Public Safety Communications Annual Report 2012

Annual Report 2012

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Contents

Message froM the general Manager 1Message froM the Board of governors 2Message froM the CoMMander 3Who We are 4What We do 8WhY We do It 12hoW We do It 16What’s next 18

MessAge fRoM the geneRAl MAnAgeR

1Message froM the general Manager

Recognizing the need for capital projects to address city growth as well as lifecycle needs of existing facilities, we celebrated the grand opening of the Genesis Wellness Centre and the reopening of Calgary’s only indoor public park, Devonian Gardens, following an extensive renovation. Funding for four new recreation centres was secured and the Community Investment Fund supported numerous projects including Bowness Park, Shouldice Aquatic Centre, Optimist Park, tree planting and playground replacements.

The Calgary Fire Department opened two fire stations, and the new Emergency Operations Centre also opened, housing the Calgary Emergency Management Agency and the Public Safety Communications (9-1-1) backup centre.

All of this work supports what citizens believe to be important: a family-friendly city, quality service, help for those in need and investment in community infrastructure. These are things that contribute to bettering neighbourhoods and creating a city in which we all want to work, live and play.

Calgary is a better place because employees and partners of the Community Services & Protective Services department care about citizens, our community and one another.

Erika Hargesheimer General Manager Community Services & Protective Services The City of Calgary

Dear Council, citizens and City colleagues,

Ensuring Calgary is a socially inclusive, liveable and sustainable city is at the heart of all we do. We take great pride in serving Calgarians and we work hard to continually improve quality of life in our city in partnership with community agencies, community and social recreation associations, civic partners as well as a network of provincial and federal emergency management agencies.

2012 was a busy and exciting year for Community Services & Protective Services. We began the year with Recreation centennial celebrations. Dubbed Rec100, we celebrated each month with a theme and fun-filled activities. Another highlight was Calgary’s designation as Cultural Capital of Canada, affirming Calgary as a city enriched by diversity.

The Multi-Agency School Support Team (MASST) expanded in 2012. This innovative partnership with Calgary Police Service, Community & Neighbourhood Services and school boards, provides early intervention services to elementary-age children exhibiting high-risk behaviour or victimization that may lead to criminal involvement. Additionally, we received a commitment from Council through Fair Calgary to initiate work on a single point of entry system for eligibility and access to all low-income programs and services offered by The City.

More than 160,000 Calgarians attended Canada Day celebrations which included events connected along Olympic Plaza, Prince’s Island Park, RiverWalk, Riverfront Avenue to East Village and Fort Calgary. And 16,500 citizens voiced their opinions over a six-month period on what matters most to them about their library and what a 21st century library should be. This input is now being used to guide the next phase of work for the new Central Library.

MessAge fRoM the BoARd of goveRnoRs

2 Public Safety communicationS | ANNuAL REPORT 2012

often can mean the difference between life and death, which is why Public Safety Communications places a large focus on staff recruitment, training and retention. Significant strides were also taken over the past year to better position Public Safety Communications for the future, including the completion of a new 9-1-1 backup centre.

Public Safety Communications works busily to ensure we are meeting citizens’ expectations. This includes operating in a way that improves our efficiency, using our existing resources to our maximum ability while incorporating innovative and emerging technology, and providing opportunities to expand our revenue stream to reduce our reliance on the municipal tax base. As we look ahead to 2013, we applaud the anticipated legislative changes expected to be introduced by the Government of Alberta. These changes will help to provide new funding supports to local public safety answering points, such as Calgary’s Public Safety Communications, and ultimately will help us provide the best service possible to Calgarians requiring emergency services.

In closing, I would once again like to thank all Public Safety Communications staff for doing the very difficult work they do each day, and Calgary citizens for their continuous support of PSC.

