing, mapping and signage.

Police Agencies Limitations of Location Accuracy

Page 73 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Currently, location accuracy is a significant issue, especially if the caller cannot or will not disclose their location. One of the challenges with the current system is that the ANI/ALI is sometimes not processed properly. Some calls are not dropped, but the speed of the ANI/ALI and information that comes to the dispatcher is delayed, hindering a response. Finally, a call that may be investigated with a radius of a kilometer or 500 meters, it is not a functional distance to work with. The radius of certainty of the location may not even be provided to the patrol.

Limited Information About an Event

In situations where someone goes missing, Police have to rely on the description provided by the caller. Currently, Police may be on scene and will take a photo, manually sending it to all the members assigned to the event using text messaging on their cell phones. Having the ability to take photo and video and share information easily would greatly benefit the response. Additionally, photo and video would assist suspect identification. Having additional information about a location would improve tactical response and support responder safety. If there is a high-risk call, knowing the layout of the house, whether indoors or outdoors, and what it looks like, would also be useful for formulating a response.

Complexity of Call Information for Call Takers

Determining the best, most immediate, and most fulsome information to provide to the officer is managed through a call taker. There is a risk of overwhelming the officer if the information pours in, so this role requires careful analysis of this data and is highly variable from call to call. Despite the value of more information, it is important not to overwhelm Police officers while they are dispatched to an event. This is incredibly complex analysis required by the call taker and/or dispatcher.

Lack of Simultaneous Dispatch

Information sharing between agencies has been limited because their systems are not standardized, so agencies’ CADs cannot connect to one another. In the example of simultaneous dispatch, if a call is downstreamed to Ambulance for a motor vehicle incident, there is a delay in notifying the Police agency to support that call. Police are often delayed getting to the scene while Ambulance service is collecting data in its systems. There is an opportunity to improve Police response times with data being shared simultaneously amongst emergency services.

There is also an opportunity to improve response efficiency and effectiveness with more information sharing between agencies. Within law enforcement, there has not been a broad enterprise information management strategy that clearly articulates interagency sharing and retention. There is a need for formalized processes identifying who owns the data and if it is shared. At the department level, there is very little focus on information management strategy. There may be an opportunity for governance structure to address this issue. One reason why more information is not provided to PSAPs now is privacy legislation, restricting information from TSPs. So, in addition to data sharing limitations between agencies, there is also a limitation from the TSP.

Page 74 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives

Limited Subscriber Information

Abandoned calls are common occurrences and in these instances, little is known about the caller. Sometimes Police call the wireless service providers or the manufacturers who are able to provide supplemental disclosure. Supplemental information includes warranty registration information and access logs to their ecosystem. Because the devices are checking into ecosystem on a continuous basis, Police can obtain IP addresses, in some cases identifying land-based internet access.

It also can benefit Police to be aware of the type of device of the caller, to assist with identifying the caller on the site of an event. It is possible to get subscriber information through secondary disclosure through the manufacturer. But this is an extensive process that would be resolved if it were possible to receive subscriber information from TSPs.

Similarly, the E9-1-1 system does not have the capability to handle international phone numbers. This is particularly showcased when calls originate from mobile devices from out of country. The number for the caller is not known. In those cases, the dispatcher calls the TSP. The TSP provides the international phone number, but the process to obtain the number and call back is human resource intensive and may not be timely.

PRIMECorp Limitations with Location Accuracy

There have been challenges with the existing ANI/ALI feed with ensuring the consistency and robustness of the data that is available. Most of the constraints revolve around the accuracy of the information and timeliness. It would be ideal to locate the caller more rapidly, as opposed to having to ping the cell phone through a manual call through the carrier. The lags in the information coming in make it difficult to accurately time events. With more accurate and timely location data, it would also be possible to review how long the call took to get answered, improving performance management.

Cost of Data Governance

According to the case of R v. Stinchcombe, PRIMECorp has an obligation to the Police and the Crown to disclose everything to Defense when there is a legal proceeding109. There is also a legal requirement to store Police data110. Data governance and ownership has associated costs.

Limited Subscriber Information

The current 9-1-1 system is limited in the scope and the nature of information that it provides. It does not convey who the subscriber is for the cell phone and the actual location, it provides location based on triangulation. With more subscriber information, including who is calling, it would be easier to chase-down the caller if they hung up mid- call.

Page 75 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Province of British Columbia Limitations in Connectivity in Remote Regions Some communities have trouble attracting and keeping residents because of the lack of connectivity and emergency services. Due to lack of connectivity, there are variations in 9- 1-1 service levels across the province. This can serve to confuse the public and leads to lower quality service in some regions. In addition to variations in 9-1-1 services, there are variations in emergency response capabilities and practices in across the province. There may be no emergency responders to dispatch in a particular location, which can be referred to as an unserved region. The efficiency and effectiveness variation between urban and rural are significant in the services available, especially with respect to connectivity.

Limitations of Location Accuracy

There is a significant difference in providing location information on a cellphone compared to a landline. With cell phones, location information provided is limited or inaccurate. For example, someone may be traveling to another city and call 9-1-1 because of an accident. If they are calling from a cellphone and they cannot clearly or precisely communicate their location verbally, it may be difficult to formulate a response.

