RFP to be issued for fire dispatch

Northumberland County Administration Building. Courtesy of Northumberland County.

By Cecilia Nasmith

The tendering for a new co-ordinated fire dispatch service for the seven municipalities of Northumberland County will proceed, as discussed Wednesday at the county council meeting.

Rather than a patchwork of dispatch services, the county engaged Peterborough Fire Services in 2021 for a central dispatch service. With that contract about to expire at the end of the year, a tendering process for the next contract is planned.

Though the matter was discussed at council's Corporate Services Committee earlier this month, Councillor Brian Ostrander asked that the matter be discussed at county council in order that Cheif Administrative Officer Dan Bororwec could provide some information on the tendering process.

“It is of vital interest to the seven lower-tier municipalities and our fire services,” Ostrander said, citing “significant interest in how this procurement goes through. I just want to make sure the fire services are included in the process.”

“In the previous tendering process, which in the end selected Peterborough, all seven fire chiefs were invited to the process,” Borowec said.

“It is our current position that we feel local expertise is the key to the selection process, It is our preference and our procedure that the seven fire chiefs will be doing the selecting and rating of any applicants.”

An RFP is expected to be issued in June.