Regards,

Trevor Daroux, Chair, PSC Board of Governors

On behalf of the Public Safety Communications (PSC) Board of Governors and the citizens of Calgary, I would like to express my appreciation for the ongoing commitment of Public Safety Communications staff to keeping our communities, citizens and first responders safe. Each day, citizens rely on these individuals’ quick thinking and handling of 9-1-1 emergency and non-emergency calls to activate the chain of events necessary to deliver fast, reliable assistance to those who need it. A 2012 Citizen Perceptions and Expectation survey tells us that 97 per cent of residents believe that Calgary’s 9-1-1 service is important to them and their families and 93 per cent believe that 9-1-1 is essential to having a high quality of life.

As the Board of Governors, our role is to help define the strategic direction for Public Safety Communications and ensure it has the resources and support it needs to help meet targeted goals and objectives. I am very happy to report that over the past year, Public Safety Communications has made significant progress on the goals and objectives set out in the 2012–2014 Business Planning and Budget Cycle.

As always, our goal has been to provide Calgarians and our stakeholders with an unparalleled level of service. Each day, our staff members work diligently to ensure they are meeting service standards and offering their best to the citizens of Calgary. The work undertaken by these front line workers

3Messages froM the Board of governors and the CoMMander

Our Public Safety Communications team is proud to serve as the first essential link in the public safety chain, facilitating the life-saving support of our partner agencies to the citizens of Calgary and other communities across Southern Alberta. Built upon the hard work and dedication of over 300 emergency communications officers, administrative support and a management team, PSC responded to nearly one million emergency and non-emergency calls in 2012. Based on the feedback we received from callers, I am very happy to report that Calgarians are confident and trust PSC to deliver the services needed to make Calgary a safe place to live.

I would like to commend the PSC team for their hard work and dedication in 2012 – a year which was highlighted by much growth and change. Once again, PSC handled increased call volumes over the previous year, continuing with the upward trend we’ve experienced since 2009. Despite this increased demand for our services, the PSC team maintained strong performance metrics for emergency calls. As a means of addressing the growing demand for our services, PSC has instituted a number of strategies to enhance performance and secure operational efficiencies, including improved co-ordination with partner agencies to reduce call volumes and a comprehensive internal operational review. In November, Council approved additional growth

MessAge fRoM the CoMMAndeR

positions in 2013 and 2014. The growth positions will support us in meeting our performance outcomes. We are grateful for the support of Council.

In addition to employing strategies related to managing our growth, we also implemented strategies to secure operational efficiencies, including adopting an industry best practice call evaluation process for police calls. This process is a proven tool which guides our emergency communications officers through high-risk calls where consistency and comprehensiveness are critical. As well, with the completion of Calgary’s new Emergency Operations Centre in 2012, Public Safety Communications will be positioned to move into our new backup facility in 2013. Not only does this new facility allow us to offer citizens uninterrupted access to 9-1-1 business functions, it also allows the sustainability of Public Safety Communications in the long term.

Public Safety Communications is committed and dedicated to a safer future for our city. With the support of our citizens, stakeholders and City Council we are in an excellent position to continue making Calgary a safer place to live in 2013.

Sincerely,

Commander Steve Dongworth


Before the police, fire department or ambulance arrives, Public Safety Communications (PSC) is there. PSC connects Calgary and area residents with the emergency services they require.

Last year alone, nearly 300 PSC emergency communication officers (ECOs) received almost one million emergency and non-emergency calls for the Calgary Police Service, the Calgary Fire Department, and contracted agencies including Alberta Health Services for emergency medical services in Calgary and areas outside city limits. An ECO’s ability to evaluate these calls in a professional manner enables a timely and effective response from emergency service providers.

WHo we ARe

of Staff memberS are Proud to Work for tHe city of calgary

80%

5

Our Vision: To be the model of excellence in public safety

communications in Canada.

Our Mission: To meet or exceed Canadian industry standards

in public safety communications while balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders.

Our Mandate:• Supporting primary agencies and contracted

clients in their business needs through solutions designed to enhance their response, resource deployment and service to citizens.

• Contributing to improved public safety and community resiliency through efficient, effective management of 9-1-1 and non-emergency calls.

• Delivering value to our primary agencies, contracted clients and citizens through innovation in our processes, technology and workforce.

Core services: Provide constant and continuous:• Emergency telephone call evaluation

and dispatch.

