Windsor's police and fire services are taking steps to strengthen their emergency response.
The Windsor Police Service and Windsor Fire & Rescue Services have announced the integration of their dispatch operations into one shared communications centre at Windsor Police Headquarters.
By sharing one centre it will enhance operational efficiency and ensures more effective responses to emergencies across the city.
Police and fire dispatchers can now communicate and coordinate responses seamlessly.
This change comes as Windsor moves to the Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) - Canada's updated internet-based 9-1-1 system that all municipalities need to transition to by March 2027.
Windsor Police Service has upgraded their workspaces, equipment, and technology systems to support a second emergency service on police infrastructure.
Tracy Klingbyle, Supervisor of 9-1-1 Communications at Windsor Police, says Windsor police and fire are now ahead in this change.
"What NG9-1-1 will bring is an enhanced system, so basically we're going from an old legacy system, to an IP-based system and all of the things that that will bring moving forward beyond the cutover in March 2027 for all of the other agencies. So, police and fire locally... we've already transitioned, we're ready for the future."
Klingbyle says sometimes only one service is needed, or multiple services.
"We do have some accidents, for example, there's tiered response within the city, so ambulance, police, and fire all attend for certain types of calls, and then depending on who arrives, whatever is needed, we would cancel each other based on those requirements."
Windsor Fire Chief Jamie Waffle says the goal is to improve coordination and communication.
"Situational awareness during emergencies, particularly larger-scale, or multi-agency emergencies, and again the goal is to ensure faster, more efficient response as well. Each of the services maintain their independent operations, and really just help us coordinate and work together in these types of situations."
Waffle says there won't be an impact to those who are calling 9-1-1.
"Police will continue answering the 9-1-1 calls, fire dispatch remains as a separate function, what they are is they're now in the same location and in the same space for really better real-time coordination."
Windsor Police have a total of 53 active dispatch personnel, while Windsor Fire has 13 full-time dispatchers and six auxiliary dispatch personnel.
Since 2022, the provincial government has invested more than $1.7-million to support the Windsor Police Service's transition to NG9-1-1.
Windsor Fire has also received more than $2.4-million in provincial funding to modernize their communications infrastructure and ensure readiness for NG9-1-1.