First responders and emergency personnel in northern Manitoba will receive a new and upgraded communications system.
Speaking to media at Thompson’s RCMP detachment on Aug. 8, Premier Brian Pallister announced Bell Mobility had been awarded a contract to replace the province’s FleetNet system, which is still used by first responders and emergency services.
The total project cost is estimated to cost $380 million. It will be up to three years before the system is fully implemented.
Updates will also be coming for the very high frequency (VHF) radio system currently used by Manitoba Sustainable Development crews, including conservation officers and forest fire suppression units.
The Flin Flon Fire Department still uses the FleetNet system to respond to calls.
Fire Chief Chad Cooper said the upgrades will allow firefighters to communicate better with each other and with dispatchers.
“We’re going to be moving towards an emergency services encrypted radio system. It’s an upgrade of our current system with increased communications with the provincial 911 service,” he said.
For Cooper, the upgrade is good news.
“The original FleetNet service has been around for a long time. They can’t even get parts for it anymore,” he said.
“It’s a dying system. There was a study done, and there’s nothing they can do with it except replace the whole system.”
New equipment included in the program will involve GPS-enabled radios that include location tracking, as well as radio signal encryption for police. The equipment will allow for coordination with systems in other provinces.
Pallister said five new telecommunications towers would be built in northern Manitoba to enhance cellular coverage and response, as well as mobile tower units to provide better coverage in emergencies.