• Non-emergency call evaluation and processing for our client agencies and citizens.

• Communications support for front line crews.

Our teamThe backbone of Public Safety Communications is our team of nearly 300 emergency communications officers. Our ability to provide citizens the best 9-1-1 service possible is reliant on the strength and skills of these individuals and the supporting management team. As such, sustaining this team through improved employee satisfaction, safety and retention is paramount.

Employee satisfaction Each year, an employee satisfaction survey is conducted to gauge satisfaction levels and identify opportunities where we can provide better support to our employees. In 2012, 65 per cent of PSC employees responded to this survey. Through their responses we learned that approximately 80 per cent of our staff members are proud to work for The City of Calgary. Additionally, approximately 70 per cent of staff felt that they understood the objectives of PSC and felt a sense of accomplishment from their work.

neW emergency communicationS

officerS trained and anSWering callS

35


PSC valuesEvery day, the work undertaken by PSC staff is guided by a set of values. PSC’s core values were created by a staff committee in 2011 and reflect the qualities each individual brings to the team and how they approach their job of serving the community.

Teamwork We are a proud, supportive, united team committed to a common cause.

Respect We treat people with fairness, compassion and understanding.

Integrity We strive to achieve the highest ethical and professional standards.

Honesty We are truthful and open with others.

Recruitment at PSCAs stated in our 2012–2014 Business Plan, PSC remains focused on building and maintaining a competent, capable workforce to support our service delivery model. To achieve this goal, PSC works to retain staff and build a stronger workforce. Implementation of a strict recruitment screening process allows PSC to find the best-suited candidates for our emergency communications officer positions, thus allowing us to maintain excellence in service delivery to our citizens. PSC is committed to maintaining a comprehensive recruitment strategy. This is accomplished through the use of sophisticated testing software, the interview process, stringent security clearances and candidate selection panels.

Our outreach program is another recruitment strategy that assists PSC in targeting those individuals who have a passion for emergency

did you know?

Our operations workforce is divided into four teams. Our ECOs work 12-hour shifts in a “two days-two nights on – four days off” pattern. This means ECOs work some weekends and holidays during their regular shift rotation.

who we are 7

communications. In addition to advertising ECO competitions through conventional methods, PSC provides recruitment information at career fairs and at colleges and universities that offer programs in emergency communications. This allows PSC to increase its exposure to potential candidates who may already have an interest in public safety communications as a career choice.

We are pleased to announce that in 2012, five classes of new ECOs graduated from training, preparing 35 new staff to take calls.

Maintaining strong relationships with partner agencies to better protect citizensBuilding and maintaining relationships with our partner agencies is an important aspect in building the capacity to assist them in effectively responding to emergencies. When an emergency happens, a number of teams may be involved. Our ECOs must communicate with Calgary Police Service officers, Calgary Fire Department members and members of Alberta Health Services’ Emergency Medical Services (EMS) team. While each provides a different service, they all work together to provide the best service possible to citizens.

“ There is no question we have a very skilled and dedicated team of professionals working at Public Safety Communications. Each and every day, these individuals provide a critical bridge between Calgarians and emergency responders, through teamwork and professionalism. ” — Superintendent Katie McLellan,

Calgary Police Service

“ Public Safety Communications performs the mission critical task of collecting call information, redistributing it, and tracking responding units. Matters affecting the life, property, environment and economy of all Calgarians are handled with expertise and professionalism. PSC is our critical link to service provision. ”— Tom Sampson, Executive Officer,

Calgary Fire Department

“ PSC links us all together – EMS, fire and police. We rely minute to minute on the communications network they provide. Without the communication bond between our services, our ability to relate crucial information to other partner agencies may be delayed or not happen at all. This could make the difference in everything from positive patient outcomes to first responder safety. ”— Stuart Brideaux, Public Education Officer,

Paramedic, AHS EMS, Calgary Metro.


Serving a region of approximately 40,000 square kilometres and answering nearly one million emergency and non-emergency calls in 2012, PSC is one of the largest public safety answering points in Canada. For the past several years, PSC has experienced an increase in the number of 9-1-1 calls consistent with population growth within the area we serve.