There have been concerns from the public about dispatchers not being familiar with the region that an individual is from and not being familiar with specific landmarks to be able to identify where the callers are. If location accuracy is low, this poses an additional challenge. Especially when the caller themselves might not know where they are located.

Non-Standard or Incomplete Addressing

The location information from the 9-1-1 system tends to be better in urban areas than in rural areas, for both wireless and landline callers. One reason on top of connectivity is that that the geospatial datasets across the province, and particularly the datasets that are used in various aspects of emergency response, are not comprehensive. There is no authoritative source and there may be even conflicting information. The road networks and addresses may also be incomplete, and the gaps make it difficult to provide 9-1-1 services.

Rural and Remote Governments

Limitations in Connectivity

In many remote and rural regions there are issues with availability and reliability of telecom services and connectivity. The service that does exist is often slow and may drop information. Internet and telephone outages are virtually commonplace. Within communities, cellular connectivity tends not to be an issue, but as soon as one leaves the community, cell coverage is minimal or non-existent. Broadband within the community is quite slow; just above dial up. Outside of the community, broadband is either minimal or non-existent. However, there are also many communities with no cell or internet service.

Page 76 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives There is an issue of access to connectivity related to affordability. There are a number of potential users who cannot access internet services because the services are radically expensive compared to the lower mainland.

Limitations in connectivity have an impact on first responders. For BCEHS, once the ambulance leaves the station in some areas, it loses connectivity with dispatch. If the event is three hours up the highway it takes three hours to get there, but the call may have been canceled 15 minutes in. Unless another agency happens to be able to relay a message up the highway, the ambulance does not know and proceeds.

Limited Resilience of 9-1-1 Infrastructure

The 9-1-1 system in rural and remote regions is susceptible to power outages, lines down and severe weather. There is not redundancy of the connectivity. There is at least one area in BC where that has had a series of events that involve 9-1-1 outages and not being able to contact the volunteer Fire department because it is dependent on the same infrastructure. There have also been several stories run in the press that one backhoe operator in Fort Nelson can shut down the north. For example, a fiber cut in Dawson Creek slowly shuts services down one by one.

Limited 9-1-1 and Emergency Response Capabilities

In areas without 9-1-1, emergency responders may have their own emergency line or phone number. For example, on off-hours the call would be forwarded to one of the chief officer's cell numbers. Before 9-1-1, several dispatchers and chief officers would have landlines put in their homes. When the call for service came, all those landlines would ring simultaneously. The duty dispatcher that would be on, would take the call, and then subsequently dispatch crew or crews through the radio system based on the type of call.

In terms of multi-casualty incidences in some remote areas away from the home community, it will quickly drain whatever resources are available. For example, if there is an incident with a bus or a family van, the resources will be drained immediately. There may only be one ambulance that is available for that kind of event. In this case, it is necessary to rely on sister communities at significant distances to provide ambulances with support.

Limitations of Location Accuracy

In rural and remote regions, location is not delivered with a call. Not all switches can provide ANI/ALI. Identifying location can consequently be extremely difficult. Some of the traffic through the arterial highways may not be familiar with the area at all, and may not be English speakers. Typically, the caller will attempt to provide the location where they are, not where the accident is. They might be an hour to an hour and a half further up the highway before encountering the actual accident scene.

Non-Standard or Incomplete Addressing

Page 77 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives In remote and rural regions, addresses are often based on historic mileposts or actual mileposts, which become especially confusing when the 9-1-1 operator is in Vancouver. There are significant areas that do not have road names. It is very difficult for somebody operating out of an office in Burnaby to grasp the circumstances of an incident up the Alaska Highway and perhaps even some distance into the bush.

Lack of Simultaneous Dispatch

The systems between agencies are not consistently interconnected, so agencies are not simultaneously notified of an event. In an ideal world, the communications would flow with the responders and interagency communications from the time they got the initial call until they returned. As the service moves beyond land mobile radio being the predominant method for responder communications to more broadband enabled capabilities, then there is the ability for all of that information that is available in the 9-1-1 system to be shared with responders and also to be seamlessly or rapidly updated as new information is made available by any of the agencies. This would lead to common situational awareness.

TELUS Corporation Limited Resilience of 9-1-1 Infrastructure

Resilience is one of the biggest priorities for 9-1-1 service providers and it is limited with a telephony-based system. Legacy 9-1-1 technology is aging and expensive to maintain. Getting replacement parts from technology in the 1990s or 1980s is difficult, so parts end up being recycled. Some of the experts supporting the legacy technology are getting ready to retire. 9-1-1 is a very difficult network to evolve piecemeal because of its critical nature.

Limited Ability to Leverage Additional Data Sources

There is a limited ability to leverage additional sources of data because of the technology on which 9-1-1 is built. There are many technologies available today that would assist 9-1- 1, but because of the technological barrier, there has not been a way to bring those services to the industry. The current system does not lend itself towards multiple modalities of contacting emergency services. There are limitations to development of the legacy systems. Because of this, the system can be considered not to be “future proof”. It is difficult to add modern, IP-based technologies onto the current system.

