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(Fort McMurray, AB – April 11, 2022) – Regional Emergency Services (RES) joined an elite group having been recognized by The International Academies of Emergency Dispatch® (IAEDTM) as an Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) for emergency fire dispatching. The RES Dispatch Centre is the 62nd Fire ACE in the world.
“This accreditation is a testament to the ongoing commitment and high-quality work of our dispatch team,” said Jody Butz, RMWB Regional Emergency Services Fire Chief. “The standards we’re setting at our dispatch centre are amongst the best in the world, helping us consistently improve public safety and better serve the community.”
Municipality recognized for excellence during unusually busy year
In 2021, RES dispatch handled over 30,000 9-1-1 phone calls and responded to over 3,800 fire events within the Fort McMurray area and over 750 in rural areas. The Municipal dispatch service covers the entire region and includes six rural volunteer fire departments. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) dispatch services in the region are currently provided by the province.
Despite this spike in activity last year, the Municipal dispatch team maintained a high standard of excellence for public safety communications.
Global standards for dispatchers
ACE is a globally recognized standard of excellence and represents the highest standard of public safety communications. Accreditation is valid for a three-year period, during which all standards must be upheld.
There are currently over 3,500 emergency communication centres worldwide using the medical, fire, police, and emergency nurse triage protocols developed and maintained by the IAED. The protocol-based system—known as the Priority Dispatch SystemTM—is recognized as the standard of care and practice for emergency dispatch and is used in 46 countries.
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