Strathcona County is pulling back the curtain on an upgrade to its 9-1-1 communications centre, put into operation on October 26, 2023.
It is the first in all of Canada to use the Next Generation 9-1-1 network.
In a news release, the county said the new system provides operators with quicker, and more accurate data used to help determine a caller’s location and phone number. It also emphasizes improved cyber security, and back-up capabilities to provide system resilience in times a failure occurs.
“Keeping our community healthy and safe is a priority,” Mayor Rod Frank, is quoted saying in the release. “We are excited and proud to be leading the country in transitioning to this new network.”
Eventually, NG 9-1-1 will allow for texting, data, photo, and video messaging.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has mandated that all 9-1-1 services in the county must transition to the NG 9-1-1 system by March of 2025, the release said. Strathcona County is ahead of that deadline by approximately one and a half years.
Below: photo provided by Strathcona County.
