Going digital: Port Fire Dept. leaving analogue behind By James Culic Reporter Thu., July 29, 2021 timer1 min. read My Local YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN... Going digital: Port Fire Dept. leaving analogue behind
Port Colborne Fire
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I guess they'll be switching to the Niagara P25 System?
I wonder if the rest will follow, Welland, Fort Erie, Wainfleet, Niagara on the Lake?
If St. Kitts fire is dropping their dispatch services for Port; AND Port Fire's moving to digital (be it the regional P25 system or a stand alone option) - there's going to be a LOT of moving pieces to sort out in the next 18 months or so...
Don't know about Fort Erie with the investment in the towers and radio's and their dispatch system. They may wait until the system depreciates and starts giving them problems before they make any move. They already said they were not going to the Regional system because of the cost of the move, that's why they upgraded their system.
jasoyeom
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Tried to register to read the article but it goes to a pretty much blank page and you can't do anything.
I'm not sure if this will work or not?
With a new digital emergency dispatch service on the horizon in Niagara, the older analogue system still used in Port Colborne will have to be scrapped.
The changeover comes during a time of major shifts for the city’s fire department, as the St. Catharines Fire Service has notified Port Colborne that it will no longer provide them with dispatch service at the end of 2022. The new digital system is expected to be up and running by March 2024, leaving the city with a year-long gap.
In a report from the city’s fire chief, Scott Lawson, presented at city hall during the council meeting on July 26, the recommendation was to make the switch to digital in order to make sure the city is prepared for the eventual switchover.
“This is a no-brainer. Let’s move forward; let’s keep our community safe,” said Ward 3 Coun. Frank Danch.
While council was in favour of making the switch from analogue to digital, Lawson said the bigger issue is who is on the other end of the line making the emergency dispatch calls.
“My concern is who our dispatching service is coming from,” said Lawson, who noted there are three different options floating around, but one which he’d prefer to see come to fruition. “The one we’re in favour of is a (Niagara) Region-owned and -operated system.”
Some councillors suggested ditching the city’s analogue system ahead of the Dec. 31, 2022 cut-off date, but Lawson said he’d prefer to wait and see what the Niagara Region decides to do in terms of consolidating Niagara’s emergency dispatch services into a single system.
With a new digital emergency dispatch service on the horizon in Niagara, the older analogue system still used in Port Colborne will have to be scrapped.
The changeover comes during a time of major shifts for the city’s fire department, as the St. Catharines Fire Service has notified Port Colborne that it will no longer provide them with dispatch service at the end of 2022. The new digital system is expected to be up and running by March 2024, leaving the city with a year-long gap.
In a report from the city’s fire chief, Scott Lawson, presented at city hall during the council meeting on July 26, the recommendation was to make the switch to digital in order to make sure the city is prepared for the eventual switchover.
“This is a no-brainer. Let’s move forward; let’s keep our community safe,” said Ward 3 Coun. Frank Danch.
While council was in favour of making the switch from analogue to digital, Lawson said the bigger issue is who is on the other end of the line making the emergency dispatch calls.
“My concern is who our dispatching service is coming from,” said Lawson, who noted there are three different options floating around, but one which he’d prefer to see come to fruition. “The one we’re in favour of is a (Niagara) Region-owned and -operated system.”
Some councillors suggested ditching the city’s analogue system ahead of the Dec. 31, 2022 cut-off date, but Lawson said he’d prefer to wait and see what the Niagara Region decides to do in terms of consolidating Niagara’s emergency dispatch services into a single system.
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It is important to cite the source of the "cut and paste" in the above post #7 that is why I edited the first post to a link.
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We have to be careful about copyright issues. If no complaints come about, we will let it slide this time. Please give credit where it is due.
So my question would be what will be happening in Norfolk and Haldimand counties as they are dispatched by St Catherine’s too? They also use an analog system.
Sorry Thanks for the info "Welland Tribune" I am a scriber as well.
homerjay
Member
I wonder if they have given notice to the rest of the region as well about their dispatching as well as was mentioned before Haldimand and Norfolk Counties. I know the west end (Grimsby, Lincoln, WL) is analog only dispatch but digital on the response on the new Niagara P25 system.
There are several Fire Dept's across Ontario that have figured out how to leverage and monetize their dispatch services... Barrie Fire, for instance, dispatches roughly 20 departments across Central Ontario... Other departments have followed similar models, including dispatching across (sometimes surprising) distances.
I would be surprised to see the region spin up a dispatch centre from scratch; unless it's part of a larger plan for the county to bring Fire up to the regional level, similar to EMS is currently handled. There are some departments that are dispatched by the local CACC, as well - although that's no common in my experience...
tl;dr - no idea where this is going, but going to watch with interest...
I would be surprised to see the region spin up a dispatch centre from scratch; unless it's part of a larger plan for the county to bring Fire up to the regional level, similar to EMS is currently handled. There are some departments that are dispatched by the local CACC, as well - although that's no common in my experience...
tl;dr - no idea where this is going, but going to watch with interest...
Fort Erie Fire now has there own dispatch do they not ??
Steve
I believe Fort Erie does their own dispatch, or at least it isn't out of St. Catharines... They use different terminology (FireComms vs Dispatch/Control) and just overall a different feel.
Yes, your correct the terminology is different. I don't know where the dispatch centre is down here in Fort Erie is. Sorry, it is FireComms now.
Tillsonburg uses the term Fire Comm for all the dept's they dispatch for. Not sure who they dispatch for but know they do themselves, Elgin County and Ingersoll. I think they dispatch for some communities along Lake Huron. (trying not to get off the OP’s thread)
They dispatch a good number of depts, including Fort Erie - good call!
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Tillsonburg Fire and Rescue Services
Chippewa Fire Department
Dutton/Dunwich Fire Department
Fort Erie Fire Department
Grand Valley and District Fire Department
Ingersoll Fire Department
Kincardine Fire Department
Lucknow Fire Department
Malahide Fire Department
Ripley Fire Department
Walkerton Fire Department
West Elgin Fire Department
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