Union of British Columbia Municipalities Lack of Uniformity of Service

Not all members of UBCM receive the same 9-1-1 service, particularly outside the lower mainland and the capital region area. There are significant gaps in service provision that exist in BC; not all areas of the province have 9-1-1 service. One primary reason for this issue is connectivity. The differences in services leads to many different issues related to service provision for the province, compared to the potential if standardization is developed.

Page 78 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Limited Resilience of 9-1-1 Infrastructure

There are limited backup capabilities for call-handling and dispatch. It would be ideal for an impact to infrastructure from a natural disaster or other event, that affects the ability for people to do their jobs, to result in work being transitioned easily to another location. That is not the case today.

There is a lack of resiliency whereby if one part of the province is impacted to the point where the primary service is not functioning, transferring to a back-up site is not possible. Having another back-up site in the Okanagan, or elsewhere, can ensure the system continues to function during a large-scale event.

Page 79 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives

Appendix 4: Northern Rockies Regional Municipality B9-1-1 Operational Considerations

CONTRIBUTION: ESCO0681b

DATE OF SUBMISSION: 23 April 2021

WORKING GROUP: CISC – Emergency services Working Group

RELATED TIFs#: ESTF0094 TITLE: Northern Rockies Regional Municipality (NRRM) B9-1-1 Operational Considerations

ISSUES ADDRESSED: Overview of B9-1-1 Operational Logistics in NRRM SOURCE: See list of contributors at the top of page 2

FILE NAME: ESCO0681b_TIF94_See List - NRRM B9-1-1 Operational Considerations

DISTRIBUTION: ESTF0094; ESWG

REFERENCES: TD 2015-53120, TRP 2017-18221 & related proceedings, TD 2018-18822, TRP 2019-6623, and TD 2019-35324; plus ESTF008025 and all related tasks i.e. TIFs 81, 82, 83, 85, 86, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, and 93

NOTICE: This contribution has been prepared to assist the Emergency Services Working Group with a basis for discussion for B9-1-1 to NG9-1-1 transition. It is provided as information only and can be revised or revoked at the discretion of the contributor(s).

Contributors: Marko Kessler – CityWest

20 See https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2015/2015-531.htm 21 See https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2017/2017-182.htm 22 See https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2018/2018-188.htm 23 See https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2019/2019-66.htm 24 See https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2019/2019-353.htm 25 See https://crtc.gc.ca/public/cisc/es/estf0080.docx

Page 80 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Gabrielle Jacob – Northern Rockies Regional Municipality Rob Blain – Northern Rockies Regional Municipality Rob Darts – E-Comm Mike Webb – E-Comm

TIF 94 Contribution

Basic 9-1-1 to NG9-1-1 Transition Considerations in Northern British Columbia

Introduction This contribution to TIF 94 is describing the current state of 9-1-1 services in northern British Columbia with a focus on areas that are not served by TELUS’ E9-1-1 network today. Some considerations for the transition from Basic 9-1-1 to NG9-1-1 are also discussed. Areas with Basic 9-1-1 or No 9-1-1 Service In reading this contribution, it is important to note that the responsibility for establishing and maintaining a 9-1-1 service in British Columbia sits with the regional districts. Most regional districts in BC, but not all, have established a 9-1-1 service that includes the functions associated with a Primary PSAP, support functions such as mapping and in some cases, other functions such as regional Fire dispatch. Regional districts typically assume the role of a “default” local government in incorporated areas26. A map of regional districts is provided in Appendix 6.4.5.

The paragraphs below discuss the situation in regional districts that either have Basic 9-1- 1 or no 9-1-1 service in some or all of their territory.

The Northern Rockies Regional Municipality (Basic 9-1-1)

The NRRM spans 85,015 km² (approximately 10% of the land mass of British Columbia) with a resident population of 5,393. It is located in the northeast corner of British Columbia bounded by the Yukon to the north and the Northwest Territories and Alberta to the east. The administrative centre of Fort Nelson is home to the greatest concentration of population and is also a service centre for the region’s Oil and Gas, Forestry and Tourism industries. Smaller settlements within the boundaries of the Regional Municipality include Fort Nelson First Nation, Prophet River First Nation, Toad River and Muncho Lake.

The NRRM is traversed by more than 700 km of the Alaska Highway (BC Highway 97), which is a predominantly two-lane arterial road connection between the Yukon and Alaska to the north and southern British Columbia. The highway sees between 300,000 and 325,000 vehicle transits annually, involving an estimated 450,000 or more individuals travelling within the Regional Municipality. This traffic comprises as much as 45% commercial and industrial traffic, as well as recreational and passenger vehicles.

BC Highway 77 (Liard Highway) branches to the northeast of Fort Nelson providing a 140 km link between northern British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. The region is

26 See https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/local-governments/facts- framework/systems/regional-districts

Page 81 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives also criss-crossed by a network of heavily-travelled resource roads that transport industrial traffic.

Northwestel provides landline telephone service in the NRRM. Telus and Bell provide wireless services, primarily in the area around Fort Nelson.

Police, Ambulance, and Fire emergency services are centred in Fort Nelson. Fire protection is provided to the immediate vicinity, including Fort Nelson First Nation, by Northern Rockies Fire Rescue. Northern Rockies Fire Rescue also delivers First Responder coverage to an area beyond Fort Nelson First Nation as well as Road Rescue and Extrication to the entire Regional Municipality.

