Ontario Modernizing the Emergency Response System with Kawartha Lakes Police Service
Funding for new technology and training will help transition to “Next Generation 9-1-1”
Kawartha Lakes — The Ontario government is investing up to $1,031,681to help the Kawartha Lakes Police Service (“KLPS”) update and upgrade their emergency response capabilities to better reach people in need.
Today, Solicitor General Michael Kerzner announced $78 million for emergency telecommunications infrastructure across the province. This funding is the next stage in the $208 million investment that was announced in April 2022 to help municipalities and emergency response centres acquire the infrastructure, technology, and training needed to transition to a new 9-1-1 communications system known as Next Generation 9-1-1.
“When people are facing an emergency or crisis, we want to ensure they can receive the help they need quickly and efficiently” said Laurie Scott, MPP for Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock. “This additional funding for the KLPS will enable faster and safer responses when time is of the essence”.
Emergency operators, dispatchers and communicators are heroes of public safety, putting modern 9-1-1 technology at their fingertips will help keep our communities safe.
“Next Generation 911 will modernize emergency response infrastructure and enhance public safety. We are grateful for the provincial partnership that is supporting this transition,” said Mark Mitchell, Chief of Police for the Kawartha Lakes Police Service. “Ontario’s investment in NG911 technology will provide more precise location coordinates for mobile callers, text to 911 options and improve emergency response.”
QUICK FACTS
- Next Generation 9-1-1 will enable voice, text messages and data to flow seamlessly from the public to 9-1-1 communications centres when emergency assistance is required.
- It will also give emergency operators and dispatchers the ability to identify the location of a call using GPS coordinates, resulting in a safer, faster, and more informed emergency response.
MEDIA CONTACT
William Hume
Legislative Assistant
Office of MPP Laurie Scott
Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock
william.hume@pc.ola.org