Taylor firefighters to benefit from new 911 technology units with live location, video sharing and more

TAYLOR, B.C. — The Taylor Fire and Rescue department can now make use of new technical upgrades to help its response to 911 calls.

In a newsletter – Taylor Times for January 2026 – uploaded to the District of Taylor’s website, the district announced it has utilized a grant from the province for the Next Generation 911 (NG911) upgrades. 

The NG911 upgrades provide real-time updates to responders as they are called to emergencies, including direct communication between dispatch and the fire department, live location mapping and the ability to receive texts and videos.

The newsletter said this upgrade will help improve public safety and confidence in the 911 network. 

Steve Byford, fire chief for the District of Taylor, told Energeticcity.ca the grant was initially issued by the provincial government to all municipalities back in 2023. 

Byford said: “At [the] time it was issued, [it was] more for the technical side around [geographical information systems] GIS programming. 

“And at that time, there were many municipalities that didn’t have GIS in place or it was old technology and the funding was to help upgrade [the system].” 

Byford shared that in the Peace region, “all of our GIS is either done locally or through the Peace River Regional District.” 

“We were already in good standing with the technology, so the funding, although issued to us, would not have been utilized.” 

In March 2025, the province “changed their direction on the grant,” Byford said, allowing Taylor to upgrade to the computer-aided dispatch (CAD) for the fire department. 

The grant allowed Taylor Fire and Rescue to purchase and install the CAD units in its apparatus. 

“[The technology] resides in our response vehicles [and] provides direct communication between dispatch and the fire department,” Byford shared, adding that it provides information about where the call is located and real-time updates. 

Byford said: “We were able to install six units that will further our ability to respond quicker [and] have better communication.

“And the whole premise behind the Next Generation 911 system is to start including text messaging [and] video sharing either from the individual requesting 911 assistance to dispatch [or] between dispatch and responders.” 

Additionally, the upgraded systems will provide mapping that will allow Taylor Fire and Rescue to pinpoint locations faster in order to respond quicker and ensure the proper department is dispatched. 

“[The] total project to purchase these computer tablets, the mounts and have them installed in six of our units was just over $37,000,” he said, adding the project was completed at the end of 2025. 

With the units already in effect, Byford said: “They’re in all of our apparatus here in the district and they are providing our responders with up-to-date information and technical abilities to do their job safer and quicker for our community.” 

Byford shared all the members are more informed. He said: “It gives us a better timely response and it’s safer for the responders as well. 

“We know where we’re going and we have updated information on what we’re getting into, other than just hearing it over a radio, [and] it’s a great move forward.”