Being an aging cynic who�s been around the block a few times in my life, it takes a lot to impress me. But man, I was impressed yesterday with a visit to the OPP Central Region Headquarters in Orillia. I got a first hand look at the Communications Centre.
The �Comm� Centre handles all OPP calls for Central Region, a huge region that stretches from Peterborough to Huntsville down to Toronto. It also handles many calls for the GTA. In fact, the center handles over 800,000 calls a year. Think about that. That�s an average of over 2,000 calls a day. Calls for help, 911 calls, emergency calls, traffic calls. And each call has to be organized, officers dispatched and other agencies such as fire or paramedics contacted. It�s a massive task.
The gathered horde of media types was told just before the tour began that the Comm Centre would resemble the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. It was a good analogy. Several consoles featured big computer screens, three screens to a console. The sophistication of the technology was impressive. And the Centre never goes down. There are three separate power supplies and each system, no matter how small, is backed up in a dozen different ways.
But what I found most impressive was the calm, cool efficiency of the people working these consoles. These men and women, call-takers and dispatchers, are talking to people on emergency or other calls, talking to officers on the scene or en route, and talking to other colleagues at the Comm Centre. It�s like being an air traffic controller.
I�d like to thank Inspector Ed Robertson, Sergeant Don Killens and particularly Constable Christi Clue, who most media people deal with on a regular basis. I was damned impressed. I was impressed with the technology, but more with the people who do this job. They truly make a difference in the lives of all Ontarians, and their speed and professionalism can often be the difference between life and death.
Yes, their job is THAT important.
From the Cheap Seats, I�m Al Brown
