If you need to call 911 in Amherstburg, you will now speak directly to a professional dispatcher in Windsor.
Windsor police announced that starting Thursday, their 911 call centre at Police Headquarters is now officially the primary point for receiving emergency calls in Amherstburg. This is the final step in the process to streamline emergency communications after Windsor's police service established its detachment in Amherstburg in January.
The streamlined Windsor call centre is now, what is called by police, the Primary Public Safety Answering Point (PPSAP) for both Windsor and Amherstburg, according to Sergeant Steve Betteridge, public information officer.
"This enhanced service will improve safety by streamlining the process and flow of information in an active emergency," said Betteridge. "With the 911 call now coming directly to our headquarters first, the entire response time is enhanced, translating into increased community safety."
Police in Windsor began providing dispatch service to Amherstburg in December 2017, while it was still being served by the Amherstburg Police Department. However, 911 calls were first picked up by dispatchers at a PPSAP in North Bay, before being transferred to the Windsor 911 centre.
"One of the goals in this initiative was to increase service provided to the town of Amherstburg," said Betteridge.
With the 911 upgrade in place, police still remind residents that 911 is for life-or-death emergencies only, defined by situations in which property or human life is immediately threatened. The OPP says 911 is not for getting traffic or weather information, reporting lost pets, getting sports scores, or complaining about Amber Alerts.
