Emergency services in Weyburn are working out final details to meet a March start-up date for the province-wide 911 call service.

A definite date has not been set for when 911 will be available, other than mid to late March, said fire Chief Denis Pilon, who also co-ordinates the city's Emergency Measures Organization, or EMO office.

Currently in the Weyburn area, only the city's phone exchange has 911 service; once the service is in place provincially, all residents will have access to it regardless of their location.

The Weyburn Fire Department is working to have its dispatch services set up and run through the Weyburn Police Service, which will require an upgrade of equipment, said Pilon, while the South Central Health District is working on its options for the dispatch of ambulance services.

Once the service is in place, all 911 calls made in southern Saskatchewan will go directly to the Public Service Answering Point in Swift Current, and the call will then be sent on to the appropriate agency for the area, whether it's police, fire or ambulance.

Swift Current is offering its services as a dispatcher at a cost of around $2.50 per capita, but the local fire department wants the relayed 911 dispatch handled through the Weyburn police, as the personnel is already in place, said Pilon. The main cost will then be to upgrade the equipment and keep it operating.

"There will be costs in starting up and operating the equipment. There will be some fee that will go back to municipalities or other fire departments, if they want us to do dispatch for them," said the EMO co-ordinator, adding the Weyburn area EMO still has to determine if there will be a per capita charge or a flat fee. A meeting will be held by the EMO members later this week to work this and other details out for the 911 service.

For other communities and police departments not offering the service on their own, there are services in Swift Current, Yorkton, Moose Jaw and Regina all offering their expertise for dispatching, said Pilon, and their fees and rates are all up for negotiation depending on the size of the service or municipality.