911 Celebrates 4th Anniversary

Emergency Measures Organization 911 Celebrates 4th Anniversary

July 7 marks the fourth anniversary of provincewide 911 service in Nova Scotia. Since that time, over a million calls on 911 have been answered and transferred to the appropriate emergency response agencies.

The Emergency Measures Organization is working on a number of improvements to the 911 service for all Nova Scotians.

"Nova Scotia can boast of having a world-class 911 system," said Jamie Muir, Minister responsible for the Emergency Measures Act. "We were the first in Canada to have provincewide 911 service and we have become leaders in continuing to create opportunities to develop a better 911 system."

One major initiative will be the purchase of digitally compliant call-answering equipment to replace the current analogue system. The new digital equipment will provide many advantages, including the ability to receive calls faster and to provide better tracking of 911 calls.

Other planned improvements include an enhanced training program for 911 call takers and increased public education in the schools and the community in the proper use of 911. The distance-marker project, in which reference signs have been erected at two- kilometre intervals along Highway 102 and a section of Highway 101, will also be continued.

In addition, Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations is working on a three-year civic-address project that will benefit all emergency response agencies in the province. By developing digital maps of every county in Nova Scotia, emergency responders will have an easier time finding the exact location of the emergency once the call is made to 911.

"911 has been extremely successful in saving the lives of many Nova Scotians and therefore it is essential to keep our system current and even improve it as technology advances," said Mr. Muir. "This government recognizes the need to have a world-class 911 system in place -- Nova Scotians deserve no less -- and the improvements planned for the coming year will ensure this happens."

Nova Scotians can access more than 400 emergency agencies through the 911 emergency reporting service. Last year alone, the service's call takers handled approximately 200,000 calls.