Elliot Lake council is keeping it status quo when it comes to its 911 service, as an upgrade to a more digital one was deemed ‘prohibitive’.
Fire Chief John Thomas, who is also the Director of Emergency Services, says the current 9-1-1 system that Bell Canada is currently using is an analogue system introduced back in 1999.
Thomas says if an individual calls 9-1-1 using a cell phone and is unable to give their location, the dispatcher uses cell phone towers to try to determine where the caller is located, usually within a kilometre, so it is not always accurate.
However, he says if the city were to upgrade to the new digital system the cost would be prohibitive at around 1 million dollars but maintaining the system as it is would cost thousands less a year.
In the end, council agreed that the cost for the upgrades was too much and passed two motions, one – to enter into a 10-year agreement with Bell Canada for 911 services, and the second with the Sault Ste. Marie Central Ambulance Communications Centre owned and operated by the Sault Area Hospital.