Our 911 Emergency Communications Centre (ECC) is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. They answer 911 and non-emergency calls while dispatching Police and Fire Services. Not only do our Communicators and Dispatchers answer 911 in an Emergency, but they also ensure the safety of our Officers who are responding to active and evolving situations.

This National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, April 10-16, 2022, we thank our Communicators and Dispatchers for their vital service. You are the unseen heroes - thank you for ensuring the safety of our Frontline Officers and community members.

Meet Andrea Savage, Manager of the 911 ECC: woman smiling sitting at desk

“Transitioning to my new role as Manager of Emergency Communications followed almost 15 years of experience as a communicator and three years as a policy writer within our Strategic Operations Unit. I was inspired by other members within the organization, who have taken on various leadership roles and continue to advocate for positive change. I wanted to be part of that change.

The best part of my job, is collaborating with many of our highly skilled, professional communicators as well as other members within the Service, to ensure constant innovation in our business practices. We are always looking for more effective and efficient means of delivering our services to the public, through evidence based decision making models. These decisions have important implications for the safe and equitable delivery of emergency and social services, through both 9-1-1 and our non-emergent phone lines, as well as online reporting.

My passion has always been emergency communications. We work in a dynamic environment where one day is never the same as the next. The work performed within the 911 ECC requires a variety of technical skills, interpersonal skills and a certain level of resilience. All of our members must successfully complete our accredited training program to meet the standards necessary to perform the duties and responsibilities of a 9-1-1 Emergency Communicator. It is extremely challenging but equally rewarding. Every call is an opportunity to help a member of the community.

An ECC member could be providing information to a caller about our online reporting options and then taking a high priority call involving a report of weapons, intimate partner violence or a break and enter in progress, the very next minute. There is no way of predicting what that next call could be. Each group is a tight-knit unit, relying on each member of the team to manage any call for service.

I would advise someone aspiring to become a 9-1-1 Emergency Communicator to speak to somebody doing the job. We are hopeful to have the opportunity to host some information sessions in the future, where members of the public may have the opportunity to direct questions to some of our own members. Getting accurate information surrounding all aspects of this specialized career opportunity is the key to making an informed decision.”

Email icon Back to Search