911 upgrades in Winnipeg would allow location tracking, texting images and video

Upgrades to Winnipeg's 911 service could make it easier for first responders to locate callers and eventually enable residents to sends texts and photos during emergencies, city staff say.

Right now, 911 operators can only get a caller's precise location if they call from a landline, while cellphones can only be tracked to an approximate location, said Stacey Cann, director of communications for the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service.

Once the city moves over to what's being referred to as "next-generation 911," they'll be able to pinpoint where calls are coming from more accurately, she said.

"So if someone's in an apartment building, we can identify it, whereas right now we just don't have that ability,"Cann saidduring an interview at theWinnipeg Fire Paramedic Service's 911 call centre on Thursday.

Under the City of Winnipeg's draft budget, released Wednesday,the city will add a $1 fee to each monthly phone bill registered to a Winnipeg address starting July 1.

The proposed fee which is subject to provincial approvalis intended to fund the transition to the next-generation service for emergency calls, which is expected to cost more than $10 million.

The shift comes in response to a federal mandate from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission for municipalities across the country to decommission all old 911 systems by March 4, 2025.

The new system would allow 911 dispatchers to get more accurate geolocation data from callers, while also giving people the ability to text 911 operators and send them photos and videos.

The transition to next-generation 911for emergency calls has been talked about for many years, but has become more urgent with the CRTC deadline fast approaching.

Outdated technology

The biggest improvement will be to how quickly first responders can find people in an emergency, city officials say.

While most people now depend on cellphones versus landlines, the city's technology hasn't kept up, said Ron Williscroft, director of special projects for the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service.

"The impetus for us to go to this next-generation environment is basically because of thatbecause life is moving to a digital platform and all of our existing systems are antiquated, expired and running out of time," he said in an interview at the call centre.

WATCH | How 'next generation 911' could improve emergency response times:

How 'next generation 911' could improve emergency response times

8 months ago

Duration 0:58

Ron Williscroft with the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service explains how improvements to the city's 911 technology could help first responders reach people faster.

Cann said that old infrastructure is the reason 911 dispatchers can't find a caller's exact location whereas services like food delivery apps can.

"There's a long-running joke about, you know, how come I can order a pizza and you know where I am, but I call 911 and they don't?" she said.

"That goes back to that old infrastructure that we're trying to get rid of and move into the next generation."

The updates aren't expected to take place until next year. Until then, Williscroft said it's important for callers to give911 operators their exact location, if possible.

"That's why we tell people, when they call 911, know where you're calling from, know the street name, know the address. The most important thing is the location."

The city is also asking its police and fire paramedic services to explore consolidating their 911 call centres to increase efficiency.