The alarm is being sounded about the state of local 9-1-1 service.
In a business case submitted as part of the 2024-2027 Municipal Budget the London Police Service (LPS) writes, “The existing 9-1-1 system is at the brink of failure and cannot be sustained much longer. Not moving forward with Next Generation 9-1-1 would be catastrophic for the entire region.”
The report goes on to explain that since launching 32 years ago, upgrades have been nearly impossible given the 24/7 operations.
The necessary technology and expertise to update the existing system no longer exist.
“We are at a very severe, critical point,” said Coun. Steve Lehman, who also sits on the London Police Services Board (LPSB). “Anecdotally, I think people who have called the police, who use 9-1-1, they see the lacking service and response.”
The budget business case seeks municipal funding to adopt a Next Generation 9-1-1 System.
The internet-based system would:
- Identify location of 3,000 pocket dials/silent calls to 9-1-1 each year
- Vehicles in a collision built since 2015 will notify 9-1-1 of speed, number of occupants, seat belt use, and airbag deployment before emergency crews arrive
- Connect to real time closed circuit TV cameras at 9-1-1 caller locations
- Allow real time text to 9-1-1 services
- 9-1-1 accessibility for callers with certain communicative disabilities
London Police received 275,000 calls for service last year and 9-1-1 operators routinely manage three to four callers at a time and as many as six calls simultaneously.
“The person who is calling feels not protected, and the job of the police is to keep our city safe. We’re failing on that,” said Lehman.
So far, no community has migrated to a Next Generation 9-1-1 system, in part, because of pandemic related delays.
However, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has set a deadline for migrating to Next Generation 9-1-1 by directing that all existing systems be shut down by March 2025.
“We have a deadline, and quite frankly the board and the chief have to have the resources that they believe they need to keep the city safe,” Lehman told CTV News.
The 2024 impact of Next Generation 9-1-1 on property taxes would be $4.6 million.
Next Generation 911 will eventually require an additional 17 full time positions and 4 part time.
Some funding has already been provided by the province and LPS has applied for more.
Proactive work has been undertaken on a back-up 9-1-1 centre required for the transition to a new system.
Opportunities for public input about priorities in the city budget are scheduled throughout January.
