A 911 dispatch change is happening in Ontario and Fire needs a seat at the table
July 18, 2023
By Julie Fitz-Gerald
Ontario will be transitioning to a new 911 dispatch system over the next three years in an effort to provide better response times to urgent calls, however fire chiefs that have recently made the change in Peel and Halton regions are raising some alarm bells about the implementation process.
The move to Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS) from the previous Dispatch Priority Card Index (DPCI) is meant to ensure the most serious calls receive attention first, preventing less urgent calls from tying up ambulances while patients facing life-threatening situations are left waiting.
The MPDS dispatch system will change what calls Fire goes to. PHOTO: SEBASTIEN/ADOBE STOCK
