Fire dispatch contracts which would have expired on February 28 have been extended while the United Counties of Prescott and Russell negotiates with Hawkesbury.
On February 6, Hawkesbury council agreed on a contract extension until April 30. The municipality’s fire dispatch service currently serves every Prescott-Russell municipality, except Clarence-Rockland, which has a contract with Ottawa.
In January, local mayors decided the United Counties would negotiate on behalf of Hawkesbury’s dispatch customers. These municipalities have expressed interest in leaving Hawkesbury’s dispatch service for Ottawa’s, which is expected to be cheaper. That plan was derailed when Ottawa’s dispatch service said it would only accept municipalities as a group, and not before February, 2017. Local municipalities now need an agreement with Hawkesbury. North Glengarry, a former Hawkesbury customer, has signed a contract with Cornwall for dispatching services.
911 calls are answered in North Bay, which communicates with local fire dispatch services, which communicate with firefighters.
