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Opposition calls for a province-wide 911 service May 10, 2007
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Opposition Health and Community Services Critic and MHA for the District of Humber valley, Dwight Ball, called on government in the House of Assembly today to make 911 emergency response service available across the province. The 911 service allows individuals to dial a three digit number to access any emergency service including medical, fire and police. This province is the only Atlantic Province without province‑wide coverage for land based 911 emergency response services. Currently, only 40 per cent of the province=s population and less than 10 per cent of communities on the island portion of the province have access to this 911 service. Furthermore, there is no land based 911 service in Labrador. "I was disappointed that government ignored the need for the service in this year=s budget and I wanted to know when they intend to make province-wide 911 service a priority,@ says Ball. A This service is vital in that it can save lives and while government may not view it as a priority, I will continue to push to ensure that it is provided in the next budget.@ Ball also noted that the 911 services currently operating in the province are "basic" 911 service. In contrast, the other Atlantic Provinces have "enhanced" 911 services which use the telephone number of the calling party to capture information related to the location of the emergency. AThese kinds of enhancements are particularly significant when the caller=s ability to communicate is impaired. "There is no reason why the people of this province should expect any less than what is available to people in other provinces. Government should be considering making the investment necessary to see that "enhanced" 911 services are offered in this province the way they are in other Atlantic provinces." The Liberal MHA further pointed out that professional groups in this field, such as the Paramedic Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, have added their voice to those who have already called for the expansion of 911 service. "It is unacceptable for people faced with emergencies to have to look through a phone book for the right number and then dial up to eleven digits to contact emergency services. Having a 911 service would be an important enhancement to our health care system in this province."
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