For many years, the NRRM acknowledged the desirability and importance of providing all residents and visitors requiring emergency assistance within the geographic area of the Regional Municipality with three-digit access to emergency services, including those calling from Fort Nelson First Nation and Prophet River First Nation. The objective is for all such callers have access to the service where landline or cellular phone service is available.

In October 2020, the NRRM submitted a Part 1 Application to the CRTC seeking the adoption of a plan for implementation of Basic 9-1-1 service. In its Part 1 Application, the NRRM stated it will assume all costs for the establishment, maintenance, and operation of B9-1-1 service. Northwestel’s Tariff Notice 1103, also filed in October 2020, was approved via Telecom Order 2021-20 and became effective on 2 December 2020.

Basic 9-1-1 service was launched in the NRRM in January 2021, via a contract with the City of Grande Prairie (Alberta) Fire Department (GP Fire) to serve as the primary Public Safety Access Point (PSAP), receive Basic 9-1-1 calls originating from the NRRM and handle them in keeping with established NENA protocols.

Pursuant to an agreement between the Regional Municipality and Northwestel, Basic 9-1-1 service is provided to customers connected to Northwestel’s network by Primary Exchange, Centrex, Digital Exchange Access and Primary Link Interface services equipped for outward local calling in communities in the company's serving territory within the vicinity of the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality. This is further described in Northwestel’s Tariff Application TN 1103.

Calls received by GP Fire are assessed and forwarded for dispatch to the appropriate emergency service. Dispatch is carried out for Police, Ambulance and Fire as follows:

• Police – RCMP Dispatch in Fort Nelson (daytime hours) and Prince George RCMP (after hours);

• Ambulance – BC Emergency Health Services in Kamloops (24/7);

• Fire – Northern Rockies Fire Rescue in Fort Nelson (24/7).

Callers seeking assistance using cellular connections from TELUS Mobility and Bell Mobility are routed to Northwestel’s interconnection point and then to the primary PSAP as

Page 82 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives normal 10 digit PSTN calls. Both Bell Mobility and Telus Mobility were engaged in the planning of the proposed arrangements and necessary translations.

The existing ten-digit numbers that provide direct connection to Police, Ambulance and Fire emergency services remain in place as redundant safety measures and for any user not aware of the available 9-1-1 call service.

North Coast Regional District (Basic 9-1-1 and No 9-1-1)

The North Coast Regional District27 is located on BC’s west coast and includes Haida Gwaii (formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands), the largest of which are Graham Island and Moresby Island. Its administrative offices are in the City of Prince Rupert. The region has an area of 19,716 km2 and a population of approximately 20,000.

Landline service is available from CityWest, the local telephone company (ILEC) in Prince Rupert and Port Edward only. Most national wireless networks, including Bell, TELUS, Rogers and Freedom operate in Prince Rupert.

Basic 9-1-1 service is available in the CityWest local telephone operating area. The City of Prince Rupert has an agreement with CityWest to route all 9-1-1 calls to a landline number at the designated primary PSAP. CityWest connects directly to wireless service providers and routes calls from cell phones to the primary PSAP in the same way.

The City of Prince Rupert operates the primary PSAP and provides Fire dispatch services in Prince Rupert and surrounding area. The Prince Rupert PSAP transfers 9-1-1 calls to secondary PSAPs and response agencies as follows:

• Police – Prince George (North District) RCMP

• Ambulance – BCEHS Kamloops

• Marine Rescue – JRCC in Esquimalt

Gwaii Tel provides fibre-based broadband services on Haida Gwaii, but does not provide 9-1-1 service. Wireless carriers providing service on Haida Gwaii route 9-1-1 calls via Northern 9-1-1.

9-1-1 service is not available anywhere else in the NCRD and the regional district has not established a regional 9-1-1 service.

Peace River Regional District (E9-1-1 and Basic 9-1-1)

The Peace River Regional District (PRRD) comprises seven municipalities and four electoral areas. Its member municipalities are the cities of Fort St. John and Dawson Creek, the district municipalities of Tumbler Ridge, Chetwynd, Taylor, and Hudson's Hope,

27 Until 2016, the North Coast Regional District was known as the Regional District of Skeena-Queen Charlotte.

Page 83 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives and the village of Pouce Coupe. The district's administrative offices are in Dawson Creek. The PRRD is the largest regional district in British Columbia, with a total area of 119,200 km2. It has a population of approximately 65,000.

9-1-1 service is provided to Northwestel landline subscribers for areas north of Charlie Lake in Electoral Area B, along highway 97 (the Alaska Highway). 9-1-1 calls from Northwestel subscribers are routed to the TELUS E9-1-1 network through a 9-1-1 interconnect service (Dawson Creek or Fort St. John). This is the only example of such a 9-1-1 interconnect service provided by TELUS and it is directly funded by the PRRD.

