Emergency contacts

Remember, cell phones are not always reliable in the backcountry or in remote areas.

Emergency dispatch

Parks Canada has two 24/7 Emergency Dispatch Centres that receive reports and assist in the management of safety, wildlife, or wildfire incidents.

Using a Garmin inReach to call Parks Canada for help

To use a Garmin inReach in an emergency in the National Parks:

1. Push the SOS button and then exchange texts with the inReach Emergency Call Center (ECC) to clarify the location and nature of your emergency.
2. The ECC will notify Parks Canada and pass this information on to the Parks Canada dispatch centre.
3. The Parks Canada dispatch centre may send you the phone number of the Parks Canada Visitor Safety leader through the inReach ECC.
4. If you receive the number for Parks Canada Visitor Safety, send the Visitor Safety leader a text from your inReach device to initiate two way texting directly with Visitor Safety.

Important information

• Currently Parks Canada emergency dispatch centres are not set up to receive texts directly. Only voice calls from a cell phone, satellite phone or VHF radio will go directly to the Parks Canada dispatch centre.
• Remember that all two way texting conversations using a Garmin inReach device must be initiated from the user’s device. Parks Canada Visitor Safety cannot initiate a text if they have not received a text from the InReach device first.
• Parks Canada Visitor Safety may also send an email to the inReach user to open communication lines if texting is not working.
• Keeping your emergency contacts up to date and informed about your activities helps speed up emergency responses, and helps emergency responders bring appropriate resources to the incident.
• Including information on how to reach the Parks Canada dispatch centre with your emergency contact information can help speed up responses within the National Parks.