Those living in Britannia Beach, Furry Creek and other communities in the southern part of the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) should highlight Feb. 16, 2011, on their calendars.
That's the day that those living in Pemberton and SLRD Areas C and D will be able to pick up their phones and dial 911 to summon emergency help including police, fire and ambulance.
At the moment, residents of Furry Creek, Britannia Beach, D'Arcy, Birken, Pemberton and Mount Currie have to dial three separate 10-digit numbers to access police, ambulance and fire services. Once the service is activated, a 911 call will replace those numbers in areas targeted to receive the new service, SLRD officials said in a statement issued on Tuesday (Jan. 25).
Beginning Feb. 16, though, calls made to 911 will go to the E-Comm dispatch centre in Vancouver, where operators trained in determining the type of emergency that exists will take the information and dispatch the appropriate response teams.
Residents are being asked to ensure that they have their correct street address posted in a place where they can easily be seen from the road, day or night, to help emergency crews find their address. Those who are unsure of their correct address should contact the SLRD toll-free at 1-800-298-7753.