Landline service is sparse in many areas due to the PRRD's large size. While there have been some improvements in the last few years, generally, infrastructure is old (copper wires) and there are some capacity issues. The two large cities of Dawson Creek and Fort St. John have high-speed fibre throughout most of the community. Wireless coverage is good near municipalities and along major highways. The telecommunication companies are working to improve wireless coverage. For example, Rogers has introduced 5G for the City of Dawson Creek in 2021.

It should also be noted that the Starlink beta program has opened for most of the Peace River Regional District, but it is unknown at this time when service will be available. Starlink is estimated to have service in fall 2021.

E9-1-1 service is provided by TELUS in the southern part of the PRRD, including Fort St. John and Dawson Creek. E-Comm in Vancouver is the primary PSAP for all 9-1-1 calls from the PRRD, pursuant to a call-taking contract between E-Comm and the PRRD that began in 2017. E-Comm receives 9-1-1 calls from the PRRD via direct trunk connections to the TELUS E9-1-1 tandem/selective router in Prince George, with backup connections via the Kelowna tandem.

E-Comm downstreams 9-1-1 calls to secondary PSAPs as follows:

• Police – Prince George (North District) RCMP

• Ambulance – BCEHS Kamloops

• Fire – North Island 9-1-1 (Campbell River)

Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine (E9-1-1 and No 9-1-1)

The Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine has a population of approximately 40,000, living on a land area of 91,910 km2. Its administrative offices are in the city of Terrace. The next- largest municipality in the regional district is the District Municipality of Kitimat. The other incorporated municipalities in the regional district are the Village of Hazelton, the District of New Hazelton and the District of Stewart. The remote settlement of Dease Lake, formerly in the Stikine Region, was added to the regional district on December 1, 2007.

The RDKS includes many unincorporated communities and most are Indigenous communities, which are not part of the governmental system of the regional district.

Page 84 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives One such area within the RDKS is the territory of the Nisga’a Nation in the Nass River Valley. On August 4, 1998, a land-claim was settled between the Nisga’a, the government of British Columbia, and the Government of Canada. As part of the settlement, nearly 2,000 km2 of land was officially recognized as Nisga’a. The Nisga’a territory does not currently have landline 9-1-1 service although 9-1-1 is available via Rogers wireless service on the Nisga’a Nation territory. This is likely a result of mapping limitations.

The RDKS is split between Northwestel and TELUS landline serving areas. Telus provides service along the Nisga’a Hwy 113 and along Hwy 37 until just north of Meziadin Junction. The Northwestel serving area starts near the Meziadin Junction on Hwy 37 and includes Telegraph Creek and Dease Lake. The RDKS has not been able to extend 9-1-1 service north of this location, i.e. in the Northwestel service area in the RDKS. Emergency response agencies in this area use dedicated local emergency numbers. The remainder of the RDKS receives E9-1-1 service from TELUS.

E-Comm in Vancouver is the primary PSAP for all 9-1-1 calls from the RDKS, pursuant to a call-taking contract between E-Comm and the RDKS that began in 2014. As with the PRRD, E-Comm receives 9-1-1 calls from the RDKS via direct trunk connections to the TELUS E9-1-1 tandem/selective router in Prince George, with backup connections via the Kelowna tandem.

E-Comm downstreams 9-1-1 calls to secondary PSAPs as follows:

• Police – Prince George (North District) RCMP

• Ambulance – BCEHS Kamloops

• Fire – Regional District of Fraser Fort George (Prince George)

Central Coast Regional District (No 9-1-1 Service)

The Central Coast Regional District (CCRD) is located on BC’s west coast to the south of the North Coast RD. It has a total land area of 24,559 km2 and a population of approximately 3200. The CCRD is unique in the province in that it has no incorporated municipalities within its borders. The primary communities are Bella Coola and Bella Bella.

TELUS provides landline telephone service in the CCRD. Most people rely on landlines if they don't have cell service where they live. Infrastructure, including copper telephone and power lines are aging and are vulnerable to outage in wind events. Wireless coverage in downtown Bella Coola is good and poor or non-existent in rural areas. The region has a mountainous geography that impacts coverage.

RCMP, several Fire Departments, and BC Emergency Health Services operate in the CCRD. BCEHS is stationed in Bella Coola and RCMP are stationed in both Bella Bella and Bella Coola. Environmental spill response is also provided.

9-1-1 service has not been established in the CCRD. In Bella Coola there are two 1-800 numbers for BCEHS and Fire services. RCMP is reached via a local police number.

Page 85 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives

The Stikine Region (No 9-1-1 Service)

With a total area of 116,143 km2, the Stikine Region is situated in the far northwest corner of BC bordering the Yukon Territory and Alaska. It is the only area of the province that is not incorporated as part of a regional district or municipality. When the regional district system was established in the late 1960s, the region did not have sufficient population or property assessment value to support being established as a regional district. The region shares the rest of its border with the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, and the Kitimat-Stikine, Peace River and Bulkley-Nechako regional districts.

The total population of the region is approximately 740 with most residents centred in the community of Atlin (population 547) which includes two Taku River Tlingit reserves. The rest of the population is dispersed between the communities of Lower Post, Good Hope Lake, Jade City and Laird River. With its small and dispersed population, and low total property assessment value, the region cannot support becoming a municipality or regional district.