In 2012, PSC received 486,731 emergency calls (down slightly from 2011) and 431,573 non-emergency calls (up slightly from 2011). Not unlike past years, police-related non-emergency calls made up the majority of non-emergency calls.

Seconds count…In an emergency, seconds count. PSC works diligently to provide a timely response to all calls. As part of our business goals, PSC has established a target grade of service to answer emergency 9-1-1 calls within 15 seconds, 95 per cent of the time. For non-emergency calls, our target is to answer 90 per cent of calls within 30 seconds.

In 2012, PSC met the target grade of service on emergency 9-1-1 calls, but fell short of meeting the target grade of service goal for non-emergency calls. A renewed focus will be made in 2013 to improve the level of service on non-emergency

WHat we do

0

20122011201020092008

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

9-1-1/Fire/EMS Police 9-1-1 EMS non-emergency Fire non-emergency Police non-emergency

89

97 98 96 9690

94 93 95 9386 88

84 87 89 9186

8286 88

43

63 65

7873

Meeting the grade of service for 9-1-1 and non-emergency calls

Police 329,368non-emergency

Fire 68,343non-emergency

Medical 33,862non-emergency

Total 431,573

15.84%

7.85%

76.31%

2012 non-emergency call breakdown

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

20122011201020092008

600,000

Emergency calls Non-emergency calls

448,459415,747

454,783 443,206

525,520

446,433

494,180

423,221

486,731

431,573

Calls to PsC 2008-2012

tHe average SPeed of anSWer for 9-1-1 callS

6 SecondS

what we Do 9

calls, which often include reports on non-injury motor vehicle collisions, noise complaints and crimes which are not currently in progress.

Protecting our community – serving our citizensThe 9-1-1 service is one service most citizens hope to never have to use. But for those who do, their satisfaction levels are high. Based on a survey of those who called 9-1-1 in 2012, 97 per cent of users were satisfied or very satisfied with the level of service they received. That’s the highest-ever rating, topping last year’s satisfaction level of 94 per cent. The top reasons callers cited for their satisfaction were the speed at which they received a response and the helpfulness of the emergency communications officer who handled the call.

“i got tHe information i WaS after and tHe advice

i needed.” – 9-1-1 caller

Courtesy of CANTF2


An officer-involved shooting is a significant event so teamwork and effective communication are crucial. The dispatcher team did a fantastic job relaying Rob’s information to the responding officers, as well as getting police backup to the incident location immediately. This was excellent teamwork by all and is just one of the thousands of examples of the work done by PSC employees.

Part of a bigger team in caring for Albertans In May 2011, a fire consumed the Town of Slave Lake, Alberta, forcing the evacuation of 7,000 residents. By the time the fire was brought under control roughly one-third of the town’s businesses, public buildings and homes were destroyed, and more than 700 residents were left homeless.

The City of Calgary deployed staff from the Calgary Fire Department, Canada Task Force 2, Calgary Emergency Management Agency and members of the PSC team. In addition to working around the clock to assist in battling the blaze, the team held a private fundraiser to collect goods for Slave Lake residents who had lost all their belongings in the fire. In 2012, this team was honoured with The City of Calgary’s Star of Excellence award for their selfless work on the Slave Lake disaster.

Award-winning team Public Safety Communications is proud of Emergency Communications Officer Rob Vanderkley, the recipient of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) Canada’s 2011 “Telecommunicator of the Year” honour. It was the first-ever national award presented to Calgary’s Public Safety Communications, and Rob received it in front of his peers when he attended the APCO Canada Conference in Winnipeg in November 2012.

The award honours the work performed by Rob on an October 2011 emergency call involving a domestic dispute. During the course of the call, Rob demonstrated all of the Public Safety Communications values (teamwork, respect, integrity and honesty) by alerting attending officers that there was a weapon in the home, as well as being supportive of the caller, despite knowing police officers had been threatened and shots had been fired.

of 9-1-1 callerS Were SatiSfied WitH tHe level of Service tHey received

97%3%

increaSe

did you know?

