Kingston police and fire have transitioned to a new 911 response system, called Next Generation 9-1-1. It has been five years in the making.
Deputy Chief Scott Gee says the new system modernizes emergency communications.
“The older 911 system was put into place more than 30 years ago and, like any technology, you’re always looking to modernize and update.”
The previous system couldn’t pinpoint the location of cellphone users as accurately as landlines, but that changes with the new technology.
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“The cell-based calls come in through the cellular towers and the technology will pinpoint where that call is coming from. With the old system, there was a greater range,” Gee says. “A lot of times we’ll have dropped calls or situations where people can’t talk on the other end, and we’ll be able to identify where they are.”
Gee adds that these changes are only the first phase of the project, with more features expected over the next few years.
“I think the next phase would likely be RTT, or real-time texting, into the communications centres,” Gee says. “The final phase would be video and pictures coming through the system.”
Gee emphasizes the changes won’t affect how people contact emergency services.
“Our callers that are calling in to 911 would still follow the exact same process they’ve always followed. I can’t stress enough: only use 911 for emergencies. We still have other lines for non-urgent matters if you need to call police.”
The province has provided more than $4.2 million toward the project since 2022.
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