To the Editor,
Re: Mayor aiming to unite Island on 911 service, March 27.
I agree our 911 system has its problems.
I think Mayor John Ruttan needs to do more homework and contact successful systems, on what changes in Nanaimo’s 911 system are needed.
If he lived in the east Kootenays, where Kelowna has become the 911 call centre and people are dying because of call waiting and confusion, he would think twice about uniting the Island into a huge quagmire of unresponded fire, ambulance and police calls. I certainly agree that problems with geographical locations in unfamiliar territory means time lost as well as lives.
The money saved does not equal the lives lost. Sadly the only place 911 is successful is on TV shows.
I wonder why our main fire hall isn’t Nanaimo’s 911 centre as it has the knowledge of first response and is staffed 24/7. They would seem to be the logical and correct dispatchers in an emergency.
Mary Lou NordstromNanaimo