The Stikine region contains one local planning area, the Atlin Community Planning Area, which was combined in 2009 with the Atlin Community Improvement District to provide fire, landfill, water, streetlighting, sidewalks and advisory land use services. All other services not provided privately are administered directly by various provincial government ministries. The area around Dease Lake, formerly in the Stikine Region, is now within the boundaries of the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine following a boundary amendment in 2008.

The Stikine Region is entirely within Northwestel serving area. There is no wireless or 9-1- 1 service.

Considerations for Transition to NG9-1-1 in Northern BC Basic 9-1-1 is an Interim Solution

As part of its Part 1 Application to the CRTC, the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality asserted to the Commission that it views the implementation of Basic 9-1-1 service as an interim measure providing a temporary bridge from the total absence of three-digit emergency calling until the future implementation of NG9-1-1. While looking forward to NG9-1-1, the NRRM views Basic 9-1-1 call service as being critical at present in the absence of more sophisticated alternatives.

Lack of location information in Basic 9-1-1 makes responding to emergencies occurring over large and uninhabited areas of the province very challenging and slow, which puts public and responder safety at risk. Providing an interim location capability for basic 9-1-1 calls such as those originating in the NRRM and Prince Rupert should be a priority. This could be via a separate handset-location delivery mechanism (e.g. via an aggregator such as RapidSOS) prior to NG9-1-1 availability.

The other major limitation with Basic 9-1-1 is the inconsistent delivery to the PSAP of a call-back number. Because Basic 9-1-1 is essentially the translation of “9-1-1” to some other 10 digit number, the PSAP will only receive Calling Line ID, if it is available. Calling

Page 86 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Line ID does not necessarily represent a valid or accurate number for the PSAP to use for call-back purposes.

Unserved Areas and PSAP Considerations

Other than the NRRM and PRRD as discussed above, all other Northwestel serving areas in BC and some TELUS serving areas (CCRD, NCRD) have no 9-1-1 service. There are no established PSAPs in the Northwestel serving area in BC, but there is an established PSAP in Alberta (Grand Prairie Fire as discussed above) providing Basic 9-1-1 service to the NRRM.

In the RDKS and PRRD, both TELUS and Northwestel provide landline telephone service and in the PRRD, Northwestel subscribers get 9-1-1 service via a 9-1-1 interconnect service funded by the regional district.

The primary cause of areas having no 9-1-1 service whatsoever (CCRD, parts of NCRD, Stikine Region), is the lack of an established regional 9-1-1 service and PSAP, as was the situation in the NRRM previously. This is influenced by administrative, economic and operational considerations, as well as technical limitations, such as mapping.

Although E-Comm in Vancouver already services approximately 99% of the primary 9-1-1 calls in BC from its locations in Vancouver and Saanich, it is only interconnected to the TELUS E-9-1-1 network and relies on the delivery of valid location (ALI) information in order to properly downstream 9-1-1 calls. E-Comm could easily absorb the additional primary 9-1-1 call volume from these areas as long as the following conditions were met:

• Primary 9-1-1 calls can be reliably delivered to E-Comm’s facilities in the south

• Primary 9-1-1 calls present with valid ALI and indication of downstream service availability

Police and Ambulance service are universally available everywhere in BC, although remote areas will likely experience very long response times. However, many locations in the north (whether they do or do not have 9-1-1 service) do not have Fire/Rescue services available or if they do, there is no established secondary PSAP for that service.

Mapping and Addressing

All 9-1-1 stakeholders in BC are aware of the importance that civic addressing and GIS mapping will play in the delivery of Next Generation 9-1-1 services and associated dispatch. Generating, collecting and aggregating the data that forms the base map for NG9-1-1 purposes, and establishing the processes around maintenance and upkeep of that data, will be key components of NG9-1-1 service delivery. Lack of mapping and addressing is a primary reason for lack of 9-1-1 service in specific parts of northern BC.

GeoBC (GIS agency within the government of BC) has many of the foundational pieces in place. Detailed road network mapping/GIS data exists, mapped to a common standard. Community roads are mapped relatively well, but the data is not necessarily complete.

Page 87 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Street centreline and address data is generally more accurate and complete in larger centres. There is more uncertainty in remote and rural areas, including Indigenous communities. There are issues with addressing in some communities, including out of sequence addressing that can cause delays in first responders locating callers.

For example, in the NRRM, four communities have some form of addressing system, while three communities have no form of civic addressing. Civic addressing is best described as being in a ‘transitional state’, with some First Nations and designated authorities having expressed interest in developing official civic addressing systems. The NRRM is working on moving this forward through the development of Addressing and Street Naming by- laws, modifying, and verifying GIS datasets, and developing a guide around best practices and standards for community governance. The NRRM is investigating various solutions for areas where traditional addressing would not work (i.e. un-surveyed crown lands, non- road-based addressing, Oil Field Lease, and mile post based addressing).

Geo-Data Aggregation As identified in ESRE0089b – TIF92 – Mapping (GIS) and Addressing Considerations “…The creation and maintenance of GIS data for NG9-1-1 will be a significant on-going challenge for all stakeholders moving forward. There are a number of disparate local government agencies who are responsible for creating and maintaining authoritative GIS data such as road centrelines, civic addresses and administrative boundaries. These government agencies have varying levels of GIS capabilities, which will present a challenge in the creation and maintenance of complete NG9-1-1 GIS datasets across Canada. The ESWG has identified a need for NG9-1-1 network providers and, if available, provincial entities to perform an NG9-1-1 GIS data aggregation role.”

