Calling 911

All 9-1-1 calls are directed to the North Bay OPP who act as the Township of The Archipelago’s Central Emergency Reporting Bureau (CERB). Callers will be asked what their emergency is: police, ambulance or fire.

Private Road Maintenance & Emergency Services

Please note: If you are using your property during the winter months it is your responsibility to maintain your private road to allow access for emergency services. The Archipelago will NOT maintain a private road in an emergency. It will be the property owner's responsibility to hire a private contractor to clear a road should there be an emergency.

The Township has installed "Private Road” signage at the entrance to all private roads to make EMS and visitors aware that the road is not municipally maintained.

Police

Ambulance

Ambulance calls are redirected to the Parry Sound ambulance base (EMS). EMS does not have any boats, so if your property can only be accessed by water, you may be responsible for transport of the patient to a mutually agreed upon location to meet the ambulance. If you are unable to transport the patient, or if the patient is not stable enough to be transported, EMS may coordinate with the OPP marine unit for transportation to your location, or ORNGE Air Ambulance Service may be contacted. However, the OPP marine unit and/or air ambulance may not be accessible in all emergency situations, so you must be prepared.

In 2018, the Parry Sound District Emergency Medical Service (PSDEMS) made changes to its policies with respect to occurrences on ice requiring emergency medical response. Local EMS staff are not trained or equipped with the appropriate personal protective equipment to travel over ice and doing so could potentially put staff in harm’s way and increases the risk of danger to the patient and other responding organizations. EMS staff will not provide emergency response on ice unless the patient can be accessed by a marked and open OFSC trail. In the event that EMS staff cannot access the patient, emergency services with the proper equipment and knowledge (OPP, local Fire Department), will be required to access the patient and transport them to an appropriate location where EMS can perform the services that they are trained and equipped to conduct.

Fire

Fire calls will be redirected to Northern 911 who acts as dispatcher for the Township of The Archipelago. Northern 911’s response is dependent on the type and location of the emergency.

The Township has entered into Fire Protection Service Agreements with Seguin Township for fire protection services for specific properties in the Crane and Blackstone Lake areas. These property owners pay an annual special levy for this service. For applicable properties in the Blackstone Lake area, please review By-law No. 2022-10. For applicable properties in the Crane Lake area, please review By-law No. 2024-49.

If your property is not located in an area with a fire protection service agreement, please be advised that the Township of The Archipelago does not have a fire department. Northern 911 will advise you of this and that no fire personnel or equipment will respond. You will be advised to leave the structure and to move to a safe location. Volunteer firefighting groups exist in some neighbourhoods. You should contact your local Cottager Association to inquire as to what services may be available locally.

To report a forest fire, call the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) at 310-FIRE (310-3473).

Know Your Civic Address

Emergencies happen when we least expect it, and when they do, every second counts. In an emergency situation it is easy to forget your civic address. Post your address in plain sight of the telephone or in several locations that are easy to get to. If you still aren't sure of your civic number and/or address, contact the Township office and ask.

Many residences have disconnected their land line and only use cell phones. It is important that residents realize that their civic address will not show on the 9-1-1 dispatch screen when a call is placed from a cellphone. Therefore, if you only have a cell phone, or if you use a cell phone while at your cottage, it is absolutely imperative that every family member and guest knows the complete civic address so that emergency response can find your location on its mapping. Please click here to download a copy of the poster that you can post at your place of residence.