Given that Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is governed by a number of statutes, such as Part II of the Labour Code and various Treasury Board standards, including the Standard for fire safety planning and fire emergency organization, Chapter 3-1, we are obliged to take every measure necessary to fulfill our duty to protect employees, information and other assets.
The main objective of the project to lease 93 portable radios, including access to a private network, is to ensure effective communications among Building Emergency Evacuation Team members during various emergencies inside departmental buildings in the National Capital Region.
The primary goal remains to fulfill the employee safety mandate of the Department and of the Government.
During emergencies, as officers accountable for security across Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) offices in the National Capital Region, we must be able to communicate with the Building Emergency and Evacuation Teams in each of our buildings. Regardless of the situation, we must maintain open channels of communication with them to provide information and guidance. Often, normal telecommunications channels become overloaded and cease functioning in emergencies, whereas radios continue to operate.
The Department’s Regional Office Building Emergency and Evacuation team will be responsible for the portable radios and other equipment. Portable radios will be distributed to Emergency and Evacuation Team members, namely, Administrative Chiefs, Chief/Deputy Chief Floor Emergency Wardens and certain Floor Emergency Officers.
It is essential that ESDC have access to the supplier’s private digital network. Enhanced radio coverage ensures communication among Emergency and Evacuation Team Members for the safety of all concerned.
The supplier agrees to provide ESDC with high-quality portable radios allowing for the best possible coverage inside the various buildings over a private network.
