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Home My WebLink AboutFD-19-84 FIRE DEPARTMENT 6%)13 3300 132 GHURGH ws�Q 15-1 BOWMANVILIA J A,M DRIDGE i-IG 1 F5 rlffl' CHILE" OFFIC dF7 E� 323512 ,=P-2E TOWN OF NEWCASTLE REPORT TO THE GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION ' COMMITTEE - MEETING OF JULY 16, 1984. REPORT NO. FD 19-84 SUBJECT: Fire Department Emergency Telephone Numbers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ RECOMMENDATION It is respectfully recommended: 1 . ) THAT this report be received; 2. ) THAT the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council that the pro- posed new Fire Department Emergency phone numbers be approved; 3. ) THAT the necessary funds for the proposed changeover and public information program (approximately $2,500.00) be drawn from the Reserve Fund Account No. 2900-x-17. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ BACKGROUND'AND' COMMENT The Region of Durham Fire Co-Ord'inator, Chief E. M. Crouch, and the Durham Region Health Council have been meeting for a number of months, addressing the subject of Tiered Response, to minimize the time a critically ill/injured patient is without basic life support, to develop a co-operative, integrated system throughout the Region in which basic care is provided to a patient through the assistance of police, fire and ambulance personnel . Municipal Fire Chiefs have been involved at this level and were approached by the Fire Co-Ordinator to review their emergency phone numbers and their level of training in basic life support. . . . .Continued FIRE PREVENTION BFOGINS KITH YOU Report No. FD 19-84 - 2 - Bell Canada has undertaken a survey and has established a 9111 phone number, plus the area exchange. This number is now available in many areas of the Region, or will be available in the near future throughout the Region of Durham and has been proposed as a Emergency Fire phone number. In numerous meetingsand discussions with Bell Canada regarding the Town of Newcastle and the many different telephone exchanges, fourteen in all , this has proven to be a difficult task. In some areas within our muni- cipality, it was found that long distance charges were incurred by resi- dents when calling the Fire Department, because their telephone exchanges were either Brooklin, Blackstock or Garden Hill . In cases of emergency, much delay is caused by these phone exchanges for area residents. Many of these residents, when surveyed, thought that their fire protection would come from Garden Hill or Oshawa. The proposal through Bell Canada would reduce our present three telephone emergency numbers, (623-3300, 987-4211 , 983-5302) to two (623-9111 and 983- 9111 ). Bowmanville 623-3300 to 623-9111 Hampton 623-3300 to 623-9111 Newcastle 997-4211 to 983-9111 Newtonville 987-4211 to 983-9111 Orono 983-5302 to 983-9111 Kendal 983-5302 to 983-9111 Courtice 623-3300 to 623-9111 For the three aforementioned areas with phone exchanges outside of our area, there would be a Zenith telephone number established, (Zenith 9111 ). Costs related to the changeover would be as follows: Bell Canada Service Charge $70.25 Printing of Telephone Stickers $600.00 Advertising in all local papers $1 ,500.00 Public information program $330.00 Actually, monthly rates will decrease by $142.61 due to the disconnection of the Newcastle exchange number. The Zenith listing would cost $15.15 monthly, plus the cost of any emergency calls made from those locations. The largest cost in relation to the changeover would be for public notification, tele- phone sticker printing, newspaper advertisement, mailings to all area resi- dents. . . . .Continued Report No. FD 19-84 - 3 - Bell Canada has assured me that for a minimum of one year a automatic call referral will switch over any emergency calls made to the old numbers, to the new numbers. The deadline for notification to Bell Canada to permit them to publish the new telephone numbers in the 1984 Telephone Directory would be August lst, 1984. I recommend that this changeover be approved, which will standardize the 9111 telephone number for Fire Emergency and afford all Town of Newcastle residents the availability of calling their Fire Department toll free for emergencies. The timing of the proposed telephone number changes, naturally, will be quite critical , due to the extensive publicity involved. The Durham Region Telephone Directory delivery date is set for early October and would work in conjunction with Fire Prevention Week. During Fire Prevention Week the Fire Department has the opportunity to speak with a number of residents and school groups, who visit the Stations, which would afford us the opportunity to further publicize the new emergency numbers. Respectfully submitted, '' J. A Bridge, Fire Chief. JA/sr July 10, 1984.