Powell River Fire Rescue applies for grant related to 911 system

City of Powell River will be applying for a $90,500 grant to upgrade Powell River Fire Rescue equipment to be compliant with the next generation 911 (NG911) system.

At the May 8 city council meeting, councillors reviewed a submission from fire chief Martin Drakeley to apply for grant money from Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM).

Drakeley said he was presenting a budget amendment report to allow for a UBCM grant application for fire engine computer-aided dispatch upgrades to include NG911 software and hardware. He said this was a last-minute submission and the application is currently on hold with UBCM until city council approval is received.

Councillor Earl Almeida said it sounds like the grant has been verbally earmarked. He asked should the grant be denied, is this a required tool that the city would have to figure out funding for?

Drakeley said the grant has been applied for and there was a deadline that the fire department was made aware of fairly late in the process. He said there is no current city budget allotment for this procurement.

“We were unsure if the grant is going to be put forth and supported next year by UBCM, so I made a hasty decision and put the grant in, with the request that we don’t have the council resolution at this time, but we are seeking it by today’s date,” said Drakeley. “At that point, they accepted it and they are just waiting on the resolution.”

Council carried the motion to support the application for the UBCM NG911 grant opportunity to implement a mobile data terminal upgrade and computer-aided dispatch deployment renewal project, and that the city’s 2025 to 2029 financial plan bylaw be amended to include the $90,500 grant revenue.

In a report to council, Drakeley stated that NG911 is a new and improved 911 service, and that NG911 will give first responders new tools that will enhance public safety by providing quicker and more accessible communication during emergencies.

“NG911 will make it possible to provide additional details about emergency situations,” stated Drakeley. “For example, in the future, Canadians could send video of an accident, as well as make medical information available to first responders. This will lead to safer, faster and more informed emergency responses.”

Councillor Rob Southcott said he sits on the North Island 911 board as a representative of qathet Regional District, of which the city is a part. He said the regional district is a shareholder in North Island 911.

“The new generation 911 is a vast technological change from the 911 system we are used to,” said Southcott. “Essentially, it’s going to allow for data to be conveyed over all the 911 systems across Canada. It’s regulated by the Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission.

“North Island 911 is ahead of most other organizations in doing all the upgrades, which will also include training for all users. We won’t notice that much of a difference on the user end, but the capabilities will be vastly improved. It involves major upgrades in technology. I’m really glad to see this happen. We’re ahead of the game here.”

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