In Calgary, accidental calls to 9-1-1 happen over 300 times each day from cell phones in pockets, purses and backpacks. ECOs follow up on every call to confirm whether an emergency exists, using resources which could be directed towards answering actual emergency calls.

Citizens can free up our emergency lines by implementing measures to prevent accidental 9-1-1 calls. Make sure to put your cell phone in standby mode, or store it in a holster to avoid pocket-dialling 9-1-1.

what we Do 11

Educating to make Calgary a safer communityIn addition to responding to emergencies, PSC also provides public education on topics such as accidental 9-1-1 calls and the differences between emergency and non-emergency calls. In 2012, PSC participated in a number of educational events and initiatives including the Calgary Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Alley and The City of Calgary’s Safety Expo. Additionally, PSC attended job fairs targeting both high school and post-secondary students, to educate on the prevention of accidental 9-1-1 calls as well as to promote career opportunities as an emergency communications officer.

Committed to caring even when off-dutyPSC employs some of Calgary’s most caring individuals – those willing to dedicate their careers to helping those in need – so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that many of our staff are involved in charitable endeavours away from work. In 2012, our team members continued their support of the united Way of Calgary and Area as well as supporting more than 50 separate non-profit organizations.

“i WaS very PleaSed WitH tHe Service i received. tHey did

everytHing i WaS exPecting tHem to do.” – 9-1-1 caller


The citizens of Calgary have spoken. Based on The City’s 2012 Citizen Perceptions and Expectations survey, an overwhelming majority – 97 per cent of Calgarians believe that Calgary’s 9-1-1 service is important to them and their families. Additionally, 93 per cent believe that 9-1-1 is essential to having a high quality of life. That’s up five per cent over the previous year.

PSC is committed to meeting these high expectations – and exceeding them. That’s why our team works diligently to constantly improve the services we offer through investments in new and cutting-edge technology, new training and support programs, and investment into a new 9-1-1 backup centre.

WHy we do It

13why we do it

Keeping pace with technologyLast year saw PSC investing in new technologies which enable us to offer increased levels of service to meet citizens’ needs. We implemented new scheduling software which helps us ensure staffing needs are met, particularly during peak call volume times, by identifying staffing shortages. The innovative program makes it possible to adjust schedules as required for training and major event planning, helping to ensure that PSC is always staffed at appropriate levels. In addition, new software was implemented which improves policy development and management, and ensures employee awareness of policy changes.

Finding new ways to connect with citizensCalgarians will now have the ability to pinpoint their location along some of the city’s pathways in the event of an emergency. In 2012, Public Safety Communications launched a pilot program which placed pathway markers along Centre City/Bow River, the Elbow River pathways and in Fish Creek Provincial Park. The markers, spaced approximately one kilometre apart, will assist pathway users in providing 9-1-1 emergency communications officers with location information so that emergency responders can be dispatched to a more precise location.

“tHey Were very good about telling uS exactly WHat

to do WitH our Situation and HoW to deal WitH it.”

– 9-1-1 caller


Always striving to provide better servicePSC moved forward on the implementation of a new call evaluation process in conjunction with the Calgary Police Service. This entailed adopting an industry-best practice, which guides ECOs through high-risk calls and ensures competency and consistency in responses regardless of experience level. The implementation of these new protocols aligns with PSC goals to improve accuracy and consistency in the evaluation of police events. It also advances the ability to manage an increased number of police calls with improved call entry times. ECOs are able to provide front line officers

with additional, more accurate information, which not only assists them in helping those in need, but also improves officer safety.

Analyzing our service to CalgariansTo maintain accountability as an emergency service provider, PSC must be able to demonstrate and report on its ability to respond in the community. The PSC Data Reporting Project, implemented in 2012, provides us with the ability to produce reports and analyze information from our Computer Aided Dispatch system and other data sources.

“He anSWered all of my queStionS and WaS informative.”

