London police are launching a modernized 911 system Tuesday that is expected to improve public access to emergency services.
The city is among the first in Ontario to adopt the Next Generation 911 (NG911) call management solution, touted as an innovative and transformational system that will allow operators to quickly assess, prioritize and handle calls.
Police say the move is a major step when it comes to modernizing the department's emergency response, replacing an analog system that has been used for several decades.
One of the biggest changes that will come from the new system is in confirming the location of a caller, said London police Staff Sgt. Glenn Hadley.
"In the past, it's always been information that has been bounced off of a cell phone tower, so it could be up to 500 metres away from where the person who's calling for help actually is located," Hadley told CBC News.
"Now, with NG911, we'll know precisely where the person is calling from, right to the very square metre." In addition, he says that location information will update should the person move.
The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission has required all municipal 911 services to upgrade their systems to provide NG911 services by March 2025. NG911 rolled out in Brampton and Mississauga earlier this year.
The system was contracted by Comtech Solacom, a company that specializes in public safety communications management.
The department has been working with Comtech for more than three years, with the last year-and-a-half focused on installation and programming.
In December, the province announced it would provide just over $4 million to the City of London for the transition.
The updated system will set the stage for future system updates, including the ability to text 911 and send photos and videos. Such functionality may come sometime next year, Hadley said.
"Its capabilities to integrate with other systems and other communication platforms is far greater than anything we've ever had," he said.
Residents calling 911 in London are first answered by London police, who then forward the calls to the London Fire Department and Middlesex-London Paramedic Service.
All three will complete the upgrade. Police are partnering with the fire department and allowing them to use their system while remaining autonomous, Hadley said.
In addition to being able to share data and information between the agencies, calls and data can also be forwarded on to other municipalities who have NG911.
Residents are being asked to refrain from calling 911 to test the new system on Tuesday.