Markham, Barrie fire services enter new dispatch service agreement
Posted in: News Item
Date Posted: 2021-07-26
Organization Name: City of Markham
On July 26, Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti and Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman announced an agreement for Barrie Fire & Emergency Service (BFES) to provide 24/7 emergency call-taking and dispatch service to Markham Fire & Emergency Services (MFES) by the end of this year.
This shared service agreement prepares both MFES and BFES for the mandatory transition to Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) expected in 2024. Both will be able to leverage new emergency communications capabilities and will realize capital savings as a result of this transition.
“Innovation and forward thinking is at the core of everything we do at the City of Markham, and by leveraging strategic partnerships we are able to keep costs down and improve the customer experience for the residents of Markham and Barrie,” said Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti.
Operationally, this agreement will help offset capital and operating costs associated with maintaining Barrie’s emergency communications and dispatch centre. It will allow MFES to improve responsiveness and modernize emergency services.
By partnering together and realizing savings, both cities can provide services in a way that is most economical and efficient for their residents.
“Barrie Fire & Emergency Service is one of the most respected fire services in Ontario,” said Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman. “The fact that the City of Markham chose BFES to deliver such a critical service to their residents is a testament to the outstanding skills and expertise of the BFES team. I’m proud that Markham and Barrie are again demonstrating the potential of municipal collaboration in serving our residents.”
The BFES Communications Branch will serve 21 municipalities, including Barrie and Markham, its largest client municipality. In 2020, BFES dispatched more than 21,250 emergency incidents.
“This strategic partnership brings municipalities together to provide effective services efficiently and economically, demonstrating leadership in the stewardship of money and resources as set out in Markhams’ strategic plan,” said the City of Markham CAO Andy Taylor.
“I am excited to partner with Chief Mainprize and the entire BFES team. By being proactive both cities will benefit from this partnership and be ready to fully leverage the capabilities of NG9-1-1,” said Markham Fire and Emergency Services Chief Adam Grant. “Markham is working to modernize all aspects of fire protection service delivery and this is a major step towards achieving this vision.”
To learn more about Markham Fire & Emergency Services, visit markham.ca/fire. To learn more about Barrie Fire & Emergency Service, visit barrie.ca/BFES.