The 911 project is designed to establish a simple, three-digit number for accessing all emergency services. When implemented, the 911 Emergency Response System will facilitate access to services for fire, police and ambulance services.

"The assignment of a civic address is a critical phase in the implementation of a province-wide 911 system because it will enable emergency service providers to locate a specific property quickly and accurately when a 911 call is made and facilitate rapid dispatch of emergency services," says Pat Mella, Provincial Treasurer. "Stratford and Emyvale were chosen as civic addressing pilot sites to represent PEI's unique mix of both urban and rural households, a task which could not happen without the cooperation of these communities."

Basic civic addressing is the foundation for the 911 Project. It is crucial in order for the emergency service providers to find a 911 caller in distress. A civic address is an identification given to a building or property and includes a civic number, a street or road name and a community name. When this civic address is linked to a telephone number, it will automatically display a "911 Address."

In many urban centres where civic numbers have been in place for some time, the mailing address will usually match the new civic address. In areas where civic numbers have not been previously assigned, a new civic address will not become a mailing address at this time. The civic address assigned will be for 911 use only.

"I am pleased to acknowledge this critical milestone in the on-going implementation of a province-wide 911 Emergency Response System in PEI, by the year 2000," says Wes MacAleer, Minister of Community Services and Attorney General. "Today's announcement makes the government's objective to create safe communities a greater reality and follows the government's Throne Speech pledge to initiate a province-wide 911 system."

The Civic Addressing Pilot in Stratford and Emyvale will permit the 911 Project Civic Addressing Team to test the civic address process and ensure that it works as planned.

"The Town of Stratford is pleased to participate in this civic addressing pilot," says Michael Farmer, Mayor of Stratford. "As a relatively new municipality, this project is an opportunity for us to fine tune our civic addressing responsibilities and to ensure that safety benefits of this project are fully realized."

While the 911 Emergency Response System will be operational in July 2000, the pilot is necessary at this time to test various components of a 911 system. This pilot does not mean that the residents of Stratford or Emyvale will have a 911 service before the rest of the residents of Prince Edward Island.

After Stratford and Emyvale are completed and the addressing process is fine-tuned, the 911 Civic Addressing Team will extend the addressing project to the rest of Prince Edward Island. The support of all residents will ensure that civic addresses are accurately assigned to all properties and properly displayed for personal and public safety.

Provincial Coordinator of the 911 System Amand Arsenault notes the benefits of a province-wide 911 Emergency Response system are many. "All Islanders as well as visitors from out of province who are already familiar with 911 services in their home jurisdictions will be able to complete a simple three-digit number to access required services," says Arsenault. "Residences and businesses will be automatically and accurately identified by a precise civic addressing system that will be displayed for the recipient of the 911 call. The visual display technology will allow for effective dispatch of emergency services, even if a caller is distraught, excited, cannot speak clearly, or is unsure of his or her location."

The benefits of a 911 system are clear, says Minister MacAleer. "The 911 initiative will make for safer communities and more effective dispatch of emergency services. When fully implemented in July 2000, residents of PEI and tourists visiting the Island will no longer have to seek out separate telephone numbers for fire, ambulance or police services."

The implementation of the 911 Emergency Response System is a partnership between the Province of Prince Edward Island, Island Tel, the City of Charlottetown, the City of Summerside and the RCMP.