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By rdnewsNOW Staff

Second Fire Accreditation

Red Deer Emergency Services earns award for dispatch excellence

Jan 10, 2022 | 6:07 PM

Red Deer Emergency Services (RDES) has been recognized by The International Academies of Emergency Dispatch® (IAED™) as an Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) for emergency fire dispatching.

This is RDES’s second Fire Accreditation; the first being received in February of 2019.

“As the late General Colin Powell once said, ‘There are no secrets to success; it is a result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.’ This is the everyday motto of our 9-1-1 Emergency Dispatchers,” said Lieutenant Holly Schrader, Accreditation Officer for Red Deer Emergency Services.

IAED is the standard-setting organization for emergency dispatch services worldwide. Accreditation (and subsequent re-accreditation) from the IAED is the highest distinction given to emergency communication centres, certifying that the centre is performing at or above the established standards for the industry.

Currently, there are only 45 fire emergency dispatching centres recognized as an Accredited Center of Excellence in the world.

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Centres who earn ACE status are the embodiment of dispatch done right, and have demonstrated strong local oversight, rigorous quality processes, and a commitment to data-driven continuous improvement, said the City of Red Deer in a release.

“Accreditation is truly a pinnacle achievement”, said Christof Chwojka, Accreditation Board Chair at IAED. “We applaud the dedicated call takers, dispatchers, and leadership team at Red Deer Emergency Services for their commitment to quality, and for meeting that high standard that few achieve. We know their community can count on these first responders to do an outstanding job.”

Red Deer’s Emergency Communications Centre (ECC) was established in 1955. The communications professionals who staff the ECC answer 9-1-1 calls and dispatch fire services for Red Deer and 70 additional fire departments throughout Alberta.

“The outstanding people who staff our Emergency Communications Centre have demonstrated themselves to be among the best in the world. When you call 9-1-1 for help, they are ready to provide you with exceptional response and support, 24/7, 365 days a year,” said Chris Kearns, Acting Chief for Red Deer Emergency Services.

IAED will present Red Deer Emergency Services with an Accreditation plaque that commemorates their achievement. IAED Accreditation is the culmination of a lengthy, arduous process that includes the completion of the 20 Points of Accreditation, a detailed evaluation of performance by industry experts, and a final review and ruling by IAED.

“This process is undertaken by communications centres who desire to be the best of the best.” explains Kim Rigden, Associate Director of Accreditation for IAED. “Achieving ACE confirms it. Red Deer Emergency Services should be very proud of this achievement and the wonderful service they provide to the community and their emergency responders.”

Accreditation is valid for a three-year period, during which all standards must be upheld. Emergency communication centres can earn multiple accreditations, one for each emergency discipline they service (medical, fire, police, and emergency nurse triage).

Today, Red Deer Emergency Services is being recognized for their re-accreditation for Emergency Fire Dispatch.

RDES are also accredited for Emergency Medical Dispatch, although EMS dispatching was taken over by Alberta Health Services in January 2021.

Over 3,500 emergency communication centres worldwide use the medical, fire, police, and emergency nurse triage protocols developed and maintained by the IAED. The protocol-based system—known as the Priority Dispatch System™ — is recognized as the standard of care and practice for emergency dispatch, and is used in 46 countries.