DUNCAN – The Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) has selected North Island 9-1-1 Corporation (NI911) as the provider of Fire Dispatch Services for the region.
The CVRD’s current agreement with Nanaimo FireComm, as a member of the Central Island 911 partnership, ends June 30, 2021 when the new five-year agreement with NI911 will begin. The CVRD Emergency Management division has begun developing a transition plan with NI911 for the continuation of service when the agreement takes effect later this year.
“We are thrilled to be chosen to provide affordable, professional standard fire dispatch to the Cowichan Valley Regional District residents,” said John McNabb, President of North Island 9-1-1 Corporation. “As a Vancouver Island government corporation our mandate is to supply quick and comprehensive dispatch service. North Island 911 staff and our members are committed to excellent performance each and every day.”
Fire Dispatch Services for CVRD had previously been provided by Nanaimo FireComm. However, Nanaimo recently announced the discontinuation of that function due to rising operational costs and the technology upgrades required for the Next Generation 911 platform.
“We look forward to working with the North Island 911 Corporation to continue this critical service for our residents and 19 fire departments across the Cowichan region,” said Aaron Stone, Chair of the Cowichan Valley Regional District. “We thank the Regional District of Nanaimo and City of Nanaimo for the service they have provided to our residents in the past.”
The North Island 9-1-1 Corporation was established in 1995 by six regional districts, including Mt. Waddington, Strathcona, Comox Valley, qathet, School District 69 of Nanaimo, and AlberniClayoquot. These organizations work together to invest and maintain a diverse network of technology infrastructure across Vancouver Island to provide fire dispatch in local communities. The fire dispatch services provided have resulted in high levels of service for emergency response in these regions.