Residents may not know exactly what happens when they dial 911, but they certainly expect and deserve an immediate and appropriate response.
In Peterborough County, these calls arrive at a hub where they are directed to the most appropriate service provider: the police, the paramedics or the local fire department.
Calls requiring fire department responses are relayed by a pager system to fire fighters, who in most Peterborough County municipalities, are highly-trained volunteers. The Cavan Monaghan Fire Department includes seventy volunteer members. These men and women are going about their lives at work or with friends and family when their pager summons them to an emergency. Whenever possible, they stop what they’re doing, hop into their vehicle and hit the road with a green light flashing in their front windshield, alerting the public that they are a first responder heading to the fire station to respond to an emergency. Other drivers on the road are required to yield or pull over to help the fire righter arrive at the fire hall as quickly as possible to collect the equipment to address the emergency.
Last month, Council approved a contract to replace an aging paging system used to notify firefighters across the county. The firm providing the paging service has decided to eliminate it as the widespread use of modern technology such as smart phones has reduced the demand for paging services. Fire Chiefs across the county have been collaborating with the company to continue to use this system which will soon no longer be functional. While a temporary device is currently allowing fire departments to by-pass the aging hub, it will not solve the issue in the long run. The importance of the system was highlighted during the derecho incident of May 2022 when there was a complete breakdown of the system, underscoring the importance of having formalized agreements and back-up plans for major outages that put the community at risk.
In a report to Council last month, Fire Chief Bill Balfour requested that Council join five other local municipalities and enter into a Radio Services Agreement with Bell Mobility, to provide a paging network mounted on existing towers that includes installation, maintenance, repair and administrative support for a fixed price over the seven year contract. This system is also backed up by a generator during power outages.
The cost of the new service is $62K per year, which is a significant increase in costs but an investment in the system that summons fire department members to respond promptly to emergencies in our community. The approved upgrades will ensure a reliable and stable system, ensuring that firefighters receive alerts of emergencies in a timely manner.
The public also bears responsibility to reduce the likelihood of an emergency and to be prepared when one arises at home or at work. This includes knowing the civic address (911 number) so it is clear where responders are required.
Having working smoke/CO alarms is a minimal step to prevent or reduce the dangers in the home.
As wildfire risks increase, rural homeowners are also encouraged to examine their property to identify ways to reduce the risk of fires starting outside. FireSmart Canada offers a variety of tips and tools that can help people protect their homes from wildfires. These include cleaning gutters, roofs, decks and balconies free of leaves and debris, storing firewood at least ten metres away from your home, pruning trees to create a two-metre clearance from the ground, and adding non-combustible screens to external vents other than those for dryers.
When confronted with an emergency, don’t delay: call 911. The sooner emergency responders can respond, the better their chances of addressing the danger and mitigating the damage. KG