Recommendations 1 and 2 in CRTC Decision 2020-150 state the following: (i) That, where not otherwise defined by provincial legislation, and absent a provincial body that acts as a GIS aggregator, the Commission mandate that the incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) be, by default, the GIS and addressing data aggregator for its serving territory for the purpose of NG9-1-1;

(ii) That, where a provincial body exists, or comes to be in the future, and in the absence of provincial legislation governing the responsibility for the aggregation of 9-1-1 GIS data, the Commission mandate that the ILEC formally identifies that provincial body in the NG9-1-1 service agreement signed with the applicable 9-1-1 governing authority, and states that the provincial body is responsible for providing aggregated GIS and addressing data to the ILEC on behalf of the 9-1-1 governing authority for the purpose of NG9-1-1.

GeoBC will not assume the role of geo-data aggregator, but they are prepared to work with the incumbent local exchange carriers on the provision of NG9-1-1 geo-data. If data aggregated by GeoBC is not used, then some regional districts (e.g. RDKS, PRRD) will have to provide portions of their GIS data for NG9-1-1 to two different NG9-1-1 service providers as their regions include both TELUS and Northwestel ILEC service areas.

Connectivity Limitations

Page 88 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives As part of the implementation of the NRRM’s Regional Connectivity Strategy, the NRRM has engaged in efforts to expand cellular coverage across the region. These conversations overlap those around preparation for the mandated transition to NG9-1-1 and involve/will involve a full slate of government ministries, service providers, stakeholders, and First Nations. While the NRRM acknowledges the desirability of expanded cellular coverage to support access to 9-1-1 service across the region, it was prompted by the urgency of the need for three-digit emergency calling to proceed with implementing Basic 9-1-1 where connectivity is available, rather than waiting for future infrastructure upgrades.

In general, availability of landline and wireless services in northern BC is limited to the immediate vicinity of significant sized communities, if it exists at all. Wireless coverage is provided on some major highway routes but is sporadic outside of populated areas. The next few years are expected to see improvements in wireless coverage in remote and rural areas as a result of federal and provincial infrastructure grants.

The availability of new, Low Earth Orbit satellite services such as Starlink will improve broadband connectivity in remote and rural areas for people able to afford them. In some areas, such as Haida Gwaii, fibre-based broadband internet services are available but 9-1- 1 service is not.

A key issue to be considered is the model for deployment of NG9-1-1 service for people that only have satellite or other broadband internet connectivity. Today, some wireless providers offer “Cellular over WiFi” service. Along with nomadic VoIP devices, this may be the only mechanism for these subscribers to contact 9-1-1. Improvements to the ability to locate such devices and route 9-1-1 calls made over them will be a key requirement. However, with full geodetic routing, in parts of BC without an established 9-1-1 or NG9-1-1 service there may not be a PSAP to receive those calls, other than a “default” service provider such as Northern 9-1-1.

Communities in British Columbia served by Northwestel Blueberry (PRRD) Good Hope Lake (Stikine) Pink Mountain (PRRD) Bob Quinn Lake (RDKS) Iskut (RDKS) Prophet River (NRRM) Dease Lake (RDKS) Jade City (Stikine) Telegraph Creek (RDKS) Fireside (NRRM) Liard River (NRRM) Toad River (NRRM) Fort Nelson (NRRM) Lower Post (Stikine) Upper Halfway (PRRD) Fort Ware Kwadacha (PRRD) Mould Creek (NRRM) Wonowon (PRRD) Fraser (Stikine) Muncho Lake (NRRM)

Note: At least some of the listed communities in the PRRD and NRRM have 9-1-1 service. Communities listed in the RDKS and Stikine Region (in italics) do not.

Page 89 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives

Map of Regional Districts

Note: Regional District of Skeena – Queen Charlotte is now known as the North Coast Regional District (NCRD).

Page 90 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives

Appendix 5: First Nations Emergency Services Society Lightship Data First Nation Emergency Services Society (FNESS) has undertaken an Emergency Management industry leading initiative to further develop the FNESS decision support tool called Lightship28. Lightship is a map-based filing system capable of collecting, manipulating, displaying, and reporting on various data sets to support Emergency Management needs. Currently, collection of 9-1-1 specific information is a work in progress and data is limited, but FNESS is willing to expand the work on Lightship to collect and store 9-1-1 related information. The Lightship data project can be used to portray the degree and nature of service gaps in First Nations communities. This information has the potential to be used by a variety of organizations to plan initiatives and investment into response services and the transition to NG9-1-1.

Progress to date has included assembling spatial data assembled from several agencies including FNESS, Federal government, and Provincial data sources. First Nations community location data was overlayed with emergency response, mitigation planning, and some funding agencies boundary information. (See Figure 5 for an example of BC Wildfire Service Fire Center boundaries and First Nations communities.) Once all the information was downloaded from the open source data warehouse it was merged into a single data set for easier reporting. As more agencies start making spatial information available this data set can be updated to meet the needs related to implementation of NG9-1-1.

