Local 911 Provider Provides Update on Disruption to Service

County of Brant, ON – To ensure transparency and accountability to residents, the County of Brant and the City of Brantford provide the following update regarding a service disruption to 911 services that occurred on Wednesday, November 1, 2023 Northern911, the primary Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), is contracted to provide 911 services to Brant-Brantford Paramedics, County of Brant Fire, the Brantford Fire Department and Brantford Police Services

“On November 1, 2023, between 5:32 am and 7:29 am, Northern911 encountered an unanticipated service disruption that temporarily impacted our capacity to manage 91-1 calls. We acknowledge the understandable concern this situation caused among both residents and local authorities. We fully grasp the seriousness of the situation and the distress it may have generated. Please accept our heartfelt apologies for the impact of this disruption,” said Mike Shantz,

President, Northern911.

According to Northern911, during planned maintenance on commercial power infrastructure, failure of a power transfer switch resulted in the unexpected shutdown of critical systems. An additional software configuration issue made the backup infrastructure inaccessible. “To avert similar incidents in the future, Northern911 has conducted a comprehensive audit of both the power distribution and configuration settings for all critical systems. Additionally, we have initiated maintenance on the affected infrastructure to improve power distribution and resilience. Moreover, we are ensuring our ability to access the backup infrastructure for enhanced preparedness,” stated Mr. Shantz.

The County of Brant and the City of Brantford released a joint statement regarding the incident:

“The County of Brant and the City of Brantford reassures residents that their health and safety is our top priority and as such, we take this incident very seriously, and remain committed to working with Northern911 to ensure that actions are taken to prevent another occurrence in the future. We understand Northern911 is working to implement preventive measures to avoid similar incidents in the future. We have been assured that Nothern911’s commitment to providing reliable services is unwavering and they are putting additional corrective measures in place immediately”

While 911 is still the most effective, reliable method to contact emergency services, in the unlikely event of a reoccurrence, the business lines for each emergency service can be used, listed on each agency website

A comprehensive report on the incident has been provided by Northern911 and updates will continue to be provided as they become available.

Holiday season is approaching – County sends reminder that special fireworks permit is required

County of Brant, ON – As the holiday season begins, the County of Brant is reminding residents of the Firework Bylaw and Fireworks Permit requirements

Family fireworks can only be discharged on Victoria Day, Canada Day or three (3) days before and three (3) days after these holidays. Family Fireworks are low-hazard firework articles designed for recreational use by the public which are classified as type F.1 explosives under the Canadian Explosives Act and Regulation Fireworks must be discharged on private property unless the applicant has written permission from the property owner.

To discharge Family Fireworks outside of the above holidays, you must submit a Family Fireworks Permit Application. This application will be reviewed and approved by the Fire Chief or Official

Fire Designate

Once approved, a fee is required and must be paid before the permit is valid

To apply for a Family Fireworks Permit, visit www.brant.ca/familyfireworks.

Firework Safety:

To keep you and your loved ones safe, please ensure:

·The fallout or debris from the fireworks lands your own property and if you are not the owner, you must have written permission from the property owner to do so,

·The weather is appropriate before discharging fireworks and do not use in windy conditions,

·You understand the manufacturer's safety instructions for each individual firework before discharging,

·You choose a wide, clear site away from all obstacles and combustibles,

·You are ready to extinguish a fire quickly. Have a bucket of water and/or fire extinguisher ready,

·After discharge, ensure the fireworks, casings, or other debris, are completely extinguished so not to create a fire hazard

·Wait at least 30 minutes before approaching a firework that did not go off,

·Never try to relight a firework that did not go off and never try to fix a firework that is defective.

The County of Brant Fireworks Bylaw 19-23 regulates the supply, sale and use of Fireworks in the County of Brant To review the Fireworks Bylaw, visit www.brant.ca/fireworks.

Leader of Official Opposition makes stop in Paris / Brantford this week