PROVINCE WIDE 9-1-1 CALL-TAKING PROCEEDS

Released on November 30, 1998

Municipal Affairs, Culture and Housing Minister Carol Teichrob and Ken

Weibe, CEO for South Saskatchewan 9-1-1 today announced that a Sask911

Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) will be established in the City

of Swift Current, creating five new jobs.



The PSAP will allow for enhanced and expanded 9-1-1 call-taking

services in the "South Saskatchewan 911" region, beyond the 81

municipalities already receiving the service, once dispatch procedures

are in place and adjustments to telephone equipment have been made.

Completion is expected in approximately two years.



"This announcement supports the province's commitment to strengthening

our communities and keeping them safe," Teichrob said. "The enhanced

Sask911 service will mean call-takers at the PSAP will be able to

automatically identify the phone number and location of callers before

transferring them to the closest emergency dispatch provider.



"It will provide one simple, easy-to-remember number and reduce the

need for callers to communicate detailed information. This is a

tremendous benefit to young children or anyone in an emergency

situation who may have difficulty describing their location."



"To prepare for the expansion, the PSAP is working with

municipalities, health regions and emergency service providers to

establish policies for dispatch services," Weibe said.



"In addition to the new positions created to handle the demands

of the expected increase in call volumes, Swift Current

residents will benefit from province-wide service once it is

complete. Ultimately, they will have access to 9-1-1 when they

travel to other communities in the province visiting friends or

relatives," Weibe said.



Sask911 call-taking will be funded through telephone line charges

of $1.00 per residential line, $.50 per individual business line,

and $2.40 per business trunk line. These fees incorporate the

currently charged SaskTel equipment and network fee and will now

also include the cost of the expanded-call-taking service. They

will appear on "South Saskatchewan 9-1-1" region customers'

telephone bills beginning in January and will apply to other

telephone customers within the PSAP area as 9-1-1 service becomes

available.



The government consulted with municipalities and health regions

through their associations and determined that the line fee was

the most effective way for people from many municipalities to

contribute to a central call-taking service.



"It is our goal that 9-1-1 services be provided throughout

Saskatchewan, wherever land lines exist, and no matter where

people may live or travel," Teichrob said.



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For more information, contact:



Jan Carter

Municipal Affairs, Culture, and Housing

Regina

Phone: (306) 787-1085



Doug Line Tim Kydd

South Saskatchewan 9-1-1 SaskTel

Swift Current Regina

Phone: (306) 778-2796 Phone: (306) 777-5638