To date, FNESS has been using Lightship to support a range of emergency management, FireSmart, and wildfire training initiatives. Once geo-referenced field data is collected it can be easily uploaded to the platform for future viewing, and further developing geo- referenced mapping products to help support First Nation communities. Lastly, the FNESS decision support tool has provided a seamless continuity between historic data and current information, which can reduce the impact of staff turnover in First Nations communities. The Lightship tool will contribute to subsequent research into 9-1-1 capabilities in First Nation communities.

Figure 5. Map Depicting FNESS Work on 9-1-129

28 See https://fness.lightship.works/#/map 29 See https://fness.lightship.works/#/map

Page 91 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives Appendix 6: Map of Current State of 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia (2021)30

30 The cross-hatched area shown as “Northern BC” is the region that is discussed in the ESWG TIF 94 contribution in Appendix 4.

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GLOSSARY OF TERMS 2017-182 Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2017-182 legislating the “Next- generation 9-1-1 – Modernizing 9-1-1 networks to meet the public safety needs of Canadians.111”

2018-188 Telecom Decision CRTC 2018-188 modifies CRTC 2017-182 to “include NG9-1-1 related connections of secondary PSAPs in future NG9-1-1 network access tariffs.112”

AEMA Alberta Emergency Management Agency

ABC Association of BC 9-1-1 Service Providers

AHT Average Handle Time

ALI Automatic Location Information

ANI Automatic Number Identification

APCO Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials

ASA Average Speed to Answer

AWS Amazon Web Services

B9-1-1 Basic 9-1-1

BCEHS British Columbia Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) provides the emergency medical services for province of BC. BCEHS runs three secondary PSAPs which answer calls transferred from all the primary PSAPs in BC. BCEHS is the sole dispatcher of ambulances in the province. The PSAP operators for BCEHS have been specifically for calls that are of a medical nature.

CAD Computer Aided Dispatch systems

CBSA Canada Border Service Agency

CISA Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

COE Centre for Operations Excellence, a division of the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia

CRTC Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

DHHSI Deaf/Deaf-Blind, Hard-of-Hearing or Speech Impaired

DHS Department of Homeland Security

DND Department of National Defense

E9-1-1 Enhanced 9-1-1

Page 93 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives ECC Emergency Communications Centre

E-Comm 9-1-1 E-Comm 9-1-1 is a primary and secondary PSAP. As a primary PSAP, E- Comm 9-1-1 answers 9-1-1 calls if the caller is in Metro Vancouver and other regional districts and communities spanning from Vancouver Island to the Alberta border and US border to north of Prince George. As a secondary PSAP, E-Comm provides emergency dispatch services for 33 Police agencies and 40 Fire departments in BC.

EENA European Emergency Number Association

EIDO Emergency Incident Data Object

ERA Emergency Response Agency

ERC Emergency Response Coordinator

ESWG The Emergency Services Working Group (ESWG) is established by the CRTC to address initiatives related to the technical and operational implementation of 9-1-1 services. “The ESWG is composed of Telecommunication Service Providers, Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), and 9-1-1 Industry specialists.”113

ETSI European Telecommunications Standards Institute

EU European Union

FCC Federal Communications Commission

FNESS First Nations Emergency Services Society

FOIPPA Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act

GIS Geospatial Information System

ILEC Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier

IoT Internet of Things

Internet Protocol Internet Protocol

ISC Indigenous Services Canada

KPI Key Performance Indicator

MSAG Master Street Address Guide

MVI Motor Vehicle Incident

NENA National Emergency Number Association

NFPA National Fire Protection Agency

NG9-1-1 Next Generation 9-1-1

Page 94 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives NGC Next Generation Core Services

Northwestel Northwestel is a telecommunications company that operates mainly in Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavet. It provides B9-1-1 services to several areas in Northern BC that are unserved by TELUS.

NRRM Northern Rockies Regional Municipality

OCC Operational Communication Centre

OEC Office of Emergency Communications

OSP Originating Service Provider

PHSA Provincial Health Services Authority

PRIMECorp PRIMECorp is a private corporation created by BC’s Police Act to provide an information management system to law enforcement114. PRIMECorp provides custodianship of police data and information via its CAD and RMS system. PRIMECorp’s systems are used by all law enforcement agencies across the province of BC.115

PSAP Public Safety Answer Point

PSSG Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General

RCMP Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are the federal and national police service of Canada. They provide federal law enforcement and local policing on a contract basis to hundreds of municipalities and First Nations communities.

RMS Record Management System

RTT Real Time Text

SME Subject Matter Expert

TSP Telecommunications Service Provider

T9-1-1 Text with 9-1-1

TELUS TELUS is a Canadian national telecommunications company that provides the 9-1-1 network that enables E9-1-1 service to most of BC.

UBC University of British Columbia

UBCM Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) assists with policy-making by providing a forum for local governments of BC to take a united position.

US United States

VHF Very High Frequency

VoIP Voice Over Internet Protocol

Page 95 The Operational, Human and Policy Implications of Next Generation 9-1-1 Services in British Columbia Part One: Current State and Objectives

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