– 9-1-1 caller

why we Do it 15

Training for successIn 2012, five new classes of ECOs graduated from training, preparing 35 individuals to take calls. All new ECOs, whatever their function, receive 360 hours of face-to-face training. Following graduation, training is ongoing, providing ECOs with the framework to maintain their skill levels and confidence in supporting citizens and providing information for emergency responders. We promote a culture of exemplary customer service by providing reassurance, clear information and guidance, not only during traumatic events, but for all callers. Continuous training supports PSC in maintaining a vibrant workplace.

Prepared for times of emergencyWe can never be too prepared and in 2012, PSC saw the completion of our new 9-1-1 backup centre. In the event of an emergency at our regular 9-1-1 centre, this new backup facility will allow us to continue to be there for Calgarians in need of emergency services. Our previous backup centre offered us the ability to handle 50 per cent, or just half of our normal emergency and non-emergency call volumes. Our expanded backup 9-1-1 centre affords us the ability to receive and answer 75 per cent of our normal call volumes. In 2013, PSC will be able to handle 100 per cent of normal call volumes – both emergency and non-emergency calls – at the new backup centre.


Calgarians depend on the services PSC provides and expect that PSC will be there for them in times of emergency. While the services are important to citizens and to the community, so too is ensuring they are managed in a fiscally responsible manner. PSC is committed to ensuring taxpayer money is used efficiently and effectively in all aspects of its operations.

Operating and capital budgetsIn 2012, PSC’s operating budget was $20.7 million and PSC’s operating variance was less than one per cent. In addition to our operating budget, PSC had a $2.9 million capital budget. $2.0 million of the 2012 capital budget was spent to implement technology improvements. As well, funds were spent on the completion of Public Safety Communications new backup facility, which will enhance the safety of our citizens through uninterrupted access to 9-1-1 business functions.

HoW we do It

20122011201020090

20

40

60

80

100

Operating budget Actual expenditures

$ m

illio

ns

20.7 20.519.1 18.416.7 14.818.8

13.2

PsC operating budget vs. actual expenditures ($millions)

Municipal government property tax

.56¢

Provincial governmentproperty tax

.44¢

Animal & Bylaw Services 0.4¢Public Safety 0.7¢Communications (9-1-1)Community & 1.0¢Neighbourhood ServicesRecreation 1.5¢Parks 2.7¢Calgary Fire Department 6.3¢

{

dollar diagram/distribution of tax dollars, 2012

The Alberta Government receives 44 cents from every dollar collected through City of Calgary residential property tax bills.*

Of the 56 cents collected for the municipality, The City spends 12.6 cents on Community Services & Protective Services, as follows:

* Based on the combined current municipal and Provincial property tax rates as independently determined by each level of government.

“ SHe WaS very ProfeSSional and covered a lot more tHan i exPected. SHe SHoWed a lot of concern.” – 9-1-1 caller

How we Do it 17


PSC’s commitment to keeping Calgarians safe will continue in 2013. While great strides were made in 2012, we will continue to follow our five-year strategic plan for 2012–2016 and our three-year business plan for 2012–2014 to ensure we are offering the best possible services to our citizens.

WHat’S next

What’s Next 19

Also in 2013, work will be completed at the PSC backup centre, which will further increase our capacity to receive and answer calls during a time of crisis at our regular 9-1-1 centre. By the end of 2013, infrastructure will be in place that will enable PSC to handle 100 per cent of the normal call volumes at the backup centre, giving Calgarians uninterrupted access to 9-1-1 services.

By 2020, all citizens will have access to 9-1-1 using a variety of technologies, and 9-1-1 will have the capacity to manage all calls. In 2013, PSC will take the steps necessary to establish the Next Generation 9-1-1 system so 9-1-1 calls can be received via a variety of channels such as text messages, photos and videos. The implementation of Next Generation 9-1-1 will help us incorporate current technology in the work we do. With it we will be able to open up our services to the deaf, hard-of-hearing and speech impaired population who currently face challenges using our current voice-centric 9-1-1 system.

“ SHe Stayed on tHe line WitH me and told me WHat i needed to do.” – 9-1-1 caller

2013

-004

3

Public Safety Communications Annual Report 2012

Documents

Transcript of Public Safety Communications Annual Report 2012