Headlines News Equipment
N.B. invests $1.5 million to increase access to technology for fire departments

July 25, 2023, Fredericton – Fire departments in New Brunswick are eligible to receive additional trunked mobile radios, the latest communications technology, as part of the province’s $1.5 million regional fire dispatch project.

The increase of two radios per fire service is part of the NB911 system, and is in addition to the seven radios that were previously provided.

The initiative is expected to reduce costs for fire departments to be part of the network and provide a standard model for emergency fire dispatch in each region through a public safety answering point. Fire services and their municipal authorities that adopt the regional fire dispatch model will be given the equipment and support necessary to migrate to the network.

“These are life-saving tools,” said Fire Marshal Mike Lewis. “Anything that helps us communicate more effectively enables us to better protect our communities. This is a significant investment in our fire service. At several thousand dollars apiece, providing these radios free of charge allows our fire departments to reallocate their resources towards other areas, such as equipment or training.”

Lewis said in a press release that the benefits of becoming part of the regional fire dispatch include reducing or eliminating monthly network access fees, more efficient mutual aid responses – particularly during large-scale, multi-agency incidents – and improved firefighter safety by maintaining contact with dispatch.

Many first responders are part of the network, including eight municipal police forces, six municipal fire services, more than 160 volunteer fire services, the RCMP, Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, Ambulance NB, and the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization.