BEING PREPARED MEANS PROTECTING CRITICAL PUBLIC SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE

Construction to begin this summer in Langford on a new CREST public safety building for the Capital Region.

When the Capital Region’s first responders and public service agency personnel head out to work each day, they are connected to one another 24/7, 365 days a year by a emergency telecommunications network operated and maintained by the Capital Region Emergency Service Telecommunications Inc. (CREST). In 2020, CREST completed a region-wide upgrade to an all digital P25 platform considered a world standard in public safety communications. This investment significantly improved audio clarity for all users and introduced lifesafety features of interoperability and encryption. To keep pace with population growth, thirtyfive transmission towers and more than seventy-five in-vehicle repeaters have been added throughout the region to improve and increase coverage, and colocation agreements with Rogers Communications have enabled CREST to extend their network along Highway 14 from Shirley to Port Renfrew, as well as on the Gulf Islands.

Being prepared for a largescale emergency is important for everyone. It’s essential for CREST. The CREST network allows for critical public safety resiliency and provides the region’s first responders with the best communications tools available. Ensuring that CREST’s operations, infrastructure and equipment are housed in one location in a postseismic building is the next step. Site preparation for a new CREST public safety building is underway at 2321 City Gate Boulevard. “It’s critical that our region’s public safety technology and infrastructure is protected and remains intact and operational every day, especially in times of greatest need,” said Esquimalt Councillor Tim Morrison, who chairs the CREST board of directors. “Having a purpose-built, post-disaster building for CREST is an emergency management best practise. It sends a strong message of confidence to our region’s first responders and the public that CREST is prepared and will be there in the event of a large-scale disaster.” Langford Fire Rescue Chief Chris Aubrey agrees. “Ensuring first responder agencies and personnel can deliver lifesafety services during a major emergency is essential. To that end, CREST is the foundation of our success. This project will benefit the region and its residents for many years to come.”

More than fifty emergency response and public service agencies rely on the CREST network to keep themselves and the public safe. In 2023, the CREST network handled more than 10-million individual transmissions (one transmission every three seconds). crest.ca

Artist rendering. The new public safety building will house CREST staff, equipment and technology. Although equipment installations in first responder vehicles will take place from time to time, this is not an emergency response depot. No sirens will be involved during these working visits.