Fire Chief says it's to renovate the dispatch services, as they serve 27 communities
A $1-million investment for dispatch services at St. Catharines fire station on Merritt Street.
Fire Chief Dave Upper says about $400,000 of that is for new desks with built in AC, ensuring the equipment doesn't overheat.
He then points to what goes on the desks for the Next Generation 911 system. "The computer monitors are changing... with NG911, originally I think it was 2 screens, and then we were at 4, I think we're up to 6 or 8 screens now. You've got GIS mapping, you've got the computer aided dispatch system up."
He says the upgrades are needed as they serve 27 municipalities, and that number is growing. The work is expected to take about 6 weeks to do.
The Chief adds technology is changing so quickly. "Some people are using an Apple, some people are using a MacIntosh, or a Windows based computer system, but we're all using the same system now. It will enable us to get information real time faster, which enables us to get the proper resources responding faster."
He says as the Niagara region grows, credit goes to local police and fire chiefs for their vision.
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