An upgraded "next gen" version of 911 is now available to residents of South Bruce Peninsula.
According to a press release from the Town of South Bruce Peninsula, Next Generation 911 (NG911) is now available in the area for all residents.
The service is delivered through South Bruce Peninsula’s fire dispatch provider, St. Catharines Fire Services, and the service "enhances emergency call handling for the 36 municipalities it serves across Ontario, including South Bruce Peninsula," according to the release.
This new system still has people dial 911 in emergencies, but it brings in several enhancements meant to improve speed, accuracy and system resilience. That includes quickly providing emergency operators with more-accurate data to help determine the caller’s location and phone number. The system also increases reliability and cyber security and provides more backup capabilities should a failure occur within the system.
Additionally, in the future, it will support new features like Real-Time Text and live emergency video calls.
The Ontario government, through the Solicitor General, has provided $4,016,982 in funding to support St. Catharines Fire Services’ transition to NG911.
"The implementation of Next Generation 911 is a significant step forward in protecting our residents and visitors," said South Bruce Peninsula Jay Kirkland. "Through our partnership with St. Catharines Fire Services, South Bruce Peninsula now benefits from enhanced technology that improves the speed, accuracy, and reliability of emergency response. We are grateful to the province, through the Solicitor General office of Honourable Michael Kerzner, for the investment in this critical infrastructure. This upgrade strengthens our emergency services today and positions us for even greater capabilities in the future, ensuring our community remains safe, connected, and resilient."
