The long-awaited 911 emergency service will be coming to all 33 communities in the NWT this November. A public awareness campaign outlining how to effectively use 911 will be launched simultaneously with the service going live.
Alfred Moses, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs stated that with the timeline for 911 now confirmed, the GNWT and its partners are well-positioned to launch a quality 911 service for residents and visitors to the NWT in November.
“In the time leading up to the implementation date, the GNWT will be working with communities to prepare them for the system launch. A detailed briefing will be provided to all community governments in the NWT on the 911 operating model, its capabilities and the services that can be accessed.”
911 is a three-digit telephone number you will be able to call in an emergency. Calling 911 will connect you to trained 911 staff in a call centre right here in the NWT. The 911 staff will connect you to the emergency services already available in your community. The 911 service gives the public fast and easy access to emergency services in situations when someone’s health, safety or property is in jeopardy or when a crime is in progress.
Moses added how pleased he was to announce the November launch date for this vital service as the need for 911 service in the NWT has been a long-standing concern for residents.
“Great progress has been made in passing the legislation and through work with our partners and stakeholders. I want to thank my colleagues in the House and all our partners and stakeholders for their efforts and input so far.”
NWT telephone and cell phone users (including Internet-based telephone users) will be charged a nominal monthly fee that will appear on their phone bill. User fees for 911 are charged throughout Canada and internationally. No fees will be charged in the NWT until the service is being provided.
Recruiting for bilingual 911 Emergency Medical Dispatchers will commence in June.
