ORRSC outlines NextGen 9-1-1

Posted on November 21, 2024 by Vauxhall Advance

By Heather Cameron
Vauxhall Advance
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

During the Town of Vauxhall Council meeting on November 4, Council reviewed correspondence sent by Lenze Kuiper, Chief Administrative Officer of the Oldman River Regional Services Commission, to Vauxhall Town Council and other Oldman River Regional Services Commission GIC Members Chief Administrative Officers and Councils about a project called NextGen 9-1-1.

“We wish to inform you that the GIS Staff at the Oldman River Regional Services Commission are currently working through a large enhancement project on behalf of the membership to align existing datasets with the new NextGen 9-1-1 Standard,” said Kuiper’s letter.

NG9-1-1, Kuiper’s letter explained, is the transition of 9-1-1 from analog systems to digital IP-based systems.

“The change will enhance emergency number (9-1-1) services to create a faster, more resilient system allowing voice, data, photos, videos, and text messages to flow seamlessly from the public to 9-1-1,” said Kuiper’s letter.

Kuiper’s letter explained that the AMIDSP board, which includes GIS Analyst Jaime Thomas, has been working with both the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) and the Canadian Radio-Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to ensure the datasets are to the required NG9-1-1 format.

This vital project, Kuiper explained, will be completed by the end of November by the Oldman River Regional Services Commission GIS Staff.

“We appreciate the loyalty and support that we have received since the inception of the Oldman River Regional Services Commission GIS Project and over the last two decades,” said Kuiper’s letter. “We continue to be dedicated to providing exceptional value to our members.”

Kuiper’s letter concluded by inviting those who may have questions about NG 9-1-1 and the Oldman River Regional Services Commission GIS Project to contact Jaime Thomas at 403-329-1344 or  jaimethomas@orrsc.com or herself at admin@orrsc.com.

Council then briefly discussed how the Oldman River Regional Services Commission GIS Staff linking the Vauxhall Town Council’s GIS’s 9-1-1 system so that response times will be quicker is a positive step. Ultimately, a motion was made to accept the correspondence for information and the motion was carried.