RCMP communications centre fields hundreds of 911 calls every day
The RCMP Operational Communications Centre in Fredericton handles almost every emergency call for the RCMP in New Brunswick and that can mean responding to hundreds of calls per shift.
The CBC visited the centre during Friday's snowstorm and watched operators handle a flood of calls dealing with weather-related accidents and other incidents.
"We know that around suppertime, everybody's heading home, so then we're hoping people are driving slow, taking their time, and when they forget that, that's when we get calls of cars off the road," said Cpl. Chantal Farrah.
Farrah manages the centre where all calls outside of the Moncton area are received and where almost every RCMP investigation begins.
Reassuring people in crisis
"When people are calling they're calling in a time of need, a time of crisis and they need operators that are calm that can reassure them that the help's on the way," said Farrah.
Operator Olivier Caron-Cyr was kept busy during his 10-hour shift.
"The vehicles, are they still on the road as far as you know? Are they blocking the road?" asked Cyr as he dealt with a call.
The 911 calls are first received by regional Public Safety Answering Points. From there, calls requiring police get directed to the appropriate force.
The communications centre in Fredericton receives hundreds of calls each day that are handled by trained operators.
They each have four computer screens that are filled with information they need to help them deal with the calls and dispatch help.
"Operators are token multitaskers. So basically what they're doing is they are our ear into what's going on in the community," said Farrah.
Caron-Cyr said they deal with some very challenging situations during their shifts.
"Every shift you might get something different that you've never gotten before, so it always kind of keeps you on your toes. It makes the shift go by pretty quick," Caron-Cyr said.
He said it is sometimes difficult to deal with domestic abuse calls.
"They're also monitoring police officers' safety," said Farrah. "So when officers are going to a high risk call they have timers that they put for officers."
The communication centre also manages the RCMP's four aircraft for Atlantic Canada.
