Emergency responders such as police, ambulance and fire have the attention of the provincial government.
Premier Doug Ford announced in Kenora yesterday $765-million will be spent on new radios to replace a system that’s 20 years old.
“God forbid you’re in the middle of winter and you break down out here. And that’s on a main highway. Just imagine one of your loved ones, I have 4 girls, I’m thinking of them being stranded somewhere…. you’re toast.”
The Chief Administrative Officer of the Kenora District Services Board Henry Wall says this is more than welcomed by their paramedics.
“I sit on a number of provincial committees, and I will put up our emergency responders up against any region in Ontario, or in Canada for that matter, anytime. And so from that standpoint I want to make sure that when they get in that vehicle they will have the best technology that’s going to allow them to do that job.”
The Premier added it’s for conservation officers too.
“They’re out in God’s country, and they can’t communicate with each other. We have an antiquated system for 20 years. We heard the previous government talk, talk, talk, but never did anything.”
Wall notes what the system will be able to do.
“We can use technology to really pinpoint where an individual is, where the call came from. In our region, you can’t wait hours to find someone, especially in the dead of winter.”
Motorola and Bell Mobility have been given the contract the build the new radio system in Ontario.
